An American has just proven that surviving in Shanghai on a shoestring budget is not an entirely impossible proposition.

In a video that has gone viral on Chinese social networks, blogger Kevin Cook provides useful tips on how one can live off less than $20 (130 yuan) for a day in Shanghai, which is considered the most expensive city in China.

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On the day he toured the pricey Chinese city, he visited several tourist spots, feasted on delicious local food, and even spent the night in a reasonably comfortable place for transients.

But what made Cook's "surviving in Shanghai" video highly instructive was the actual breakdown of the expenses he incurred during his sojourn in the city, which included the following:

• Three meals, including the famous local delicacy Shengjianbao or fried dumplings (46 yuan)
• Transport fare around the Bund, the city's popular riverfront (six yuan)
• Overnight stay in standard dormitory room (70 yuan)

In fact, the audacious American only spent  123 yuan ($19), in which he also splurged $1 on a doll-catching gaming machine.

Unfortunately, lady luck wasn't on his side when he tried out the game.

Cook has introduced himself as an adventurer at heart in his now famous travel blog.

He shared that he started travelling to Asia in 2013. After being bit by the travel bug, he has spent his time blogging and producing videos about his colorful and exciting exploits abroad.

China is Cook's second stop after a brief stay in Thailand.

Cook's highly-entertaining blog series attempts to show people that they  can actually live on $20 a day, which to him, is realistically what one can expect to spend in a day in virtually all places across the world.

However, his "surviving in shanghai" video, is racking up an unprecedented number of views because of its novelty: an American man scrimping on dollars to help travelers make it through a day in China's high-end city. 

TagsShanghai, china, Traveling in Shanghai, Surviving in Shanghai