Shenzhen is one of the most vibrant cities in China, a city which has embraced gleaming modernity which is still retaining lots of natural beauty and charm. Shenzhen has grown in just 30 years from a sleepy seaside town to one of the world's top 25 high tech development centers. This is reflected in Shenzhen's lively arts and music scenes, its bustling nightlife and its wealth of multi-cultural dining and shopping opportunities. Despite its modernity Shenzhen is not all skyscrapers and malls, instead it is full of lovely green spaces and ample opportunities to appreciate China's natural beauty. 160 rivers or channels flow through Shenzhen, and these along with the surrounding mountains which form a beautiful backdrop to the city help to give Shenzhen its unique charm. The mild dry winters and warm summers make Shenzhen an ideal place to explore nature year round.Welcome to Shenzhen!
Nanshan
Nanshan is home to some of China's largest technology companies and well-known international companies. Tencent, Huawei, Shenzhen University, Windows of the World, Splendid China, Cultural Folk villages, the East Shenzhen theme parks and so on places are all in here. Many of the apartments have wonderful views of Hong Kong, so rental costs are higher in this area.
Shared Apartment: 2200-4000RMB/M
Single Apartment: 4000-7000RMB/M
Futian CBD
Futian is a small bustling district located in the heart of Shenzhen and contains several business districts and some of the tallest and most impressive skyscrapers. Futian has the best underground access in the city and its compactness makes it easy to get around. It also has beautiful parks, fantastic eating and shopping opportunities, as well as one of the more convenient border connections to Hong Kong. Futian contains the Shenzhen Museum, and Lychee Park, arguably Shenzhen's most beautiful park with a botanical garden and lake. Futian is both central and a relatively new district and this means that rents here can be high.
Shared Apartment: 2500-4000RMB/M
Single Apartment: 4000-7000RMB/M
Shenzhen Airport
Bao'An is a mixed district which contains both the International airport and many of Shenzhen's factories. This is a busy area which is well served with transport connections and as Bao'An is a less popular district with expats, it means that rents here are much cheaper. CocoPark is one of the main attractions in Bao'An and Bao'An is a more typical Chinese district than many of the others. Due to its good transport links, it is very easy to get to Nanshan from Bao'An making it a good choice of location for those wishing to find a balance between rental cost and convenience.
Shared Apartmen: 1500-2500RMB/M
Single Apartment: 2500-4000RMB/M
Luohu Port
Luohu is the smallest and oldest district of Shenzhen, and it is home to Shenzhen's business district. It is a busy place to live and is popular with Westerners who want a more typically Chinese experience of daily life due to its more traditional style. It also has the most direct link to Hong Kong meaning that many people working in Hong Kong choose to save money by commuting directly from Louhu. Luohu also contains Wutong Mountain, a National Park surrounded by a trendy artist village. The mountain is a popular feature for its clean air and fantastic views. Fairy Lake botanical garden is another outstanding attraction.
Shared Apartmen: 2800-3800RMB/M
Single Apartment: 4000-6000RMB/M
Longgang is located in Northeastern Shenzen, and is one of the outlying districts. It was established in 1993 and is a quiet district with lots of beautiful coastline easily accessible in Dapeng. It also contains the Longgang Museum of Hakka Culture. Rents here tend to be cheaper than in more central areas. Longhua is one of the newest districts in Shenzhen being established in 2011, and it is an outlying district in the North of the city. It is one of the transportation hubs of the city, so travel is easy here, and in recent years Longhua has seen a lot of high-end residential apartments being developed.
Shared Apartmen: 1200-2000RMB/M
Single Apartment: 2000-3500RMB/M
SOME RENTING TIPS
Having chosen the area and type of accommodation and budget, the next step is to rent. Renting in China is slightly different to renting abroad and can be tricky for anyone unused to the process. Here are some key points to keep in mind:
Remember to register your new address with the Chinese police within 24 hours of moving.
An important part of renting is signing the contract, and it is very important that you are able to understand what you are signing. If you sign the contract on wellcee.com the contract will be in English and any queries can be answered.
Unlike some other Chinese cities, it is common in Shenzhen to pay just two months rent as a security deposit when you move in, along with your first month's rent and a realtor fee (If you choose to use a realtor instead of direct renting or sites such as wellcee).
If you go through a realtor you may not have much choice when it comes to landlord or flatmates, but if you choose another route try to meet the landlord or flatmates to get a feel for who they are. - This will help you to avoid people who may not keep your flat maintained or roommates you will not get along with. (If you signed your contract with wellcee you will always get help should any problems occur but in other situations you may find that you have limited resource).
When visiting the flat be sure to ask about problems common to Chinese households such as air-conditioning, mold or plumbing issues to ensure the place meets your standards.
When ending of the contract be sure to get your deposit back, if you have any problems getting this done you may have to seek legal advice if you didn't sign on wellcee where your deposit is secured by the site.
Now that you are ready to move to Shenzhen be sure to immerse yourself in the exciting culture of this city. It truly is a global hub and you can meet people from all over the world who have been drawn to Shenzhen. Find some groups for people who share your interests, discover your local bars or new favourite restaurants and check out the latest events happening around you on pages such as the Shenzhen Lifestyle section.