In Shanghai, space counts than the cost to park in it

In Shanghai, the price to park - which exceeds 60 yuan per hour in some lots - is not the problem. Finding a space is.

On average, parking a car in a downtown Shanghai area costs 1,900 yuan a month, according to a survey released in 2010 by Colliers International, a real estate services firm. The survey covered parking fees in 147 cities worldwide, and Shanghai's ranked near the top in China. (Hong Kong's average was 4,880 a month.)

Shanghai rules allow an hourly charge up to 10 yuan in commercial parking lots and up to 15 yuan for parking on pavement. Some parking lots attached to hotels, office buildings and shopping malls may charge more.