Expert Info
on 19 Apr 2020
Hello!
I am planning to stay in Hong Kong for four years from September as a research postgraduate student. I will study at Hong Kong Baptist University. I am planning to take my eight-months-old baby girl and mother with me. I would receive a monthly stipend of HKD 25800.
1. Which areas would you recommend me to stay?
2. How much is the cost of living in Hong Kong? How much would it cost me monthly for my accommodation, utilities, groceries and health insurance?
Thank you very much in advance.
Warm regards,
Hashi.
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Hi Hashi,
All the best with your studies!
1. Where you choose to live depends on your budget and lifestyle preferences. As you're moving with your baby, you may prefer a more residential area such as The Peak or a more affordable level like North Point. Although, in general, we've found that families with young children tend to favour the southern part of Hong Kong Island. We have a great list of Areas and Suburbs in Hong Kong that you can check out!
2. We also have information on the Cost of Living in Hong Kong. Will your stipend and studies also allow for an allowance for accommodation? In terms of insurance, costs may vary. Fortunately, public healthcare in Hong Kong is free and rated highly, so this is always an option. We give more info on healthcare here.
Have you started looking into the visa process yet?
Hope this helps!
Hi Claire,
Thank you very much for your kind regards and response to my question. I felt that I am not alone in HK anymore. With the stipend that I receive, I have to cover my tuition fee and all living costs. No additional financial aid is given except for research-related work.
From the web links that you have mentioned, what I can understand is that my stipend won't be enough, will it?
By the time I arrive there (if COVID-19 breakout comes to an end) my baby will be 12 months. And I prefer a safe place where I can commute easily to my University. I saw that old building apartments are cheaper. But how safe and convenient are those? (Though space would come in handy for my child's psychosocial development, I understand that spacious apartments require a loads money)
My visa, of course, is processed through my university. And it will take around 10 - 12 weeks. The problem is with my baby's and mother's visa. After I get my visa label, I am planning to apply visa for them through the visa office of my country. I'm from Sri Lanka by the way. For how long do Hong Kong issue visa for dependents?
Hi Hashi,
Hong Kong is one of the most expensive places to live and you may find that your stipend falls on the lower end. Although, accommodation rent can vary widely and you may just be in luck. In terms of health and safety with old buildings, this can also vary, and of course you want to put your child's health first. Make sure you get all the info from the landlord and do some more research on the area that it is in. You can get help looking for an apartment from a real estate agent or also look at some of the relocation companies in Hong Kong.
That's helpful and convenient that your university is processing your visa. Dependent visas are generally as long as your visa, although do consult the embassy in Sri Lanka about this. For your mother, to get a dependent visa may be complicated – we give some more info on visas for Hong Kong here. If you haven't looked up the government website for visa info in HK, visit that too as more in-depth info is given.
All the best,
Claire
Dear Claire,
Thank you very much for this useful information.
Best wishes,
Hashi
I'm happy to help. Feel free to ask any other questions you may have.
All the best,
C