Local Fixer
Land in Shanghai ready to live, not just arrive.
Not a moving company. Not a real-estate agent. Your operator on the ground.
One fixed price. One English-speaking operator who gets the bank account, the phone, the apps, the registrations and the hundred small things done — so you can actually start living here.
One operator
You get one named person — not a call center or a rotating team.
Fixed price
A flat fee agreed up front. No hourly meters, no surprise add-ons.
Bilingual
We deal with the Chinese-only apps, forms and counters for you.
In person
We show up with you — the bank, the phone shop, the appointments — not just over chat.
How it works
Thirty days, start to settled.
- 01
Briefing call
Before you land: we map your must-dos, must-haves and the deadlines that actually matter.
- 02
Landing week
Airport pickup, SIM and local phone number, a VPN for your home apps, a bank account, and Alipay / WeChat Pay.
- 03
City & app orientation
We set up the apps that run daily life here — taxi, delivery, maps, payments — then walk you through how locals actually use them.
- 04
The errands you can't do in English
Residence registration (filed online for you), utilities, home internet, a trusted housekeeper, appointments — we go with you or handle it for you.
- 05
Handover
At day 30 you're self-sufficient. We hand over a simple written summary of what's set up and who to contact — so nothing lives only in your head.
Pricing
Flat pricing, by household size.
Individual / Couple
For one person or a couple — the full settling-in setup, start to settled.
- Pre-arrival plan + airport pickup
- SIM, phone, VPN, bank account & mobile payments
- Residence registration + document prep
- Utilities, home internet & a trusted housekeeper
- City & app orientation + local recommendations
- 30 days of on-call bilingual support
Family with kids
Everything in the Individual / Couple package, plus the parts only a family with kids needs.
- Residence registration for every family member
- A vetted, childcare-capable housekeeper or nanny — not just a cleaner
- Family orientation: playgrounds, kids’ classes, and where to buy children’s essentials
- More on-call for a household's worth of curveballs
Prices in USD, one-time. Third-party fees (housekeeper, deposits, government charges) are billed at cost. Apartment and school search are separate services — bundle all three for a better rate. We prepare your visa and permit documents, but don’t file them.
This is for you if
- You've just arrived (or arrive soon) and don't speak Chinese
- You want one person to own the setup, not a pile of tabs and group chats
- Your time is worth more than the hours this would take you
This isn't for you if
- You've lived here for years and already have the apps and accounts
- You only need one specific task done (we do those too — just ask)
- You want the cheapest possible option over a done-for-you one
Why us
Built different from the agents.
We know the actual process
Which office, which form, which hours, which app. We've done the runaround so you don't have to.
One price, written down
You see the full scope and the number before you commit. No meters, no "that'll be extra."
We make you independent
The goal isn't to keep you on a leash. By day 30 you can run daily life here yourself.
Common questions
Before you book a call.
How much does it cost?
Two flat tiers: $1,500 for an individual or couple, $2,500 for a family with kids — agreed before we start. Third-party fees (housekeeper placement, deposits, etc.) are billed at cost; anything else outside the list is quoted in advance.
Does it include finding an apartment or a school?
No — those are separate, dedicated services (Apartment Finding and School Fit), because each is a project on its own. The Local Fixer is your settling-in and daily-life setup. Need those too? We bundle all three at a better combined price than booking them separately.
What if I only need one or two things done?
We also do individual tasks — bank account, phone, apartment search, school help, visa document prep. Tell us what you need and we'll price just that.
Do you handle visas and work permits?
We help you prepare and organize the documents and give you a clear checklist. Work and residence permits are filed by your employer or the relevant authority — not by us — but we make sure you walk in with everything in order.
Can you help before I arrive?
Yes. The briefing call and your first-month plan happen before you land, so day one is already organized.
What languages do you work in?
English and Chinese. We handle the Chinese-only apps, forms and counters so you don't have to.
What happens on day 31 and beyond?
At day 30 you're set up and self-sufficient. If you'd like us to stay on call for whatever comes up next, we offer an ongoing concierge on a simple monthly retainer — entirely optional.
Who runs this
Built by a mother and daughter who've done the runaround.
helloChina is Lisa and Amir — a mother-and-daughter team. Amir grew up across six Chinese cities, studied in Canada, and ran an export business; she handles your setup and is who you'll deal with. Lisa raised three kids through every kind of school, here and abroad — the lived experience behind the team.
We started helloChina to help foreigners rediscover a China that's moved far beyond the one they picture — and to feel at home in Shanghai, fast.
Start your first 30 days already sorted.
Book a short call. We'll map what your move needs and send you a fixed quote — no obligation.