Pros and Cons of Moving to Hong Kong
Nonetheless, the better prepared you are to combat the less-appealing aspects of life abroad, the more apt you’ll be to turn a negative into a positive. That said, Hong Kong is one such expat destination where the good seems to outweigh the bad.
Accommodation in Hong Kong
There are two options when it comes to where you live in Hong Kong: on the island or off. Living on the island means that you’ll generally have easy access to the centre and all its bars, restaurants and entertainment, but living off the island generally means you get more from your accommodation for your money.
When it comes to the price of flats, there are three factors that will have a major impact: the size of the apartment, how recently it has been renovated (if at all) and the view. A lot of people find that they have to compromise at least one of these to stay within budget – if you find somewhere which has all three, you’ve hit Hong Kong gold!
Pro: Lots of new buildings and lots of options
There’s always a new building being built in Hong Kong, and although that means you are treated to the melodious sounds of drills when walking around the street, it also means it’s easy to find very new flats. It goes without saying then, that there are a lot of options; so while there is a very high demand for property, there is also a very high supply. When you are searching for a flat, you won’t be short of places to view. In fact, flat hunting in Hong Kong is very much a numbers game, it’s all about viewing as many flats as possible until you find the one that fits your requirements.
Cons: Lack of space and high rent
The rent is eye-wateringly high, and the space frustratingly small. Rent will seem exorbitant to most, however, since taxes are so low, just tell yourself that the two balance each other out.
There is also a tendency when flats are being built to cram as many rooms in as possible, especially in the newer buildings. Going for older buildings from the 80s and 90s mean that you’ll get more space for your money, and the rooms will be larger, but the flats might be quite tired and old (think a kitchen that hasn’t been updated since the 80s). Additionally, there won’t be much in the way of facilities in the building (gym / pool etc.). Going for a new build means that you'll likely have a brand new flat with great clubhouse facilities, but the flat will likely be small with lots of cramped rooms. For example, you might find a three-bedroom flat in a space that would be more suited to a large one-bedroom, or small two-bedroom.
Cons: Estate agents
This is just a negative when you are new, and aren’t used to how dealing with the flat-hunting process. Estate agents will pretty much show you everything they have, even if it doesn’t correspond to anything you want. Since it’s a numbers game, you have to be very firm and clear with your requirements, or you’ll end up viewing flat after flat that you have no interest in! There is also a tendency to show all of the less appealing apartments first, in the hope that you might agree to take one of them. It can be very disheartening at first, but it’s very much worth insisting and persevering, you will eventually see places of interest.
Furnishing your house in Hong Kong
Pros: Custom-made furniture
You can get pretty much get anything custom-made in Hong Kong. Any shop will customise their sofas, beds, dining tables etc., so you can have the exact style, colour, fabric, shape and size you want.. Depending on the supplier, they take somewhere between 1 and 2 months to get it to you.
Con: Very little middle ground
There are very few mid-range options in Hong Kong, furnishings are either quite pricey - but very nice, or cheap - both in look and price.
For example, bedding. You either spend a fortune on bedding and towels to get something decent, or you can opt for the very cheap and poor quality. It follows that , bedding and towels is one thing that it is very much worth bringing.
The only real middle ground option is Ikea. The stores are in central locations that are easy to get to, they deliver on time and confirm this time beforehand, and they even assemble the furniture for you!
Cost of living in Hong Kong
Pro: Public transport
Public transport is incredibly cheap in Hong Kong (see later section on travelling)
Con: Generally quite high
Other than public transport, the cost of living is pretty high.
Lifestyle in Hong Kong
Pro: A friendly expat community
The expat community is incredibly friendly. Hong Kong is a very transient place, and it follows that most people know what it’s like to be new, and are happy to help and befriend the newbies. Unlike most cities where people have established circles of friends, in Hong Kong, people come and go so often that there is a distinct lack of cliques, which is refreshing.
Con: A transient place that people leave
Because it is a transient place, you might find that some of the friends you make leave to go back home, which can become frustrating after a while.
Pro: Varied night life
Hong Kong has a huge variety of restaurants and bars; there’s always something new to try. It also caters for all types of social preferences; you can ‘party like it’s 1999’, enjoy a relaxed evening or indulge in a simple dinner party.
If you like to party, you will find Lan Kwai Fong is busy every night of the week, a Monday night there can seem like a Friday night in most places. There is also the concept of private dining rooms: since flats are so small, a lot of restaurants have private rooms where you can host a dinner party with your friends, pre-arranging the food etc.
Pro: Outdoor pursuits
There is a lot to do in Hong Kong, specifically, there are a lot of outdoorsy activities on offer. There are many hikes to do, lots of options when it comes to water sports, lots of sports clubs and sports leagues that you can join, and generally speaking, it is an incredibly active place. And although it is famous for being a concrete jungle, there are a lot of green spaces. For example, 60 percent of Hong Kong Island isn’t built-up, and the untouched hills make for stunning hikes with sweeping views, utterly devoid of skyscrapers!
Con: Humid summers
When summer approaches the pollution and humidity in Hong Kong make it uncomfortable and unpleasant to do much outdoors. For most of the year though, the weather is pleasant and allows you to spend a lot of your time outdoors.
Summer is also the season for typhoons. This may sound frightening, but in fact, Hong Kong is incredibly well-equipped to deal with the extreme weather. Should a typhoon be approaching, signs will be everywhere indicating the level of the typhoon (see the Hong Kong observatory web site for further information), so you’ll know if you can go on with your day, or if you’ll need to head home to wait for it to pass.
Another problem with the summers is the sheer contrast between the sweltering heat and freezing cold, over air conditioned buildings. Summer colds are unfortunately to be expected.
Food in Hong Kong
Pro: Great selection
In Hong Kong, you will find every cuisine under the sun, and restaurants range from the cheap and cheerful to the Michelin-starred extravagant. You’ll even find the world’s cheapest Michelin-starred restaurant, a fantastic little Dim Sum place!
Con: Supermarkets
Supermarkets are overpriced and lacking in selection. The price for certain western foods will make your eyes water, and even foods with Australian brand names will be much more expensive than their Chinese counterparts.
For expats wondering if the price difference is justified, it’s worth keeping in mind that the food standards in China are not the same as what you may be used to, so hormones, pesticides, and in some cases, MSG are still used very widely.
Supermarkets in Hong Kong also seem to have a distinct lack of selection and an inconsistency of stock (one week a certain product is sold, the next it is no longer there), which makes supermarket food shopping rather frustrating. Like everything else it, requires some adjustment, and the plethora of cheap eating options also means that eating out can just be the easier option!
Travelling in Hong Kong
Pro: Fantastic public transport
Hong Kong’s public transport is modern, clean and, most importantly, reliable. The MTR (the local subway or underground) runs at very regular intervals, and delays are a rarity. No one is allowed to eat or drink on public transport, which is why you will find that the MTR and the buses are very clean. There is also a tram which runs along the northern part of the island, and while this isn’t quite as speedy as the MTR, it makes for a very pleasant journey and adds a touch of quaintness to an, otherwise, thoroughly modern city. But most of all, public transport in Hong Kong is incredibly cheap, especially considering how efficient it is.
Pro: Cheap and abundant taxis
There are taxis everywhere in Hong Kong, and they are very cheap relative to western standards; although, they are still much more expensive than public transport. Because Hong Kong is small, travelling by taxi is quick and it is very easy to find a taxi wherever you are; unless of course, it is raining, in which case all taxis seem to be full.
Con: Expensive flights
Flights out of Hong Kong are incredibly expensive. Although you have easy access to the whole of Asia, you will pay more than for a flight of similar distance in Europe.
Safety in Hong Kong
Pro: Low crime
Hong Kong is incredibly safe, there is virtually no crime. Women tend to feel comfortable walking around, even at night, and things like muggings and robberies are virtually unheard of.
Cons: There are none!
Children in Hong Kong
Pro: Helpers
Helpers are Filipino women who can be employed to help out at home with the cleaning, cooking, and also to help look after children. These domestic workers generally pick up kids from school, look after them while parents work, and help look after the house during the day and / or evenings.
This is very much a standard thing in Hong Kong, and most families will have a live-in helper, which is actually very affordable. A lot of expat families think Hong Kong is a fantastic place to have children, as life is made a lot easier than in most other countries, thanks to helpers.
Con: Getting around
Hong Kong is a very hilly and densely populated place, which means that getting around with a pushchair is a challenge, at best; although, taking taxis or getting a car can remedy this. There is also a shortage of parks, and although there are a lot of open spaces that are great for hiking, most of it isn’t too child friendly. There are, however, plenty of sports clubs dotted around Hong Kong with big open spaces and fantastic facilities for children.
Working in Hong Kong
Pro: Very easy to network
It is practically impossible not to network in Hong Kong. The expat community is small, and no matter your industry it’s likely that you’ll meet someone who will know someone who can introduce you to the right person. A lot of people, when searching for work, get business cards made up with their name and contact details to hand out when they meet people of interest, which tends to be more often than not in social contexts.
Con: Limitations for English-only speakers
Expats tend to work in finance, property and law. As a result, these are the areas that are easiest to get into if you don’t speak Mandarin or Cantonese. It is, of course, possible to get into other lines of work in Hong Kong, but overall, there is a lack of opportunity for non-Mandarin or non-Cantonese speakers outside these three industries.
