An Indian woman’s detailed monthly budget in Shanghai highlights the soaring expenses of family life in one of China’s priciest cities, sparking debate on affordability for expatriates.
An Indian woman living in Shanghai has drawn attention to the steep price of family life in one of China’s most expensive cities after sharing a detailed monthly budget that put housing and schooling at the top of the bill.
Aditi Sharma, who lives in the city with her husband and two children, posted the breakdown on Instagram and said her figures reflected her own household rather than the average cost of living in Shanghai. In her account, rent came to 25,000 yuan a month, while school fees for the children added another 25,000 yuan, lifting those two items alone to about Rs 7 lakh.
Sharma said the family also spent about 5,000 yuan on groceries, 7,200 yuan on household help, 1,500 yuan on utilities, 700 yuan on transport, 1,500 yuan on children’s activities and 4,000 yuan on eating out and shopping. Her total monthly outgo came to 64,900 yuan, or roughly Rs 9.16 lakh. She also said the family did not receive an expatriate allowance, although their medical insurance covered all healthcare costs.
The post prompted discussion online about how sharply expenses can rise in Shanghai, particularly for families paying international-school fees and living in central districts. Some commenters contrasted her figures with lower costs in other Chinese cities, while others noted that overseas workers often appear to fare better when employers cover housing and education. Independent cost-of-living guides for Shanghai also point to rent and schooling as the biggest drivers of household budgets, with family spending varying widely depending on location and lifestyle.
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