Objective To analyze the health-related quality of life of elderly people living alone in Shanghai according to the survey data. Methods The data were extracted from the fifth national health services survey of Shanghai, and the data of 11 103 elderly people from 17 districts were analyzed. The elderly people living alone and those not living alone were matched using propensity score matching method, and the health-related quality of life of elderly people was measured by the European quality of life 5-dimensions (EQ-5D). The health-related quality-of-life indicators between the elderly people living alone and not living alone, including selection of EQ-5D dimensions, EQ-5D scores and EQ-VAS scores, were compared by Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test. Results The baselines of the elderly people living alone and not living alone matched well by propensity score matching, and there were no significant differences in selection of each dimension of the health-related quality of life, EQ-5D index scores or EQ-VAS scores between the two groups. Conclusion There is no difference in health-related quality of life between elderly people living alone and not living alone in Shanghai.