Fair prices in 中国 — what things really cost

机场快线是通往地铁网络的快捷便宜方式。可用本地应用中的出行二维码或交通卡付费，避开在到达大厅招揽乘车的司机。

只在航站楼外标示的出租车排队处上车，并坚持使用计价器。不要理会在航站楼内向你搭讪、提供“出租车”服务的人，那几乎总是虚高定价。

北京地铁便宜、干净且线路广泛，按里程计价。使用交通卡或本地应用中的二维码是最简便的付款方式，也能省去排队买票的麻烦。

通过应用叫车会预先给出固定价格，也避免了语言障碍，因为你可以直接在应用里输入目的地。比被非正规车辆多收费便宜得多。

热闹本地摊位售卖的早餐煎饼和蒸包性价比很高。移动支付是常态，因此备好一个可用的支付应用会有帮助。

远离主要景点、去当地人常去的地方吃饭，能获得更好的价格和味道。带图片的菜单会有帮助，分量通常也足够两人分享。

请在便利店购买，而不是在旅游景点。自来水不可直接饮用，因此请携带密封的瓶装水，夏季尤其需要。

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.