Fair prices in 중국 — what things really cost

The Airport Express is a fast, cheap link into the subway network. Pay with a travel QR code in a local app or a transport card and avoid drivers offering rides at the arrivals hall.

Use only the marked taxi queue outside the terminal and insist on the meter. Ignore anyone approaching you inside with a 'taxi' offer, which is almost always overpriced.

The Beijing Subway is cheap, clean and extensive, priced by distance. A transport card or a QR code in a local app is the easiest way to pay and skip ticket queues.

App-based cars give a fixed upfront price and avoid language issues, since you set the destination in the app. Much cheaper than being overcharged by an unofficial car.

Breakfast pancakes and steamed buns from busy local stalls are excellent value. Mobile payment is standard, so having a working payment app helps.

Eat where locals do, away from the big sights, for better prices and food. Picture menus help, and portions are often generous enough to share.

Buy from convenience stores rather than at tourist sites. Tap water is not for drinking, so carry sealed bottled water, especially in summer.

The 430km/h maglev from Pudong airport to Longyang Road metro station is a ¥50 thrill in itself (¥40 if you show a same-day boarding pass), then a cheap metro ride onward. It is the fastest link but does not reach downtown directly; the plain Metro Line 2 is far cheaper if you are not in a hurry.

A hot bowl of noodles or a rice plate at a neighbourhood spot is one of Shanghai's great cheap eats. Eat where the locals queue, away from the Bund and Nanjing Road, and you will pay a fraction of tourist-strip prices for better, fresher food.

Shanghai has a huge coffee scene: homegrown chains sell an espresso drink very cheaply, while an independent specialty cafe in the French Concession costs more. Either way it is good value; skip the hotel and Bund-view cafes, which charge a premium for the location.

The metro is the cheapest and easiest way to cross Shanghai, with most rides costing just a few yuan by distance. Use the Metro Big City app or link a foreign card to Alipay for a scannable QR ticket, or buy a single-ride ticket from the machines.

A bottle of water from a convenience store or supermarket costs only a yuan or two; the same bottle from a vendor right beside a big sight can cost several times more. Tap water is not drinkable, so buy sealed bottles and carry one in the heat.

A sit-down dinner at a normal mid-range restaurant is reasonable and one of the pleasures of the city. Prices climb steeply at rooftop and Bund-view restaurants, which charge as much for the skyline as the food; step into the side streets for far better value.

Licensed taxis start around ¥16 and are metered; the DiDi app (China's Uber) is usually similar or cheaper and removes any language or fare argument. Insist on the meter in a street taxi, and always use an app-booked or official rank car rather than a driver who approaches you.