Could someone please give me an indication on what the monthly expenses are in Shanghai for:-

Water
Gas
Electricity
Phone
Internet

I know it depends on your usage but I am looking for a general indication on a family (2 adults & 2 kids) that is not tight with the air con, shower usage and likes to cook.

Thanks

Can you let us know if you are in apt or villa and what size?

You can get ADSL deals for abt 1,200rmb per year. Phone rental is 35rmb per month and calls are 0.2rmb per minute. Gas can range from 150 to 250rmb depending on usage. Water rates depend on how long yr showers are but it's cheap maybe 100 to 200rmb.

I am sure others will chime in with different rates so just average it all out.

Adrienne
http://www.shanghaiprops.com

Electricity depends on the size of the apartment, use of air condition and whether the air condition is a central one. We live in a 160 sqm apartment with a central air condition and we pay around 1500,- RMB a month cooling/heating it to around 20/22 degrees C.

I am basing my question on a 170 sqm apartment, the air con are individual units. Having 3 baths a week and 2x 25 minute showers a day and 3 loads of washing daily.

Beanknee wrote:3 loads of washing daily.

Daily? Are you a coal miner?

Beanknee wrote

2x 25 minute showers a day and 3 loads of washing daily

Stick all your washing in the bottom of the shower

Seriously though, set the AC to 24C, the colder you set it, the higher the rate.

Last year mine was set on 22C - cost me around Rmb1000 per month.
This year set on 24C I am not paying much more than Rmb500.

for us, family of 3 (child is baby though) in a 145sm apartment, this month's electricity was around 500 with a little less AC use than I like but the wife likes it warmer so she leaves it set a bit higher during the day. Laundry usage 7-8 loads a week and we use a dryer.

Phone has been around 50-100 not including long distance which we run on skype. LD will vary so am not quoting.

gas is like 30-45, and we cook daily.

Internet is 1300 a year. and water is like...whoops will need to look that up but not expensive at all. But oh, add drinking water deliveries if you dont have a reverse osmosis drinking water filter, average 15/bottle, we go thru 4 a month so you will likely go thru 6-7.
Hope that helps.

Each air condition can use around 1000,- RMB a month if running 24/7

Or, if you're like me, you don't turn on your air con and put on fans instead. It's very easy to get used to it.

My electricity bills run to 130 per month.

Plus you don't contribute so much to global warming.

Thats is so true but you will contribute to global stinking instead. At least I would. Leave my a/c on 25 if we're home and 28 when we aren't.

are you talking farenheit or celcius hahaahahaha celcius you must be boiling there
just joking

no offend, but i dont think you are able to anticapte your costing still after reading the posts as it varies by your usage, if u want to check the pricing of each unit, check it on google is the best then you could easily calculate your estimate costing by putting your current usage in the calculation formula, the most practical way, *APPLAUSE* LOL!!!!!!!!!

22? Wow I find that too cold. I usually have it around 25, ranging from 23-28. Yeah the electricity bill will probably be higher than what you are used to at home due to constant A/C usage!