(ECNS) – More than half of expats living in Shanghai say housing costs in the eastern Chinese metropolis are "a little bit too high" or "higher than in my country," according to a survey conducted by Shanghai University.
Throughout December and January, a research team from Shanghai University conducted a large-scale survey of expats in the city, who ranged in age from 18 to 65, and originated from 65 countries and regions, including the United States, Japan and South Korea. The team received 1,207 effective samples.
The researchers found that expats are satisfied with the city's security, infrastructure and social services. Nearly 97 percent of those surveyed said they had fully or partly adjusted to life in the city, while more than half indicated they plan to enjoy a long-term stay in Shanghai.
Despite overall satisfaction with the city, expats said they have encountered some problems or difficulties concerning medical services, food safety and administration red tape. The biggest problem, however, is high housing costs.
Responding to questions regarding buying or renting a home, more than half of expats, from both developed and developing countries, commented that high housing costs are a big burden for them.
In addition, more than 40 percent surveyed said they are extremely unhappy about the state of Shanghai's public washrooms, especially those in restaurants.
At the end of 2013, China hosted 848,500 expats while 176,000 of these, from over 200 countries and regions, were based in Shanghai.
