Cost of living

Hong Kong regularly ranks among the 10 most expensive cities in the world to live and do business in.  The currency is pegged to the US dollar, with all the pluses and minuses that brings. Housing costs are comparable to London and New York and unless you can enter your child into the Chinese language-driven, government subsidized public school sector, private education is also prohibitively high. Dining, on the other hand, both low-end and fine dining, is a bargain compared to London and comparable to New York prices. One factor contributing to higher living costs is the fact that for most vacations, you need to fly out as land and sea access is limited to trains and high speed ferries to China and bustling Macau, the Las Vegas of the Orient.  Driving across the border in a car requires a special licence which is costly and not simple to obtain.  For more information on cost of living, please click on the links below:

www.geoexpat.com/about-hong-kong/
www.expatflats.com/living-in-hong-kong.htm
(A breakdown of Hong Kong living)

 

Housing
While Hong Kong has a reputation for expensive housing, there is a rule of thumb that the farther you are from the central business district on Hong Kong Island, the lower the costs. Popular areas for expats include Hong Kong Island Mid-levels, Happy Valley and the area around the outdoor escalator (medium price), the Peak, Southside, Jardines Lookout (high price).  Farther out, with more space for your dollar, on the Kowloon Peninsula, Sai Kung and Clearwater Bay are popular as well as the outlying island of Lantau where there is Discovery Bay (serviced by high speed ferries) and Tung Chung (subway line).  Some links are included below for general information:

www.savills.com.hk/  (Housing relocation specialist/agent)
www.hongkonghomes.com/  (Housing relocation specialist/agent)
www.sallmannsres.com/  (Housing relocation specialist/agent)
www.habitat-property.com/ (Housing relocation specialist/agent)

 

Schooling
Hong Kong offers a range of Chinese and International schools.  There are American, English, Korean, French, Australian, Canadian, German-Swiss, Singaporean and Japanese International schools as well as Chinese schools that accept international students.  One of the most prestigious boarding schools in the world, United World College, has a campus in Hong Kong. Many schools offer the International Baccalaureate and others the UK A levels. For more information, please click below:

www.internationaleducationmedia.com/hongkong/schools.htm 
(Listing of international schools)
www.hongkonghomes.com/resources/directory.php?category=9&gclid=CKjvgMmE8o8CFQQRegodZXOKNA (Listing of international schools)