Qingdao has a fairly wide range of housing options for expatriates, typically without the kinds of rental prices that prevail in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

Most expatriates in Qingdao live spread along from the eastern part of Shinan (literally, City South) District on out to Shilaoren, typically within 400m of the seaside. These housing developments were all built after 1994.
The main ones where the expats live are:

Central Business District (CBD)
Apartments here are extremely convenient for those who work anywhere on or near Hong Kong Middle Road (香港中路), but the area is short on open spaces (especially for young children) and is remote from most of the international schools.

Hong Kong Garden and adjacent
Makes up the eastern borderlands of the CBD, and is also convenient for offices, beach, and activities for children, with somewhat more to offer adults. This area is famous for its nightlife, with plenty of shopping, restaurants and other entertainment.

Jinhai Guangchang (金海广场) and the adjacent Sailing Center
A quiet neighborhood of spacious, well-appointed seaside apartments next to the Qingdao International Sailing Center, site of the 2008 Olympic Regatta.

Hongkong East Road (香港东路) and Shilaoren (石老人)
A convenient location for many expats because of its proximity to international schools (Baishan, Yew Chung, Qingdao No. 1 International School of Shandong and Qingdao MTI International School are all within fifteen minutes)。

Chengyang (城阳)
Housing facilities in the area generally cater to young Chinese professionals. Recreational facilities are limited and shopping is limited, however, this area is also changing rapidly with new buildings being constantly built.

Huangdao (黄岛)
Huangdao sits across Jiaozhou Bay from the rest of the municipality, and, like Chengyang, is home to trade offices and factories and an increasing share of restaurants, bars and shopping facilities. International-standard housing is available in the Kaifaqu area. Currently the only school in reasonable commuting distance from Huangdao is YCIS.

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