Join InterNations

The world's largest expat community

Your Expat Community in Shanghai

  • Connect with fellow expats in Shanghai

  • Join exciting events and groups for expats

  • Get information in our expat guides

  • Exchange tips about expat life in Shanghai

  • David Thyne

    At the first Shanghai Get-Together I met several American expats. I am very grateful that they shared their experience with me.

Discover Shanghai's Friendly Expat Community!

Ni hao and a warm welcome to our expat community in Shanghai! Step into our friendly and thriving Shanghai Community and receive helpful, first-hand advice from real expats living in Shanghai. Get to know the Chinese city before you arrive and plan your move down to the letter with guidance from our informative and experienced network of expats, as well as the information in our extensive guide on what you need to know for your expat life in China. You may be considering your next move or planning your escape and may be keen to know the answers to questions like, "what's the healthcare system like in China?", "how expensive is education in China?", or "where is the best place for a family to live in Shanghai?". Once you join InterNations, you'll find helpful members in our forums who will be happy to answer any pressing questions for which you haven't found the answers in our guides. With our members' insider knowledge about living in Shanghai, they will be happy to give you unrivaled advice and tips about settling into your new life in this bustling, modern city. Not only will the friendly expat community be able to help you with practical questions, but they will also be able to give a key insight into Chinese culture and lifestyle, such as where to grab the best street food, like Peking Duck or when to celebrate the Chinese Qingming Festival.

With InterNations, you never stand alone. Whether you are moving to another country or going on a business trip somewhere — our communities around the world are there to make you feel at home wherever you are. Feel free to also check out our other vibrant InterNations Communities like the ones in Hong Kong or Singapore.

Jump right in:

Join Our Exciting Events in Shanghai

Attend our monthly events and activities for Shanghai expatriates to get to know like-minded expatriates in real life.

Join us on Saturday, 23 March at The Compass Bar's in The Peninsula Shanghai, a beacon of luxury hospitality on the Bund. There will be a chosen menu of creative bar snacks, cocktails, including The P
Dear InterNations Friends! Join us on Saturday, April 13th for a InterNations experience at “Suntory Shanghai”, one of Asia’s finest Japanese Restaurants. Now with a newly designed bar on their beaut
On Sunday, April 21, we welcome you to one of the best lounges in the heart of Shanghai: Calypso by Shangri-La. Yes, we have our first Sunday event in years! I remember many of you saying that an afte
Join us on Saturday, April 27th for an exclusive InterNations event at Mandarin Oriental Pudong Shanghai. Qi Bar, our venue, has bartenders trained by New York Mixologists skilled in classic and con

Want to see all the upcoming events in Shanghai?

Connect with Like-Minded Expatriates in Shanghai

  • Community Member
    From Taiwan, living in Shanghai
  • Community Member
    From United States of America, living in Shanghai
  • Community Member
    From Iran, living in Shanghai
  • Community Member
    From Chile, living in Shanghai
  • Community Member
    From Sweden, living in Shanghai
  • Community Member
    From Portugal, living in Shanghai
  • Community Member
    From Netherlands, living in Shanghai
  • Community Member
    From United States of America, living in Shanghai
  • Community Member
    From Brazil, living in Shanghai
  • Community Member
    From Colombia, living in Shanghai

Meet other expats like you in Shanghai

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Additional Information on Expat Life in Shanghai

Known as the Paris of the East, Shanghai is home to a number of exciting attractions, such as the historic neighborhood of Bund and the largest port in the world, located on the estuary of the Yangtze River. The metropolis of China is similar to its counterpart Hong Kong, with impressive skyscrapers lining the skies alongside traditional Chinese architecture and culture. It's an East meets West extravaganza! Expats often move to China to pursue a career in business, with Shanghai renowned as the country's leading financial center. The city is home to a number of international businesses, and its foreign population is continually growing. The city's cosmopolitan vibe can make it feel like a very glamorous place to live, much like Hong Kong, with a work hard, play hard lifestyle prevalent among young expats in the city, many of whom earn generous salaries and are able to maintain a fun-filled lifestyle outside of work. According to the InterNations Expat Insider 2015 survey, Shanghai (and China in general) is one of the best places for expats to work and lead a balanced life, with high rankings in job security and high-earning careers. China ranked average for its availability of childcare and education, and can be a little more expensive in these areas than other countries.

InterNations is the largest global network for expatriates, with communities in 420 cities around the world. Meet fellow global minds in your city of residence or get to know local expatriates before you're moving or traveling abroad and never feel like a stranger. InterNations makes it easy for you to stay in touch with your expat friends, both online and offline, so you can grow your network of friends and contacts from all over the world. Whether they live in Jeddah or Amsterdam, InterNations allows you to be close to them even if they are miles away.

InterNations: The Easiest Way to Grow Your Expat Network in Shanghai

Every member of the prestigious InterNations Shanghai Community has been approved by us to become part of the network, so you can be rest assured that your interactions with other members, both online and offline, will be safe and courteous. This means that you can communicate with other users while safe in the knowledge that you are speaking with a trustworthy person. Why not get involved in some of Shanghai's groups and events taking place in the city? There are a number of groups you can sign up for on InterNations, from learning something new like Mandarin or how to play a musical instrument, to simply meeting up with other like-minded people in the city over dinner or a mocha, there's plenty to do in Shanghai! You don't have to give up your social life when you move to Shanghai. You can keep doing what you love to do in your new city, with new people that are part of the same shared experience as you. Start your new chapter in Shanghai with new friends, hobbies and interests, and give yourself the best chance of settling in comfortably in your new home.