how much USD/year would be required to live comfortably in Hong Kong?

[nageov3t]

just a random idea I've been tossing around in my head... if I ever manage to get off my lazy ass to get certs (I don't even have A+ ), I'm sure I could easily convince the powers that be how useful having a native English speaker in our HK offices would be.

 

[Fritzo]

Looks like you have to make quite a bit.

 

[Lizardman]

Originally posted by: Fritzo
Looks like you have to make quite a bit.

Hong Kong is a country?

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: Lizardman

Originally posted by: Fritzo
Looks like you have to make quite a bit.

Hong Kong is a country?

uses a different currency than China, as far as I know, and I'd imagine living expenses are highly different.

(going to mainland China could also be an option for me, but then I run into the language barrier thing, which seems like it would be less of an issue in HK)

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: Lizardman

Originally posted by: Fritzo
Looks like you have to make quite a bit.

Hong Kong is a country?

Close enough. The Chinese took it back from the British, but they don't have total control over it, so it's still pretty independent, since that was part of the agreement the British made to ensure HK didn't go down the shitter.

 

[Modelworks]

Its very expensive.
I recall someone saying he was paying 15k usd per month for an apartment that in the USA would be about 2K.

Reason is that the population is high and there isn't much land, so what land there is you really are going to pay for.

Quick google search shows the average apartment of only 600sq. ft . costing 3K usd per month.

 

[bonkers325]

cost of living is about the same as NYC

 

[UncleWai]

To live comfortable you are looking at 60-80k USD per year. 1usd= 7.8hkd
Rent is around 15k-25k HKD if you are looking for places close to work, which should be in Hong Kong Island.
Living outside of downtown, you can find shitty places between 5k-12k HKD.

 

[nageov3t]

bump for any HKATOT'ers that might be around.

 

[bobsmith1492]

2000 USD for an apartment?!? Yikes. I'm paying $375... (not in HK, though!)

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: UncleWai
To live comfortable you are looking at 60-80k USD per year. 1usd= 7.8hkd
Rent is around 15k-25k HKD if you are looking for places close to work, which should be in Hong Kong Island.
Living outside of downtown, you can find shitty places between 5k-12k HKD.

I'd definitely want to live on HK island, but our office is on the east coast of the island, so living in the heart of downtown isn't a super huge priority as long as I'm near a subway or bus line that runs near the office and operates 24/7

 

[chuckywang]

Originally posted by: bobsmith1492
2000 USD for an apartment?!? Yikes. I'm paying $375... (not in HK, though!)

Obviously...

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

I was there a couple of years ago. 2K a month would get you a marginal apartment. If you're used to US-sized apartments, prepare to downsize...severely.

Just about everything else there besides accomodations is cheap in comparison. You don't even need a car. You can get anywhere quickly on the MTR/buses/taxis. If you get bored of HK there's the whole of China to explore too.

It's a great experience if you think you can afford a place to stay. Personally I wouldn't risk it for less than a low six-figure US salary though.

 

[Fritzo]

Originally posted by: bobsmith1492
2000 USD for an apartment?!? Yikes. I'm paying $375... (not in HK, though!)

I've got a new 2400 sq ft house and my house payment is lower than that!

 

[Leros]

Originally posted by: Lonyo

Originally posted by: Lizardman

Originally posted by: Fritzo
Looks like you have to make quite a bit.

Hong Kong is a country?

Close enough. The Chinese took it back from the British, but they don't have total control over it, so it's still pretty independent, since that was part of the agreement the British made to ensure HK didn't go down the shitter.

Hong Kong was a British Colony from 1842 to 1997, when the British gave it back to China. It is now called the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

 

[Leros]

According to Google:

100 000 Hong Kong dollars = 12 852.8 U.S. dollars

Divide by 8 to get a rough idea.

 

[blipblop]

Living expenses are very very expensive in HK. I would say about 10 years ago going to HK was cheap, but things have gotten much more expensive. Clothes/Automobiles. A good friend of mine while here drove a brand new 911, he has since moved back and is only able to barely afford a 3-series BMW.

If you are planning on owning a house... you better have a huge chunk of change. Very much like NYC rent rates and at some points I wouldn't be surprised if it was more.

 

[alphatarget1]

Depends on what kind of lifestyle you want. Many people in HK make like, $20k HKD per month or less, they get by just fine.

 

[nageov3t]

definitely not planning on buying a house any time soon... I think I'd like to not even have a car.

are places off-island really that bad? new territories or kowloon seem more conencted with central than, say, brooklyn is with NYC, assuming you live within comfortable walking distance of a metro stop.

if I were to make the move, the office I'd be working at is on the east end of HK island, not in central (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=...2&t=h&z=15&iwloc=addr) probably wouldn't want to live anywhere that requires ferry access, though... that'd be a real bitch to get stuck on one end in the event of a monsoon or something.