View Japan & Asia on the mapInternational commercial city and giant metropolis

Shanghai

Shanghai · China · 31.24, 121.49

China's largest commercial city, located at the mouth of the Yangtze River. It is an international city where the historic architecture of the Bund contrasts with the skyscrapers of Pudong.

Port highlights

About 25 million people

Population

Humid subtropical climate. Summers are hot and humid, while winters are cold and dry, with frost.

Climate

Chinese (Mandarin)

Language

Chinese yuan (CNY)

Currency

March to May and September to November

Best time to visit

Local food

Xiaolongbao, Shanghai hairy crab, shengjianbao, red-braised pork (hongshao rou), Benbang cuisine (Shanghai home cooking)

Sights

The Bund (Waitan)Yu GardenShanghai Tower and Oriental Pearl TowerTianzifangEast Nanjing Road

Monthly average high / low temperatures

8°

2°Jan

10°

4°Feb

14°

7°Mar

20°

12°Apr

25°

17°May

28°

22°Jun

32°

26°Jul

32°

26°Aug

28°

22°Sep

23°

17°Oct

18°

11°Nov

11°

4°Dec

Unit: °C · Calculated from NOAA GHCN-Daily station observations · Period: 1991–2020 · Station: SHANGHAI · about 17.9 km from port · Last checked: Oct 3, 2026 · A guide for choosing your travel month.

Local prices for travelers

More expensive than Tokyo

Compared with Tokyo, Japan (median of items)126 (Tokyo = 100)

Compared with Tokyo, water is much cheaper; beer costs about the same; coffee, meals and a Big Mac are somewhat more expensive.

CN¥1.50

Water 550 ml

CN¥75.00

Coffee

CN¥58.00

Inexpensive meal

CN¥25.00

Local beer

CN¥26.50

Big Mac

Prices in Shanghai. · Amounts in the recorded local currency. No currency conversion applied. · Last checked: Oct 2026 (partly estimated) · Sources: Shop and menu prices · The Economist, Big Mac Index (CC BY 4.0)