What's the Difference Between Working in Beijing and Shanghai?

Beijing and Shanghai are both wonderful cities at the vanguard of China's development, making them excellent locations to live and work while pursuing your professional goals. For those considering working in China, deciding between Beijing and Shanghai might be a difficult decision.

At the end of the day, everyone is unique. Which city is most conducive to your way of life? Continue reading for a breakdown of the most significant distinctions between working in Beijing and Shanghai, which will assist you in making this critical choice a bit simpler.

Wages and the Cost of Living in the U.S.

Beijing and Shanghai have earnings and living expenses that are comparable to one another.

One of the first things you'd want to think about is the pay and cost of living, and whether or not they're in line with one another.

When it comes to minimum pay and average salary on an industry-by-industry basis (city-wide, not only for foreigners), Shanghai and Beijing have figures that are quite comparable. However, because to the disparities in the relative importance of various businesses in the two cities, Shanghai expats are more likely to earn a higher salary (read more in the following subsection).

Foreigners working in Beijing and Shanghai may expect to earn salaries ranging from around RMB 12,000 per month for a junior ESL instructor to upwards of RMB 50,000 per month for senior executives in worldwide corporations.

Rent is charged similarly to other expenses. Rooms in Shanghai and Beijing cost RMB 2,500-3,500 a month in a shared flat, with costs for one- or two-bedroom apartments much more. Shanghai is the most expensive city in China (also dependent on the area). While in the past, Shanghai was considered to be the more expensive city to live in, inflation and rapid economic growth have leveled the playing field between the two cities, as the Beijing housing market has come under increasing pressure as more people move to the city. Inflation and rapid economic growth have also leveled the playing field between the two cities.

Possibilities for Employment

More employment in the banking and consulting sectors may be found in Shanghai than in Beijing, whereas more opportunities in the cultural sector are found in Beijing.

Shanghai is often the city of choice for multinational banks and financial service organizations, as well as insurance businesses and consulting firms, to locate their headquarters. If you're searching for employment in any of these fields, we propose that you consider working in Shanghai rather than Beijing since there will be more opportunities for you there.

Foreigners tend to be employed in Beijing in a variety of fields such as translation, working for international or local art or cultural groups, working in charity, and working in the international media.

Foreigners are employed in large numbers in both cities' education and healthcare sectors, and there isn't a significant difference in employment prospects in those areas between the two cities.