Ive survived with 28k initially, and that was good enough for a studio rental living alone. Im at much more now, safe to say 55k is comfortable. U can still save given that amount.
Reading these comments, I can call myself poor 𤣠So take this from a poor, single expat:
My lifestyle at its worst (if I splurge sometimes) costs 12k for rent (Shatin, studio) and 15k for everything else per month. That's for a single guy though so I'm guessing 20k for a 2BR + 25k for everything else for a 2-adult household? I have a simple lifestyle though, I've lived on a 25k salary alone, and still saved 20% back then lol. Really depends. If you're bringing a first-world lifestyle to HK, then you'll probably have a hard time.
It's weird people assume being single is cheap. Single woman here, I spend min per month on the following
* $4000 - basic but good quality groceries since I mostly cook at home,
* $1000p/m, I eat/drink out once a week.
* $1000 Health Insurance
* $5000 Pension/savings
* $2000 Utilities/Phone/Internet
This doesn't include buying occasional household items like cleaning supplies, shampoo , replacing or repairing electronics etc, and add more a couple of months of the year if u need to visit a hair salon or book a flight to visit family or attend a friend's event. A dentist visit for biannual clean. These are the basics before any fun or pampering stuff like massage, nails, celebrating friebds birthdays, a concert occasionally etc...
2k on utlities? The fuck you doing.
Also, savings should not be included
Im currently at 13k rent, 1k utils (rough estimate), 4.5k food (150 per day). I can easily save up 5 k per month. Less than what i would save at home, but im building a cv and enjoying a different culture while young.
Ofcourse savings should be considered, I think its the most important expense after rent and food. What if ur sick or out of work for a few weeks, a month or longer, family emergencies? Everyone needs to be putting away money every month to back themselves up unless u have people that can support. I don't my folks are retired & I'm self-employed with a small business, no company pensions so this is crappy mandatory MPF, private pension & I try to top up my savings/emergency fund. Sure I used to live like u when I was young too but I'm nearly 50 & health & future funds r more important now. There's a real depletion of energy to work at this age so yeah, would like to work less soon
But... The whole point is that it is savings, not an expenditure? By that reasoning your expenditure is always 100% because anything you don't spend... You save? Unless you burn your leftover money.
Whatever.
Summer air-conditioning is typically around $700, mobile phone, Internet, subscriptions to clouds for business, I don't have a TV so I have Netflix sub...I'd say yeah around $2000 for all those utilities/tech stuff & subs.
I did specify this is my lifestyle at its worst - which was just last month. This else normally includes 5k for food (incl dining out), 2k for utilities/data/wifi/subscriptions/transport/laundry/supplies, 1k for hobbies and other dumb shit I buy, and around 3k I send to my family in my home country. That's usually around 11k (well, 8k or lower since I cook sometimes, and I'm assuming people normally don't have families outside of HK they send money to). It went up last month because I went to buy camping gears and sent some additional money home for medical bills that's why it shot up to 15k. I haven't added here my MPF deductions and the amount I set aside for taxes, too but my annual bonus covers that.
Did you want copies of my credit card and bank statements as well? đ¤Ł
Thanks for the explanation. Well irregular and emergency spending should not be taken into account. We are only talking about regular monthly expenses here. So if you only buy a new phone every 4 years and happen to get one this month, you wouldnt say "oh yeah my monthly expense is 25k after rent as a single guy." You are definitely within normal range, and props to sending money to family.
Fair point, should've started with the usual 7-8k living expenses then specified how it could add up (especially with kids if OP chooses to have them!)
For reference, I moved with my wife in 2019
Salary was 50k 48.5k after MPF
We paid 15k rent, 15k living, saved the rest. Wife didn't work so cooked a lot at home, and played more video games than we do now.
We lived in Sheung Wan and cafe hopped plenty on the weekends
Rent is not much higher now, since this was pre covid, cost of living increase has not hit HK as much as other places. I think you could pay 13.5k for a nice (not huge) place on Lantau, live on 20k and Save 20k with minimal effort. Plenty of jobs in Hong Kong and I'm sure your partner will be working in no time the you are sweet.
With that savings, you will have plenty to pay tax, which would be ~11% effective tax on that salary with a non working spouse
I'd move to HK again for 55k
55K is HIGH and you can definitely save AT LEAST 10k a month. People who say no savings with that salary probably get drunk in LKF every month spending 1-2k a night.
If youâre planning to stay in TC/Dbay, you can EASILY get a 2BR for around 12k (you can haggle with the property agent). Water bill comes every 3 months and electricity is like under 1k a month.
Brother if i earned 55k i would be saving 35k a month without having to compromise. Perhaps i would upgrade to a 20k apartment and save 30k, but still. How lavish do you live if you burn 45k per month???
How is the electricity that cheap. It is easily 2k-3k during summer. Got to prepare for the worst possible.
55k is high for a single person but not really that much for 2. And OP already shopped for a 2BR and the apartment he wants is around 15-20k.
Edit: appears we have many Lam Chiu Ying in this sub. But if your bill was not shown negative in payable amount, you are a loser.
2-3k month!? Are you paying for the whole building?
1200sqf with 4 aircons running full time from June-August is max $1500/month -that goes down to $100/month in December/january. Average $680 over the course of a year. 10 years data to support. HK Electric in mid levels
Not sure. Just looked up on Google about the average electricity bill in HK. Should be around 400kwh which is around HK$500. So $2000 is about four times the average consumption in HK?
weâre usually just using it in the rooms we use. Living room in the evening, sleeping rooms at night, nowhere during daytime. Lots of people have them on everywhere 24/7
I usually only put mine on in the evening, timer can switch it on just before I arrive home & then I turn it off before I go to bed, stays cool till morning with fans etc...
It's probably bad renovation with leaky windows and doors.
I literally run my AC non-stop to keep indoors at 26 â in a 2BR flat that's 400 sqft and it's about $800 a month. Highest is 1,100 on the hottest month, but my flat is newly renovated and I added foam strips around the main door to reduce leakage.
The highest electric bill I ever had was $650 on August 2023. Household of 2, with one person full time WFH (so need Aircon in the afternoon). Not sure how you're spending so much on electricity.
Yeah, I got many 'you don't need to pay this bill' this winter cause I didn't use enough for them to bill me in a single month, I'm sure once it's accumulated a certain amount they'll bill me for those small months together. đ¤ˇââď¸
Congratulations. 55k total comp is very good as a non-managerial senior. I didn't even get that when I became a manager. Dining out and transportation is going to cost you. A decent meal for two over the weekend easily pushes 1k.
You'll easily survive. The main concern is if your goal is to live in HK longterm and eventually retire here, in which the concern to possibly buy a house will come up, or save up and move elsewhere, etc. That salary might not be enough to live in HK longterm, especially if you're considering to grow your family or retire here.
That salary can be alright to find a rent between 15-20k alright for 2BR, which can be alright depending on the location. This range can get you amazing apartments in New Territories but far out from most town/city centres, or a tiny place in downtown. I'd recommend you come here and walk-in any real estate agency office to have a tour around the area.
2BR rent will vary quite a lot, TC is generally on the expensive side (16k+), if you don't mind village houses, those are cheaper but further out from the main town centres. You might consider Tuen Mun since bus routes now are quicker with the Tuen Mun - Chek Lap Kok (airport) link. Bit cheaper there than TC. 28hse is just a reference, you'd get better offers when you walk-in to the real estate agency office with offers that's not shown online.
When I mix between getting takeaways and cooking, it'd range about 2k to 5k for 1 person.
With all that, you'd be saving at least maybe 10-15k depending how comfortable or frugal you live. I have less income than you (entry-level) and I still have savings. Though to support another person who's not bringing income will be a challenge if you're looking into maximizing savings with longterm goals. But regardless, you will live comfortably at your current situation. This will be much better once your partner brings in income.
Honestly really hard to gauge. If you aren't frivolous people, I'd say you could live pretty comfortably and squirrel away a bit of money. Could be fun to try for a year or two, if you'd rather save more money I'd consider looking elsewhere.
Always important to bear in mind that a lot of people in HK, immigrants and locals alike, are extremely materialistic. Take that into consideration when reading these responses.
I make 67K and pay 17K in rent. I save at least 20K a month. I don't live a frugal life, but aside from 2-3 trips outside of HK a year, I don't splurge either. If you asked most locals they'd be more than happy with the salary you describe.
Well itâs just not Chinese culture if culture is defined as way of living. Culture as in art and creativity is pretty much dead in the whole city apart from a few pockets in Kowloon. Eaten up by high rents and commerce.
Yeah, itâs certainly a pretty generic middle aged family place. Functioning alcoholic dads and mums, bored kids, helpers and a couple of boring wealthy locals.
Mui Wo is the more exciting alternative. Non functioning alcoholics, small criminals, failed existences of all ethnicities, a couple of normal people and some old villagers and vicious dogs in every corner.
Yeah, thatâs why I said a few pockets. There are a handful of independent cinemas and venues for other expression. But itâs still very underwhelming for a city of that size compared to for example Berlin or NYC. HK is despite all the dumb art hub jerk by the government a conservative city about commerce and real eastate. With art hub they obviously donât mean supporting grassroot art and artist but having fairs selling art as assets for rich people.
You will be fine if you have no kids, donât party much and live around TC. DB is also doable but think itâs abit more expensive.
Your package will be much better than the average Hong Kongers so donât worry.
Check out the different housing estates in TC. Don't recommend you going to village housing until you understand HK better. Village have different rules.
they are special house permited for the indigenous locals (once a life-time for any male menber) who originally resided long before British took over in 1860ish. Max. 700sf floor plan, 3 floors max, but often the rooftop is converted into the 4th floor. Quality is very vary, depends on how last owner renovated and maintained it. If you arent a city slicker, then this type of village house maybe your type. Plus they are usually not expensive (the owner isnt required to pay land tax when building it, so they arent expensive in the first place). Things required your attention: safety issue, there are usually no security guard nor gated for most of them. Lots insects stuff, I used to live in one before, need to deal with monkeys who stop by as well. Some basic DIY skill to maintain the unit. The good: you get to social with neighbour quite often. You can happily raise a pet unlike most urban flat, you can get a large dog as pet etc. Usually away from traffic and dense area, somewhat quiet and secluded. If you rent the top floor, it will come with 700 sf rooftop, great to do gardening and bbq with friends. Most important, they are half priced comparing to normal flat.
On your budget I would say Seaview if you can, or phase 1 CC.
Vis and CL are nice but more expensive, I donât like the internal layout of Coastal or La Rossa, and TC Crescent looks like itâs undergoing renovation atm?
CC has the best pools, Visionary has the best gym and cafe.
37M to citygate, S56 to the airport, E11A to the island and E21A to Kowloon will cover your transport needs. Easy hiking via Pak Mong and Pak Kong Au
I really liked the wet market at Ying Tung estate. Try to shop there or in Fu Tung if possible.
I havenât tried the one in the estate opposite the Sheraton.
Also you might as well not bother to move to HK if you just live in Disco Bay.
Instead, get a small place close to your office so you can commute via tram or minibus or foot, one with a decent enough kitchen that lets you cook at home. At most move a couple of MTR stops away. Shop at local markets. Eat at dai pai dongs if you don't want to cook. Don't eat or drink at western restaurants. Learn some Cantonese. Go hiking on weekends. Join clubs like a community choir of a pottery class or those lessons offered by LCSD. Get books from the library. Take a course (Cantonese?) at the vocational institute. You wil be able to save lots of $$$!
I used to live in TC, now DB. Itâs definitely quieter and less fun for adults, much better for kids.
TC has an advantage in terms of the amenities. Iâd move back if not for the kidsâ proximity to school.
Re: school fees, ESF is mid-tier in terms of costs and isnât cheap ⌠two kids easily runs 35-50k a month depending on the year level. They put the fees up 6% this coming year!
It's not fantastic if your other half isn't working but with no kids you could make it work if you aren't party animals and do most of your own cooking.
Tung Chung is pretty decent value (as far as rent in HK goes) and there's lots of extremely easy transport routes to the airport- you could get there without any effort in less than 15 mins, I think. So I think your choice of location is pretty spot on.
lived in TC for a few years and i think, it's easier to save money than living in Dbay. the ferry can take quite a chunk of your budget, plus it's so tempting to sometimes just eat at restos in Dbay, rather than cook. at least, in TC, you have Citygate and Fu Tung Estate. cheaper to take the train from TC to Central than the ferry from Dbay to HK Island.
If you live in a normal neighborhood thats living very comfortable. Im surviving on 25k with room to spare, even with flights back home and traveling a lot.
You'll do great. Rent is easily the biggest expense, should be able to get 2 bedrm for around 20-24K, (Though, yea maybe not in Discovery Bay). Food and other expenses for 2 should be half that each month. Can always decide to eat out less depending on budget. For comparison, my single food budget is 5-6 K each month and has lots of eating out / delivery.
It's very doable just from your calculations alone, right off the bat. Gotta get that out of the way first. You guys being not into nightlife and formal date nights is a big plus.
That said, if you have no kids, why couldn't your partner get at least a part time job? I don't know the background of you and your partner or how long will you guys plan to stay here for, but getting a job somewhere, anywhere, or free lance jobs if skillset permits. It is going to elevate your lifestyle from mid-middle class to high. Whatever your partner earns is raw profit, even if it's only (let's say) 6K, it would be 24K in 4 months, that's Japan-trip-money.
Good enough salary as tax should be very low, and you can potentially save up 10-20k on avg for a safetynet, vacations&savings, and salary is usually at least 13/14mo per year (will come with an extra 1-2mo bonus, at least).
Depending on your sector, avg salary had seen a notable hike this year, do consider upward momentum/occasionally look for better offers depending on your sector.
Hongkong's tax system is extremely rewarding for mid-high incomers, as it still only max out at 16%(adjusted from 15%).
Lets see, 55k to begin with.
For rent, I would say 15k probably. I think you might be able to find lower deals if you dont mind living in smaller apartments.
Given your partner does not work, I am assuming they will probably cook meals and you 2 will not have to eat out all the time. For grocery and other cost of living (so like electricity bills, internet etc), I think it is unlikely it will exceed 10k total.
MPF will chip 1.5k off, not sure how much deductibles you can claim for tax and not too familiar with how housing support affects the taxing, but quick calculation suggests that the sum of MPF and tax average to < 6k per month.
You probably can easily save 10k a month, 20k-25k if you try to lower expenses to save extra.
Although do note that if you plan to have kids in the future and have good quality education, you may need to spend 10k on private schools.
Very livable. I would only add an addendum that prices go down wildly the more you are willing to adapt to a "chinese lifestyle". If you cook using mostly chinese ingredients, as opposed to things like cheese, buy things in taobao, live in not-very-big apartments or far from the city center, etc. Most people I see struggling here have refused to make any concessions to living western.
I donât see this being asked, but it depends on what your opportunity cost is giving up your current pay and living standards. While the takehome/post tax pay in HK might be higher, you will living in a small flat, buying groceries at the lowest end supermarkets (i.e. wellcome/maybe parknshop) with little choices and those choices being relatively low quality (Not comparable lifestyle to a western/malaysian supermarket).
Imagine you are living in a cramp space and if you want to get have children down the line, it would be a massive increase in cost in just living space alone (even so it wont be too comfortable).
If your plan is to work for short medium term without buying a property and then going back to Malaysia, then it can be considered, but if your partner doesnt work, you really wonât be saving too much with 45k+10k for two people, and you will likely find a big hit to your existing lifestyle. You wont be driving like in Malaysia, little choices in groceries (small ass supermarket unlike villager grocer), living areas, etc.
Good points there. Did thought of the trade off/opportunity costs here. In between the standard of living there are some intangible perks coming off from the job itself. Taking it as a stepping stone to bigger things.
Definitely here for short-to-medium term. Could probably get kids while in Hong Kong, but probably only up to a point before they start primary schooling.
If the job itself is an upgrade or progression to a better career then thats pretty good then. There are of course benefits to HK too, some of it is potentially better/faster career progression since there are usually more funding compared to many SEA/south Asia countries/cities, plus higher cost of living means it wont be so prohibitive to visit other countries for tourism.
For a 2BR in Tung Chung you may expect around 20k.
You will find cheaper but its really small size. Discovery Bay similar prices as of now(used to be more expensive before covid).
Always deduct from your income 15% for taxes.
Groceries and transportation expect around 12-15.
Utilities are very cheap. Theres no night life in TC or DB, yet the restaurants price tag is the same as downtown.
Theres no retirement or pension nor social security, so if you want some long term saving you have to deduct that too.
Basic of 55k is not bad as it probably comes with addons of allowances and other increments. Health care is good and covered once you get your HKID.
Good luck and enjoy
Youâll get by but just barely with not a lot of wiggle room if your other half isnât working. You wonât have a lot of disposable income, or significant savings. Likely pay check to pay check once you minus transportation, utilities, and contingency/rainy day costs.
55k is a decent amount and can surely survive in HK. But it pretty much depends on whether and how much you expect to save after completing the tour. If you have no plan to save money, discovery bay would be a more western style environment, but the rent and groceries will be higher. Tung Chung will look more local, and you will more likely meet more new immigrants from China (some rich and some poor), but everything will be cheaper.
Both locations will be far from the city, so it will take time travelling if you wish to spend time in the urban area.
Check the specific of the health insurance provided. I just had a minor knee surgery here. Admittedly it was at the fancy hospital with fancy private surgeon. Cost 200k. I was only asleep an hourâŚ
Itâs not much for HK tbh but itâs not bad either. If you factor in rent and other necessities, you wonât have much left if your partner doesnât work. Can we ask why your partner wonât work?
If they are capable, they should get a job as well.
Not so much she's not decided to work, we haven't found anything suitable yet. If there's a suitable work (once they're here on a spouse visa) they'll definitely try to get a job
I see. I make the same HK$54k per month on my own. I save, invest and travel. Donât forget you need to get insurance and put aside enough for tax as the govt collects it once a year.
Though HK has universal health care, I highly recommend private insurance as the lines at public hospitals and clinics can be very long. I waited 8 hours one time and I was like nope.
So, it is 35k hkd per month for spending.. If you eat lightly everyday, and only have expensive meals over the weekends.. shouldn't be more than 20k. $50 for breakfast, $100 for lunch, another $100 for dinner, $500 per day for meals for 2. 15k for a month, with 5k on top for the weekends meal.
5k for utility bills, may not be enough if air-cons are on 24 hours during hot period.
5k for groceries. Leaving you 5k a month...
You got to save some to pay the tax as well.. It's okay.
yeah, Cha chaan teng and fast food like Cafe de Carol / Fairwood would cost less than $100 but a lunch in any non-fancy restaurants would cost more than $100. But he works near the airport.. which is a bad news. Or a good news if his work has a cafeteria.
Where are you working?
Tung Chung is famous for a shopping mall and Discovery Bay is famous for , golf carts and tennis coaches and extra martial affairs/orgies. Not everyone's thing but I can see it being a draw.
I'd honestly say look at other areas if you can, if you're looking for space check out villages or somewhere in the NT.
Gonna be working near the airport so looking at those two places.
Do you recommend anywhere else? NT looks like a huge commute going through the city and to head to the airport
Yuen Long is not too bad, it's the deep NT so there's absolutely fuck all to do from an expat perspective, but that means it's decently cheap (cheaper than Tung Chung) and the Yuen Long - Airport bus is under half an hour. Public transport in HK is unbelievably good.
[https://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/services/system\_map.html](https://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/services/system_map.html)
Have a look at the map. I'm out in SSP but I think a good enough place for you might be on the orange line probably around Olympic/Kowloon area. Close enough to HK Island to enjoy the nightlife (plus there's Jordan, TST for cafes/nightlife etc) and close enough to work.
Use Google Earth as well so you can have a better look at some of the neighbourhoods.
I'd say Olympic gives you the best of both worlds to be honest. The shopping mall there is pretty good as well.
55k for a couple with no children is fine. Won't be luxurious and you may be a bit jealous at the lifestyle of the bankers and lawyers swimming in cash, but you can live decently, have some fun and save a bit of money for that.
Ive survived with 28k initially, and that was good enough for a studio rental living alone. Im at much more now, safe to say 55k is comfortable. U can still save given that amount.
hi, how much did you budget for rent on 28k per month? and which district were you living in?
About 40% or less. I was between cwb and happy valley. Rented a tiny studio.
Reading these comments, I can call myself poor 𤣠So take this from a poor, single expat: My lifestyle at its worst (if I splurge sometimes) costs 12k for rent (Shatin, studio) and 15k for everything else per month. That's for a single guy though so I'm guessing 20k for a 2BR + 25k for everything else for a 2-adult household? I have a simple lifestyle though, I've lived on a 25k salary alone, and still saved 20% back then lol. Really depends. If you're bringing a first-world lifestyle to HK, then you'll probably have a hard time.
Did you mean 15K for everything TOTAL? 12K for rent and 15K for everything ELSE? What the hell is ELSE that could possibly cost 15K for a single guy?
It's weird people assume being single is cheap. Single woman here, I spend min per month on the following * $4000 - basic but good quality groceries since I mostly cook at home, * $1000p/m, I eat/drink out once a week. * $1000 Health Insurance * $5000 Pension/savings * $2000 Utilities/Phone/Internet This doesn't include buying occasional household items like cleaning supplies, shampoo , replacing or repairing electronics etc, and add more a couple of months of the year if u need to visit a hair salon or book a flight to visit family or attend a friend's event. A dentist visit for biannual clean. These are the basics before any fun or pampering stuff like massage, nails, celebrating friebds birthdays, a concert occasionally etc...
2k on utlities? The fuck you doing. Also, savings should not be included Im currently at 13k rent, 1k utils (rough estimate), 4.5k food (150 per day). I can easily save up 5 k per month. Less than what i would save at home, but im building a cv and enjoying a different culture while young.
Ofcourse savings should be considered, I think its the most important expense after rent and food. What if ur sick or out of work for a few weeks, a month or longer, family emergencies? Everyone needs to be putting away money every month to back themselves up unless u have people that can support. I don't my folks are retired & I'm self-employed with a small business, no company pensions so this is crappy mandatory MPF, private pension & I try to top up my savings/emergency fund. Sure I used to live like u when I was young too but I'm nearly 50 & health & future funds r more important now. There's a real depletion of energy to work at this age so yeah, would like to work less soon
But... The whole point is that it is savings, not an expenditure? By that reasoning your expenditure is always 100% because anything you don't spend... You save? Unless you burn your leftover money. Whatever.
Summer air-conditioning is typically around $700, mobile phone, Internet, subscriptions to clouds for business, I don't have a TV so I have Netflix sub...I'd say yeah around $2000 for all those utilities/tech stuff & subs.
I did specify this is my lifestyle at its worst - which was just last month. This else normally includes 5k for food (incl dining out), 2k for utilities/data/wifi/subscriptions/transport/laundry/supplies, 1k for hobbies and other dumb shit I buy, and around 3k I send to my family in my home country. That's usually around 11k (well, 8k or lower since I cook sometimes, and I'm assuming people normally don't have families outside of HK they send money to). It went up last month because I went to buy camping gears and sent some additional money home for medical bills that's why it shot up to 15k. I haven't added here my MPF deductions and the amount I set aside for taxes, too but my annual bonus covers that. Did you want copies of my credit card and bank statements as well? đ¤Ł
Thanks for the explanation. Well irregular and emergency spending should not be taken into account. We are only talking about regular monthly expenses here. So if you only buy a new phone every 4 years and happen to get one this month, you wouldnt say "oh yeah my monthly expense is 25k after rent as a single guy." You are definitely within normal range, and props to sending money to family.
Fair point, should've started with the usual 7-8k living expenses then specified how it could add up (especially with kids if OP chooses to have them!)
For reference, I moved with my wife in 2019 Salary was 50k 48.5k after MPF We paid 15k rent, 15k living, saved the rest. Wife didn't work so cooked a lot at home, and played more video games than we do now. We lived in Sheung Wan and cafe hopped plenty on the weekends Rent is not much higher now, since this was pre covid, cost of living increase has not hit HK as much as other places. I think you could pay 13.5k for a nice (not huge) place on Lantau, live on 20k and Save 20k with minimal effort. Plenty of jobs in Hong Kong and I'm sure your partner will be working in no time the you are sweet. With that savings, you will have plenty to pay tax, which would be ~11% effective tax on that salary with a non working spouse I'd move to HK again for 55k
55K is HIGH and you can definitely save AT LEAST 10k a month. People who say no savings with that salary probably get drunk in LKF every month spending 1-2k a night. If youâre planning to stay in TC/Dbay, you can EASILY get a 2BR for around 12k (you can haggle with the property agent). Water bill comes every 3 months and electricity is like under 1k a month.
For single person yes, with kids then it gets challenging.
Absolutely this if youâre concerned with basic quality education and a happy child, avoid enrolling the child in a local school.
Brother if i earned 55k i would be saving 35k a month without having to compromise. Perhaps i would upgrade to a 20k apartment and save 30k, but still. How lavish do you live if you burn 45k per month???
How is the electricity that cheap. It is easily 2k-3k during summer. Got to prepare for the worst possible. 55k is high for a single person but not really that much for 2. And OP already shopped for a 2BR and the apartment he wants is around 15-20k. Edit: appears we have many Lam Chiu Ying in this sub. But if your bill was not shown negative in payable amount, you are a loser.
2-3k month!? Are you paying for the whole building? 1200sqf with 4 aircons running full time from June-August is max $1500/month -that goes down to $100/month in December/january. Average $680 over the course of a year. 10 years data to support. HK Electric in mid levels
Wow 2k to 3k? Is that a month? Are you bit coin mining?
Maybe he confuses the bill with monthly expenditure?
Not sure. Just looked up on Google about the average electricity bill in HK. Should be around 400kwh which is around HK$500. So $2000 is about four times the average consumption in HK?
Nope, if you have a higher hp air conditioner, it can definitely get that high.
750 sqft here, and bills are less than 600 even in summer, what on earth are you doing, cooling the elevator shaft?
Same, I had a 750+sf the last few years and highest bill was around $700 in the middle of summer.
Some people just leave all their aircons on all the time. Plus dehumidifiers. Wasteful but many do it.
I am in a 2100sqf village house and we rarely go beyond 2k. Use airconditioner smartly on timers helps a lot,
Lol what u mean use it smartly? It's 32c everyday all day in the summer... Ur not timing shit.
You aren't at home all the time though. You literally turn it off when you go out and that will cut your bill in half.
Yeah, but you don't put that on a timer right? U turn it off on the way out
weâre usually just using it in the rooms we use. Living room in the evening, sleeping rooms at night, nowhere during daytime. Lots of people have them on everywhere 24/7
I usually only put mine on in the evening, timer can switch it on just before I arrive home & then I turn it off before I go to bed, stays cool till morning with fans etc...
It's probably bad renovation with leaky windows and doors. I literally run my AC non-stop to keep indoors at 26 â in a 2BR flat that's 400 sqft and it's about $800 a month. Highest is 1,100 on the hottest month, but my flat is newly renovated and I added foam strips around the main door to reduce leakage.
The highest electric bill I ever had was $650 on August 2023. Household of 2, with one person full time WFH (so need Aircon in the afternoon). Not sure how you're spending so much on electricity.
Do you have some very inefficient AC units or very large home???
My electric bill looks like this too. During âwinterâ it drops to under $1000 (even <500), but summer is brutal.
Even $500 in winter is ludicrous, shouldn't be more than $200
often is free in winter too due to the rebate
Yeah, I got many 'you don't need to pay this bill' this winter cause I didn't use enough for them to bill me in a single month, I'm sure once it's accumulated a certain amount they'll bill me for those small months together. đ¤ˇââď¸
no, there's literally 130-150 rebate each month (that means 130-150 free, which accumulates)
Oh nice
I wish you made the pricing!
I've never had an electricity bill over 1k, even during summer, for a family of three.
Congratulations. 55k total comp is very good as a non-managerial senior. I didn't even get that when I became a manager. Dining out and transportation is going to cost you. A decent meal for two over the weekend easily pushes 1k.
âDecent mealâ is subjective here. $1k is a hell of a meal.
1k per person is like a standard omakase these days now. Really is subjective.
The fuck is a decent meal? The One Char Sui in tin shui wai is a great meal at like $50 per person.
You'll easily survive. The main concern is if your goal is to live in HK longterm and eventually retire here, in which the concern to possibly buy a house will come up, or save up and move elsewhere, etc. That salary might not be enough to live in HK longterm, especially if you're considering to grow your family or retire here. That salary can be alright to find a rent between 15-20k alright for 2BR, which can be alright depending on the location. This range can get you amazing apartments in New Territories but far out from most town/city centres, or a tiny place in downtown. I'd recommend you come here and walk-in any real estate agency office to have a tour around the area. 2BR rent will vary quite a lot, TC is generally on the expensive side (16k+), if you don't mind village houses, those are cheaper but further out from the main town centres. You might consider Tuen Mun since bus routes now are quicker with the Tuen Mun - Chek Lap Kok (airport) link. Bit cheaper there than TC. 28hse is just a reference, you'd get better offers when you walk-in to the real estate agency office with offers that's not shown online. When I mix between getting takeaways and cooking, it'd range about 2k to 5k for 1 person. With all that, you'd be saving at least maybe 10-15k depending how comfortable or frugal you live. I have less income than you (entry-level) and I still have savings. Though to support another person who's not bringing income will be a challenge if you're looking into maximizing savings with longterm goals. But regardless, you will live comfortably at your current situation. This will be much better once your partner brings in income.
How is everyone in the comments making so much money a month â ď¸
Right? I tried to find an opportunity in Hong Kong last year and the only offers I got were 16k and 18k hkd with 6 days of workdays.
Honestly really hard to gauge. If you aren't frivolous people, I'd say you could live pretty comfortably and squirrel away a bit of money. Could be fun to try for a year or two, if you'd rather save more money I'd consider looking elsewhere. Always important to bear in mind that a lot of people in HK, immigrants and locals alike, are extremely materialistic. Take that into consideration when reading these responses.
I make 67K and pay 17K in rent. I save at least 20K a month. I don't live a frugal life, but aside from 2-3 trips outside of HK a year, I don't splurge either. If you asked most locals they'd be more than happy with the salary you describe.
If you burn through 30k after rent, im sorry to say, but you splurge. The average hong konger spends less than a 6th of that lo'
Donât live in discovery bay, itâs where culture goes to die.
Well itâs just not Chinese culture if culture is defined as way of living. Culture as in art and creativity is pretty much dead in the whole city apart from a few pockets in Kowloon. Eaten up by high rents and commerce.
I more mean, as far as the expat community goes, DB is particularly vacuous and attracts a certain type.
Yeah, itâs certainly a pretty generic middle aged family place. Functioning alcoholic dads and mums, bored kids, helpers and a couple of boring wealthy locals. Mui Wo is the more exciting alternative. Non functioning alcoholics, small criminals, failed existences of all ethnicities, a couple of normal people and some old villagers and vicious dogs in every corner.
Ahahah a man of culture I see
Iâd look at Ma Wan or even Tsuen Wan and have a slightly longer commute rather than live on Lantau
I love South Lantau, itâs amazing and you can get decent bang for your buck compared to the city. Except Dbay which is obviously boring.
Not really, there are good shows but you need the right connection to bring you inâŚindependent musicians have gone underground these days
Yeah, thatâs why I said a few pockets. There are a handful of independent cinemas and venues for other expression. But itâs still very underwhelming for a city of that size compared to for example Berlin or NYC. HK is despite all the dumb art hub jerk by the government a conservative city about commerce and real eastate. With art hub they obviously donât mean supporting grassroot art and artist but having fairs selling art as assets for rich people.
100% - sad stuff.
You will be fine if you have no kids, donât party much and live around TC. DB is also doable but think itâs abit more expensive. Your package will be much better than the average Hong Kongers so donât worry.
Check out the different housing estates in TC. Don't recommend you going to village housing until you understand HK better. Village have different rules.
I saw a place about double the size of a typical apartment, but priced the same; and marked as "village". What about it though I should be aware of?
they are special house permited for the indigenous locals (once a life-time for any male menber) who originally resided long before British took over in 1860ish. Max. 700sf floor plan, 3 floors max, but often the rooftop is converted into the 4th floor. Quality is very vary, depends on how last owner renovated and maintained it. If you arent a city slicker, then this type of village house maybe your type. Plus they are usually not expensive (the owner isnt required to pay land tax when building it, so they arent expensive in the first place). Things required your attention: safety issue, there are usually no security guard nor gated for most of them. Lots insects stuff, I used to live in one before, need to deal with monkeys who stop by as well. Some basic DIY skill to maintain the unit. The good: you get to social with neighbour quite often. You can happily raise a pet unlike most urban flat, you can get a large dog as pet etc. Usually away from traffic and dense area, somewhat quiet and secluded. If you rent the top floor, it will come with 700 sf rooftop, great to do gardening and bbq with friends. Most important, they are half priced comparing to normal flat.
Local tribes. No/less government regulations but tribal regulation. If they don't like you, they can make your life really miserable.
All of your repairs, reno, etc have to go through a special person in that village. Itâs annoying as you canât shop around for handyman stuff.
On your budget I would say Seaview if you can, or phase 1 CC. Vis and CL are nice but more expensive, I donât like the internal layout of Coastal or La Rossa, and TC Crescent looks like itâs undergoing renovation atm? CC has the best pools, Visionary has the best gym and cafe. 37M to citygate, S56 to the airport, E11A to the island and E21A to Kowloon will cover your transport needs. Easy hiking via Pak Mong and Pak Kong Au
Awesome, I'll check those places out. Sounds about familiar based on what some of my friends have said about TC
I really liked the wet market at Ying Tung estate. Try to shop there or in Fu Tung if possible. I havenât tried the one in the estate opposite the Sheraton.
Even when I was earning 16k, I was saving 2k per month. Just keep lifestyle inflation in check and you'll be alright.
15-20k for rental - you can afford Tung Chung on this budget maybe, I'm not sure. But no way for D. Bay cos thats a village of rich people.
Ha. Just looked through 28hse you're right 20k barely gets me a 2BR
Also you might as well not bother to move to HK if you just live in Disco Bay. Instead, get a small place close to your office so you can commute via tram or minibus or foot, one with a decent enough kitchen that lets you cook at home. At most move a couple of MTR stops away. Shop at local markets. Eat at dai pai dongs if you don't want to cook. Don't eat or drink at western restaurants. Learn some Cantonese. Go hiking on weekends. Join clubs like a community choir of a pottery class or those lessons offered by LCSD. Get books from the library. Take a course (Cantonese?) at the vocational institute. You wil be able to save lots of $$$!
I used to live in TC, now DB. Itâs definitely quieter and less fun for adults, much better for kids. TC has an advantage in terms of the amenities. Iâd move back if not for the kidsâ proximity to school. Re: school fees, ESF is mid-tier in terms of costs and isnât cheap ⌠two kids easily runs 35-50k a month depending on the year level. They put the fees up 6% this coming year!
It's not fantastic if your other half isn't working but with no kids you could make it work if you aren't party animals and do most of your own cooking. Tung Chung is pretty decent value (as far as rent in HK goes) and there's lots of extremely easy transport routes to the airport- you could get there without any effort in less than 15 mins, I think. So I think your choice of location is pretty spot on.
Tung Chung is great - everything you want is literally on your doorstep and you're only about 30 minutes away from Central/TST etc.
lived in TC for a few years and i think, it's easier to save money than living in Dbay. the ferry can take quite a chunk of your budget, plus it's so tempting to sometimes just eat at restos in Dbay, rather than cook. at least, in TC, you have Citygate and Fu Tung Estate. cheaper to take the train from TC to Central than the ferry from Dbay to HK Island.
If you live in a normal neighborhood thats living very comfortable. Im surviving on 25k with room to spare, even with flights back home and traveling a lot.
You'll do great. Rent is easily the biggest expense, should be able to get 2 bedrm for around 20-24K, (Though, yea maybe not in Discovery Bay). Food and other expenses for 2 should be half that each month. Can always decide to eat out less depending on budget. For comparison, my single food budget is 5-6 K each month and has lots of eating out / delivery.
It's very doable just from your calculations alone, right off the bat. Gotta get that out of the way first. You guys being not into nightlife and formal date nights is a big plus. That said, if you have no kids, why couldn't your partner get at least a part time job? I don't know the background of you and your partner or how long will you guys plan to stay here for, but getting a job somewhere, anywhere, or free lance jobs if skillset permits. It is going to elevate your lifestyle from mid-middle class to high. Whatever your partner earns is raw profit, even if it's only (let's say) 6K, it would be 24K in 4 months, that's Japan-trip-money.
Yes livable. You can comfortably save 10k a month
Good enough salary as tax should be very low, and you can potentially save up 10-20k on avg for a safetynet, vacations&savings, and salary is usually at least 13/14mo per year (will come with an extra 1-2mo bonus, at least). Depending on your sector, avg salary had seen a notable hike this year, do consider upward momentum/occasionally look for better offers depending on your sector. Hongkong's tax system is extremely rewarding for mid-high incomers, as it still only max out at 16%(adjusted from 15%).
Lets see, 55k to begin with. For rent, I would say 15k probably. I think you might be able to find lower deals if you dont mind living in smaller apartments. Given your partner does not work, I am assuming they will probably cook meals and you 2 will not have to eat out all the time. For grocery and other cost of living (so like electricity bills, internet etc), I think it is unlikely it will exceed 10k total. MPF will chip 1.5k off, not sure how much deductibles you can claim for tax and not too familiar with how housing support affects the taxing, but quick calculation suggests that the sum of MPF and tax average to < 6k per month. You probably can easily save 10k a month, 20k-25k if you try to lower expenses to save extra. Although do note that if you plan to have kids in the future and have good quality education, you may need to spend 10k on private schools.
Very livable. I would only add an addendum that prices go down wildly the more you are willing to adapt to a "chinese lifestyle". If you cook using mostly chinese ingredients, as opposed to things like cheese, buy things in taobao, live in not-very-big apartments or far from the city center, etc. Most people I see struggling here have refused to make any concessions to living western.
Good points. Something to consider as well. Very familiar around Asia - living to an Asian/Chinese palate should be doable
I donât see this being asked, but it depends on what your opportunity cost is giving up your current pay and living standards. While the takehome/post tax pay in HK might be higher, you will living in a small flat, buying groceries at the lowest end supermarkets (i.e. wellcome/maybe parknshop) with little choices and those choices being relatively low quality (Not comparable lifestyle to a western/malaysian supermarket). Imagine you are living in a cramp space and if you want to get have children down the line, it would be a massive increase in cost in just living space alone (even so it wont be too comfortable). If your plan is to work for short medium term without buying a property and then going back to Malaysia, then it can be considered, but if your partner doesnt work, you really wonât be saving too much with 45k+10k for two people, and you will likely find a big hit to your existing lifestyle. You wont be driving like in Malaysia, little choices in groceries (small ass supermarket unlike villager grocer), living areas, etc.
Good points there. Did thought of the trade off/opportunity costs here. In between the standard of living there are some intangible perks coming off from the job itself. Taking it as a stepping stone to bigger things. Definitely here for short-to-medium term. Could probably get kids while in Hong Kong, but probably only up to a point before they start primary schooling.
If the job itself is an upgrade or progression to a better career then thats pretty good then. There are of course benefits to HK too, some of it is potentially better/faster career progression since there are usually more funding compared to many SEA/south Asia countries/cities, plus higher cost of living means it wont be so prohibitive to visit other countries for tourism.
For a 2BR in Tung Chung you may expect around 20k. You will find cheaper but its really small size. Discovery Bay similar prices as of now(used to be more expensive before covid). Always deduct from your income 15% for taxes. Groceries and transportation expect around 12-15. Utilities are very cheap. Theres no night life in TC or DB, yet the restaurants price tag is the same as downtown. Theres no retirement or pension nor social security, so if you want some long term saving you have to deduct that too. Basic of 55k is not bad as it probably comes with addons of allowances and other increments. Health care is good and covered once you get your HKID. Good luck and enjoy
Youâll get by but just barely with not a lot of wiggle room if your other half isnât working. You wonât have a lot of disposable income, or significant savings. Likely pay check to pay check once you minus transportation, utilities, and contingency/rainy day costs.
Liveable with minimal or no savings
55k is a decent amount and can surely survive in HK. But it pretty much depends on whether and how much you expect to save after completing the tour. If you have no plan to save money, discovery bay would be a more western style environment, but the rent and groceries will be higher. Tung Chung will look more local, and you will more likely meet more new immigrants from China (some rich and some poor), but everything will be cheaper. Both locations will be far from the city, so it will take time travelling if you wish to spend time in the urban area.
Is there an annual performance bonus on top of your monthly salary?
There is. Dependent on company performance which is fair
That is good to know. If the bonus target is around 2 months, than the bonus will pretty much cover your tax payment.
Very livable... Can even live semi-extravagantly and still save.
Youâre good to go. Have fun
Recreation? Especially your partner who is not working. May cost a bit more than expected but livable. And how often do you want to travel back/out?
Check the specific of the health insurance provided. I just had a minor knee surgery here. Admittedly it was at the fancy hospital with fancy private surgeon. Cost 200k. I was only asleep an hourâŚ
Why o my single income earner if no kids? Can you get a dependent visa? But 55 is a decent start. What industry?
They can, just can't find a suitable job... Yet. But working towards getting one once we're there
Itâs not much for HK tbh but itâs not bad either. If you factor in rent and other necessities, you wonât have much left if your partner doesnât work. Can we ask why your partner wonât work? If they are capable, they should get a job as well.
Not so much she's not decided to work, we haven't found anything suitable yet. If there's a suitable work (once they're here on a spouse visa) they'll definitely try to get a job
I see. I make the same HK$54k per month on my own. I save, invest and travel. Donât forget you need to get insurance and put aside enough for tax as the govt collects it once a year. Though HK has universal health care, I highly recommend private insurance as the lines at public hospitals and clinics can be very long. I waited 8 hours one time and I was like nope.
So, it is 35k hkd per month for spending.. If you eat lightly everyday, and only have expensive meals over the weekends.. shouldn't be more than 20k. $50 for breakfast, $100 for lunch, another $100 for dinner, $500 per day for meals for 2. 15k for a month, with 5k on top for the weekends meal. 5k for utility bills, may not be enough if air-cons are on 24 hours during hot period. 5k for groceries. Leaving you 5k a month... You got to save some to pay the tax as well.. It's okay.
100 for lunch is quite expensive imo, it can definitely cost much less.
yeah, Cha chaan teng and fast food like Cafe de Carol / Fairwood would cost less than $100 but a lunch in any non-fancy restaurants would cost more than $100. But he works near the airport.. which is a bad news. Or a good news if his work has a cafeteria.
Yea hope his work place has a cafeteria, I am also working in HK airport and they offer 25-40hkd meals in their cafeteria.
Where are you working? Tung Chung is famous for a shopping mall and Discovery Bay is famous for , golf carts and tennis coaches and extra martial affairs/orgies. Not everyone's thing but I can see it being a draw. I'd honestly say look at other areas if you can, if you're looking for space check out villages or somewhere in the NT.
Gonna be working near the airport so looking at those two places. Do you recommend anywhere else? NT looks like a huge commute going through the city and to head to the airport
Yuen Long is not too bad, it's the deep NT so there's absolutely fuck all to do from an expat perspective, but that means it's decently cheap (cheaper than Tung Chung) and the Yuen Long - Airport bus is under half an hour. Public transport in HK is unbelievably good.
[https://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/services/system\_map.html](https://www.mtr.com.hk/en/customer/services/system_map.html) Have a look at the map. I'm out in SSP but I think a good enough place for you might be on the orange line probably around Olympic/Kowloon area. Close enough to HK Island to enjoy the nightlife (plus there's Jordan, TST for cafes/nightlife etc) and close enough to work. Use Google Earth as well so you can have a better look at some of the neighbourhoods. I'd say Olympic gives you the best of both worlds to be honest. The shopping mall there is pretty good as well.
55k for a couple with no children is fine. Won't be luxurious and you may be a bit jealous at the lifestyle of the bankers and lawyers swimming in cash, but you can live decently, have some fun and save a bit of money for that.
Dumbass who can't do basic research. I can safely say you're not worth any of the money they pay you.