Comfortable spaces

In Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong province's Shenzhen and Guangzhou, the rental population is close to 40 million, accounting for nearly 50 percent of total residents, the blue book showed. More than half of renters said they are willing to accept renting for five years or longer, while nearly 20 percent are open to renting for more than 10 years.

For Kai Li, 28, an HR professional in the AI hardware industry, long-term renting is not a reluctant compromise, but a calculated choice in an environment where property ownership feels distant.

She has moved six times in six years from cramped urban village rooms to progressively larger rentals, with each move reshaping her expectations of a rental property.

Kai currently rents an 80-square-meter, three-bedroom apartment for 7,500 yuan per month in Shenzhen, the most spacious place she has lived in since leaving her hometown in Hunan province. "Over time, I realized I needed to look at whether a space had potential — good light and a workable layout, especially a balcony. I rent with the idea that I will shape it," said Kai.

For many young people who move to a new city, stability is less about property ownership and more about having a space that is a place to cook, host friends, play guitar or simply sit alone, she said.

Before renovating, she hesitated. She negotiated a lease of more than two years at a slightly reduced rent, using the money she saved for the upgrades.

Most of the renovation focused on soft furnishings and spatial zoning. She asked the landlord to repaint the walls, then divided the apartment into areas for dining, working and resting. The total cost exceeded 8,000 yuan, and most of the furnishings and decorations can move with her.

"I didn't want to overspend, but I also knew that if I was going to live here for years, the space had to support my daily life. Otherwise, coming home after work would feel like just another obligation," she said.

The balcony has become her anchor. Shelves assembled by hand hold rows of plants and small vegetable pots. One afternoon, sitting there alone, she felt a quiet sense of achievement.

"Everything here was arranged by myself. Even spending a short afternoon at home helps me recover my energy," said Kai.

Homeownership may feel distant, but comfort and self-definition need not be postponed, she said. "If we can't control the housing market, we can still choose how we live inside the space we have," said Kai.

Data from the 2025 Shanghai Youth Rental Housing Trends Report released by the Shanghai Youth Research Centre showed rental rates of 68 percent among those born after 2000, 64 percent among those born after 1995, and 53 percent among those born after 1990.

In Shanghai, the number of renters aged 20 to 30 reached 76,000 in 2024, marking a 68.89 percent increase compared with 2022.

When choosing rental housing, respondents placed greater emphasis on fundamental living conditions and transport accessibility. Survey data showed that indoor comfort (79 percent), convenient transportation (72 percent), and high housing quality (67 percent) rank as the top three considerations. To secure a better living experience, more than 40 percent said they were willing to pay more for better renovations.