Renting an Apartment in Beijing as a Foreigner

If you're here for under 3 months: book a serviced apartment (Stey, Locals, Airbnb). Furnished, flexible, no paperwork. Expensive but zero hassle.

If you're here for 3-12 months: rent through a platform (Ziroom, Danke, Beike/贝壳) or a local agent. Cheaper but you need a work visa and patience.

If you're here for 1+ years: find a local agent in your target neighborhood. Best prices, most options, but entirely in Chinese.

Not every apartment in Beijing accepts foreigners. This surprises people. Landlords need to register you with the local police station (派出所) within 24 hours of move-in, and some landlords don't want the hassle. Others have heard horror stories about foreign tenants and just say no.

Your options from easiest to cheapest:

If money isn't the primary concern and you want something that just works:

Stey (逅舍) — the most popular among young expats. Hotel-style apartments with weekly cleaning, coworking space, and social events. Locations in Sanlitun, CBD, and Wangjing. ¥6,000-12,000/month for a studio. Book through their WeChat mini-program or website.

Locals (乐璞) — similar to Stey but slightly cheaper. Good locations near Tsinghua/PKU for students. ¥4,000-8,000/month.

Base Living — more upscale. Full apartments (not just studios). ¥8,000-20,000/month. Good for families or people who want a real living room.

Airbnb — works in China but selection is limited compared to other countries. Many listings are actually managed by local agencies. Good for 1-2 month stays. Check reviews carefully — photos can be misleading.

This is where most long-term expats end up. A one-bedroom apartment in Haidian costs ¥3,000-5,000/month. Same apartment in Sanlitun/CBD costs ¥5,000-8,000. Shared apartments (合租) start at ¥2,000.

Platforms:

• Beike/贝壳找房 (Ke.com) — the biggest rental platform. Real listings (not fake bait-and-switch like Ganji). Download the app, search by district. Entirely in Chinese.
• 麦田 (Maitian) — major Beijing-specific real estate agency with an app. Strong in Haidian and Chaoyang. Reliable listings, agents are responsive. Entirely in Chinese.
• Ziroom (自如) — a managed rental platform. They lease apartments from landlords, renovate them, and sublease to tenants. Clean, standardized, reliable. Slightly pricier than direct landlord but way less hassle. Some accept foreigners — filter for it.
• 闲鱼 (Xianyu) — Alibaba's second-hand marketplace. Not a rental platform, but people post sublets and room shares here. Good for finding short-term deals or taking over someone's lease. Requires Alipay account. Be careful — no platform protections.
• SmartShanghai/SmartBeijing — English-language classifieds. Small selection but everything listed accepts foreigners.

Local agents: Walk around your target neighborhood and look for 房屋中介 (real estate agent) offices — they're everywhere. Walk in, say "我想租房子" (wǒ xiǎng zū fángzi — I want to rent), show them your budget on your phone. They'll take you to see apartments that day. Agent fee is typically one month's rent.

• Passport with valid visa (work visa or student visa — tourist visas are tricky)
• Deposit — typically 1-3 months' rent upfront, paid with the first month
• Chinese phone number — for the contract and utility accounts
• A Chinese-speaking friend — seriously, bring one for lease negotiation. Or text Cheelin and we can help translate the key terms.

The lease: Usually 12 months minimum for local rentals. Breaking early means losing your deposit. Some landlords will do 6-month leases for slightly higher rent. Always negotiate — the listed price is rarely the final price.

Payment: Rent is paid monthly, typically via WeChat Pay or bank transfer to the landlord's account. Some landlords accept Alipay. Almost nobody accepts foreign bank transfers or credit cards.

Within 24 hours of moving in, you MUST register at the local police station (派出所). This isn't a suggestion — it's a legal requirement, and you'll need the registration certificate for visa renewals.

What to bring:

• Your passport
• Your lease contract
• The landlord's ID card (or a copy) — ask the landlord to come with you if possible

The process takes 15-30 minutes. You'll get a 住宿登记表 (accommodation registration form) — keep this safe. You need it every time you renew your visa.

If your landlord won't do the registration: This is a red flag. It means either the apartment isn't legally registered for rental, or the landlord is trying to avoid taxes. Walk away — if you can't get registered, you can't renew your visa, and you're technically living in China illegally.

• Bait-and-switch listings: Agent posts a nice apartment at a low price. You show up and "that one just got rented, but I have this other one..." The other one is worse and pricier. Solution: only work with agents/platforms that show verified listings (Beike, Ziroom).
• Hidden fees: Some agents charge both the tenant AND the landlord, effectively doubling their commission. Clarify the fee structure before viewing apartments. Standard is one month's rent from the tenant.
• Deposit theft: Landlord invents "damage" when you move out to keep your deposit. Solution: take photos of EVERYTHING on move-in day. Video walkthrough with timestamps. Send it to the landlord via WeChat so there's a record.
• "Foreigner price": Some landlords quote higher rent to foreigners. Check Beike/Ziroom for comparable listings in the same building to know the real market rate.
• Illegal sublets: Someone rents from the landlord then sublets to you at a markup, without the landlord's knowledge. If the landlord finds out, you get kicked out. Always confirm your contract is with the actual landlord or a licensed management company.

For a one-bedroom apartment in Haidian (mid-range):

For Sanlitun, multiply everything by 1.5-2x. For Tongzhou, divide by 0.7.