Shanghai on a budget: cheap food, stays and free sights

Shanghai is China's most expensive city alongside Beijing and Shenzhen, but the gap between a ¥200 day and a ¥900 day is mostly bed and alcohol, not entry tickets. The city's best-known sight, the Bund, is free, and the metro reaches almost everything for under ¥8.

Sleep is the one line worth paying slightly more for. A dorm in a hostel near a metro station keeps you mobile; a private room in an older building in the former French Concession costs more but puts you within walking distance of free streets, cafés and the river.

Food is where a budget holds up. A bowl of noodles runs ¥15–35 and a canteen plate is similar, so three meals can stay under ¥100 if you skip hotel breakfasts and imported coffee. Chain coffee is ¥10–35; a sit-down dinner for two in a mid-range restaurant is where the day's budget disappears.

Transport is cheap and predictable: metro rides are ¥3–8, and buses cost less. DiDi rides are convenient but add up fast in traffic, so use them for late nights rather than the daily commute. Keep ¥300–500 in small notes as backup, because small vendors expect QR payment and may not have change.

Shanghai has two airports and several rail stations, all connected to the metro. Pudong (PVG) is the long-haul airport; Hongqiao (SHA) handles many domestic flights and sits beside Hongqiao railway station. The high-speed train from Beijing takes roughly 4.5–6 hours and costs ¥550–680 in second class (check), which is often cheaper than a same-week flight.

From Pudong, the metro is the cheapest way into the centre; the Maglev is faster but only covers part of the route and needs a transfer. From Hongqiao, metro lines run straight downtown. Arrive with Alipay or WeChat Pay already set up and a working eSIM or VPN, because neither is easy to fix at the airport.