How much is enough?
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How much is enough?
Hey everyone, just wanting to ask a question in regarding to live in HK.
Realisticly, how much is enough, in HKD? I have one company offers about HKD45,000 a month, if I live on my own and in a reasonable apartment, how much would I have left after paying rent, food?
Thanks
Realisticly, how much is enough, in HKD? I have one company offers about HKD45,000 a month, if I live on my own and in a reasonable apartment, how much would I have left after paying rent, food?
Thanks
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Noooo, u are not serious there, are you? Thats a lot of money which I will never see again...
That is what the company is offering per month is I did not make myself clear.
That is what the company is offering per month is I did not make myself clear.
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Hey Moon,
You can rent 800sq ft for about 13k HKD per month 45 min away from the action, which will leave you enough to exist but not to really "live". Food costs are similar to any big city.
You can rent 800sq ft for about 13k HKD per month 45 min away from the action, which will leave you enough to exist but not to really "live". Food costs are similar to any big city.
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For any reasonable accommodation you are looking at between 25-30K/mth in rent. If you aren't on a proper expat contract in this city, or very well paid, then you will go backwards financially.
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The Messiah's about right - depends on where you want to be and what you call "reasonable". The quoted figures of $25-$30k a month would get you some place pretty big (1200-1500 sqft), but you can rent somewhere smaller for half that.
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Food costs are similar to any big city.
Western dairy is 2-300% dearer, unpoisoned fruit and veg same, good meat is only 20% more ( but faark all variety ), fish is pretty cheap if you buy local but be careful as your mercury levels will be full scale deflection within a few years.
Depending on which study you believe Hong kong is somewhere between the most and 3rd most expensive place to live in the world ( that was recentlly )
At 45K you will be close to the lowest paid exat in HKG.
Good luck
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Come for the rating. Get in then get out.
If you are single and live in a shoebox you can do it but as you get older, get a girlfriend (or god forbid a Wife) and maybe have children it is not sustainable. You cannot rent a proper house for $45000 HKD a month. Schooling in Hong Kong is not cheap and can run 5-10K(or more depending on the school) per month per child
If you come for $45K, keep looking for something better as $45000 HKD a month is not sustainable long term.
In Hong Kong you need a housing/schooling package. What is your medical package, if you have one? (Gall Bladder= $80K)
Good Luck with your decision.
PS, You are not a manager fishing for the bottom line are you?
If you are single and live in a shoebox you can do it but as you get older, get a girlfriend (or god forbid a Wife) and maybe have children it is not sustainable. You cannot rent a proper house for $45000 HKD a month. Schooling in Hong Kong is not cheap and can run 5-10K(or more depending on the school) per month per child
If you come for $45K, keep looking for something better as $45000 HKD a month is not sustainable long term.
In Hong Kong you need a housing/schooling package. What is your medical package, if you have one? (Gall Bladder= $80K)
Good Luck with your decision.
PS, You are not a manager fishing for the bottom line are you?
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Thanks for the reply guys, that 45k is the final offer, and yes, I am single but not that young, wanting to start a family or at least start settling down, so I guess I have think long term...
I understand the get in and then get out term, but how easy is it to get out? with SO time, yeh sure if thats called a rating, how much the bunk making time would count towards the next job?
It is difficult, with everyone driving down the terms and conditions, I might never have a break...
I understand the get in and then get out term, but how easy is it to get out? with SO time, yeh sure if thats called a rating, how much the bunk making time would count towards the next job?
It is difficult, with everyone driving down the terms and conditions, I might never have a break...
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Perseverance my friend.
That is why CX invented the make believe P2X rating and not counting the entire SO time so it is hard to get out.
I would think if you were hired by CX as an S/O then apply to EK as an F/O, it would save EK the interview process. Everyone knows the CX interview process is a painful pedantic.
Good luck.
I'm assuming it's CX but I guess it could be HKA.
That is why CX invented the make believe P2X rating and not counting the entire SO time so it is hard to get out.
I would think if you were hired by CX as an S/O then apply to EK as an F/O, it would save EK the interview process. Everyone knows the CX interview process is a painful pedantic.
Good luck.
I'm assuming it's CX but I guess it could be HKA.
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So I have a question on these housing prices everyone keeps talking about. I saw the earlier post quoting 25k to 30k for a 1200 to 1500 sqf place. Prices very greatly, however, depending on location. So.... is this 25-30k range in Hong Kong island, or Kowloon? What about the islands near the main international airport there? Would a place still go for that much? More? Less? Also, how far of a drive from the airport to a decent place to shop? I'm not talking downtown Hong Kong here, just a decent sized city/area.
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Good god this debate is whining even by PPRuNe's standards.
There are many, and I mean MANY (myself included) "expats" in Hong Kong who can and do survive on $45k a month quite happily (yes, with wife not working and with kid on the way). For many, that's quite a decent wage. To live in a big city ANYWHERE is expensive, Hong Kong is no different. $45k a month would be about GBP45,000 a year in the UK, or AUD/USD/CAD 67,500, but the main difference is tax. Take home pay on GBP45,000 in the UK would be about GBP30,000 if you're lucky. In HK it's the equivalent of over GBP40,000. Yes, living here is more expensive than living in a small town in the Western world, but on the whole, it's an exciting, vibrant place to live.
Also, let's not forget that the rates go up pretty quickly as an SO.
I'm ready for the flak, even to be labelled management, but seriously, let's try and have SOME kind of perspective. You will note that this is a bit of a bugbear of mine, so sorry for harping on!
There are many, and I mean MANY (myself included) "expats" in Hong Kong who can and do survive on $45k a month quite happily (yes, with wife not working and with kid on the way). For many, that's quite a decent wage. To live in a big city ANYWHERE is expensive, Hong Kong is no different. $45k a month would be about GBP45,000 a year in the UK, or AUD/USD/CAD 67,500, but the main difference is tax. Take home pay on GBP45,000 in the UK would be about GBP30,000 if you're lucky. In HK it's the equivalent of over GBP40,000. Yes, living here is more expensive than living in a small town in the Western world, but on the whole, it's an exciting, vibrant place to live.
Also, let's not forget that the rates go up pretty quickly as an SO.
I'm ready for the flak, even to be labelled management, but seriously, let's try and have SOME kind of perspective. You will note that this is a bit of a bugbear of mine, so sorry for harping on!
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Voiceofreason.......
You are simply providing the other side of the argument, the side which is in denial, whatever. Unless of course you are talking about 45000 in housing?????
Aussie C scalers will take home ( shoebox ) less than 50k AUD. the last thing you want to do now is convert into AUD, you'll all have aneurysms.
You are simply providing the other side of the argument, the side which is in denial, whatever. Unless of course you are talking about 45000 in housing?????
Aussie C scalers will take home ( shoebox ) less than 50k AUD. the last thing you want to do now is convert into AUD, you'll all have aneurysms.
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flyinryan76,
amazingly you can do all the shopping you need 5 minutes from the airport in a 'town' which houses 200,000+ souls. For a 1,200' apt, about 20k...
Best Regards,
N1 Vibes
amazingly you can do all the shopping you need 5 minutes from the airport in a 'town' which houses 200,000+ souls. For a 1,200' apt, about 20k...
Best Regards,
N1 Vibes
Voiceofreason
In other words you were born in HK to expat parents and have a slanted view of what it is like being an expat in a foreign country. You are also probably comfortable living in areas of HK that most expats couldn’t. You’re also probably fluent in Cantonese as well. Hong Kong is your home. Please don’t pretend to know what it is like being an expat, what our expectations are and what it costs to be an expat in a foreign country.
Although I'm not Chinese, I'm also not an expat, and therefore admittedly have no reference point "back home" to compare cost of living.
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Yes, HK is my home, but it doesn't mean I have not lived elsewhere - Australia, UK and France. I know what it's like living in other countries, and I do miss the niceties of living outside a city. BTW, no Canto for me!
So I think I have a fair appreciation for the "costs" of being an expat here - I can I shop in similar shops to many expats, buy similar products to many expats and live in a similar location to many expats, because I see them every day and work with them. Whilst I don't consider myself an expat, I know plenty who do.
In any case, I'm not trying to put myself in your shoes. I'm only trying to bring some perspective and comparisons to the table. I for one don't understand how anyone can survive in Sydney, for example, with the crazy tax rates and similar cost of living as HK. But people do and many wouldn't think twice about moving there.
I'm trying to be reasonable - cost of living in HK is high, but people who come on here and say your entire $45k salary will be spent on rent, or that $45k is not a living wage aren't really giving the whole picture.
So I think I have a fair appreciation for the "costs" of being an expat here - I can I shop in similar shops to many expats, buy similar products to many expats and live in a similar location to many expats, because I see them every day and work with them. Whilst I don't consider myself an expat, I know plenty who do.
In any case, I'm not trying to put myself in your shoes. I'm only trying to bring some perspective and comparisons to the table. I for one don't understand how anyone can survive in Sydney, for example, with the crazy tax rates and similar cost of living as HK. But people do and many wouldn't think twice about moving there.
I'm trying to be reasonable - cost of living in HK is high, but people who come on here and say your entire $45k salary will be spent on rent, or that $45k is not a living wage aren't really giving the whole picture.
Voiceofreason
The point is HK$10,000.00 per months housing assistance which isn’t pegged to the Hong Kong Rental Index and therefore inflation is grossly inadequate.
By the way I have property in Sydney that is in a very fashionable (expensive) area near the beach. It’s about 2500 ft² liveable area and I would be lucky to get AU$850.00 per week which even with the extremely high AU$ is about HK$31300.00 a month. My current place in Hong Kong is way out in the New Territories, 1350 ft² and is HK$33500.00.
On the point of what you may be paying for your mortgage, that isn’t even a starter for most joining the company now. 25% deposit on a flat less than HK$6,000,000.00 is a lot of coin to have to cough up.
The point is HK$10,000.00 per months housing assistance which isn’t pegged to the Hong Kong Rental Index and therefore inflation is grossly inadequate.
By the way I have property in Sydney that is in a very fashionable (expensive) area near the beach. It’s about 2500 ft² liveable area and I would be lucky to get AU$850.00 per week which even with the extremely high AU$ is about HK$31300.00 a month. My current place in Hong Kong is way out in the New Territories, 1350 ft² and is HK$33500.00.
On the point of what you may be paying for your mortgage, that isn’t even a starter for most joining the company now. 25% deposit on a flat less than HK$6,000,000.00 is a lot of coin to have to cough up.