A growing number of judges in Shanghai have quit, citing high costs of living, according to a panel discussion by national legislators from the city.

The disproportionately-low income compared to the long working hours prompted 74 judges at local courts to leave their posts in 2013, said Cui Yadong, head of Shanghai High People's Court, who quoted figures from Jiefang Daily.

"While they often stay up working into the night, many young judges fail to afford an apartment in Shanghai," Cui told a group of national legislators during the ongoing two sessions.

In contrast to their sketchy living conditions, the workload is insurmountable, according to legislator Li Biying, with each judge in Shanghai handling an average of 131 cases in the past year. That translates into one case every two working days.

Many deputies have attributed the problem to no-competitive salaries and an outdated management model, and urged more innovation to reinvigorate the system.