Shanghai has always been one of the costliest places to live on the Chinese mainland. But it's also becoming one of the more expensive places to live in the world for expats, according to the 2014 Cost of Living Survey by consulting firm Mercer.

Shanghai jumped four places in the rankings of 211 cities to come in 10th - ahead of London (12) and New York (16), which is used as the base city for the report. The report named Hong Kong as the most expensive city in Asia and noted that currency fluctuations and the impact of inflation on goods and services had influenced prices in many cities.

The Global Times took to the streets to ask foreigners if they feel Shanghai is becoming a more expensive place in which to live.

Julia, dancer, Russia

I've been here three and a half years. In that time, I don't think things have got more expensive. In my city, Vladivostok in Russia, everything is very expensive. Here the clothes in particular are cheaper. I can use Taobao to buy them. As for food, I haven't seen it get more expensive.

Merve, Turkey

In my two-and-a-half years, I think it's got more expensive. Every year prices seem to be higher. Rents in particular. When I changed apartments, I noticed prices had gone up a lot. Compared to Turkey, rent here is much more expensive. I sometimes think about leaving Shanghai for another town.

Chloe, teacher, the UK

I've been in Shanghai for 11 years. In that time, I've seen stuff get more expensive. Alcohol, food, clothes, everything I buy. It is getting ridiculous, but I'm kind of ridiculous. My hometown, Newcastle, is way cheaper. So much cheaper for the things that I like to buy - though I have no plans to move back.

Vanessa, kindergarten teacher, Australia

I've lived in Shanghai for 10 years. Everything's got more expensive. Even when you go to a farmer's market type of place, the fruit and veggies are more expensive. Whether you try to shop cheap or go to the more expensive places, everything's gone up.

Rent has gone up, though it depends on the area of Shanghai. If you live further out, rents are cheaper. It's expensive here, but it's more expensive at home because of the comparative pay rates.

James Gater, market researcher, the UK

I don't know if it has got more expensive or if I'm just spending more money. When you first come to Shanghai, you typically live more of a Chinese lifestyle because it's still kind of novel. Then you start living more of an expat lifestyle, which is where the higher costs come in. So regardless of whether the city has got more expensive, I think it's your lifestyle that changes.

So, a Chinese lifestyle would be like going to a local restaurant and having a simple meat, rice and vegetable dish that will cost maybe 15 yuan ($2.41) or 20 yuan. The expat lifestyle would be like going to a Western restaurant and spending 100 yuan on a sandwich.

Charles Tregouet, exchange student, France

I think this is an expensive city if you want to live the Western way - Western food, Western clothes and the Western lifestyle like drinking or taking cabs often. So yes, it can be expensive. But if you can live the Chinese way, it is much less expensive. Coffee, like from Starbucks, or Costa Coffee, is very expensive. Coffee and

Western food are costly here.

If you want to eat pasta - it's simple for French people, but here it is not common, so it's expensive. I try to eat everyday Chinese food like rice and meat, or chicken. It's very cheap here. But if you stay here more than two months, you begin to miss the food from home, so you start spending money on pasta and burgers. And that's going to complicate your budget.

Marian Cheng, technical writer, the US

Oh yes. Daily essentials and food in general have gotten a lot more expensive. When I was first here almost nine years ago, I remember Lanzhou Lamian noodles, just normal noodles, were 3 or maybe 4 yuan. They're up to 10 yuan now.

Rent has gotten a lot higher. I think things in general over the years have gotten very expensive. When I was first here, I felt everything was quite reasonable, if not cheap, but now, things like toiletries - I don't even buy these in Shanghai anymore. I actually buy them abroad.

Javier Carrizosa, chef, Spain

I think the Western lifestyle is more expensive. Of course, when you are living here, you have to get used to a different culture, but sooner or later, you'll need to have some of the things you used to have before, like going out to have beers. It's something you need in your home country as well, and maybe more here because the atmosphere is different.

When you are abroad, you get used to living in a different way, but from time to time you need to come back to your roots.

Rajesh Prabhakar, restaurant owner, India

Yes, definitely. It's getting more challenging. Day-to-day living costs are getting steeper. Labor costs are getting higher. It's getting difficult.

We're in the food industry, so let's talk food. Vegetables, meats, spices, they have gone up almost 30 percent compared to what they were in 2006 and 2007.

I'll give you a small example of labor costs. A dishwasher who used to cost you, say, 800 yuan a month in 2003 or 2004, is now costing you about 3,000 yuan a month. So, that gives you an idea how this city is transforming in terms of cost of living.

When you run a business, you have to lease property. And rental costs have skyrocketed. So you have anywhere from a 20 to 30 percent hike that you have to be prepared for.

Global Times