I'll leave the money issues to others to deliberate upon; however, I've been to Beijing twice in my life, and will not be back. It's one of the most polluted cities in China and suffocating in the summer. Shanghai, on the other hand, with the breezes of the East China Sea, is a far, far better choice, and not only in terms of the environment. It is one of the grand old cities of the eastern world and a pleasure to shop, eat and play within. Cheers. Caley