How does living in Beijing compare with living in Shanghai? I lived in Beijing for 3 years and Shanghai for more than 5 years. Both of Beijing and Shanghai are great, but they differ in some aspects. Culture: Beijing is the culture & political center of China for hundreds of years. So it is well protected. As a result, it’s more conservative compared to other cities such as Shanghai, Shenzhen. Shanghai is a port city, geographically smaller than Beijing, but slightly more populous. The living style in Shanghai is modern, dedicated and a little superficial(some Chinese call it ‘小资’). Attractions: You can find lots of attractions in Beijing which represent the Qing & Ming dynasty, such as the Forbidden City, Tian'anmen (Gate of Heavenly Peace), The Great Wall. The Bund would be the most famous attraction in Shanghai, you can walk through Nanjing Road to get there. It’s near the Huangpu river, full of historical buildings in mid-century style. Also, you can enjoy the beautiful skyline studded with glittering new skyscrapers on the opposite side of the river. Food: You can almost find whatever you want to eat in both two cities for their diversity in food, but the dishes are biased by their flavor and style. In Beijing, the staple food would be noodles, steamed buns, pancakes or something made by wheat powder, and in Shanghai, most of people would prefer rice. And for the flavor, the dishes in Beijing are more salty, besides, in Shanghai, they are more sweet. People in Shanghai socialize with others in bars, cafes. In Beijing, people would prefer meeting friends in some barbecue restaurants. Accommodation: The price for accommodation is high for both cities due to their expensive house and big population. Renting a 40 square meters’ apartment in downtown would cost you more than 4000 RMB( 608 US. dollars ). There are some restrictions to buy a house in both cities. For example, one of the rules is continuous tax payment for more than 3 years.