If you and your partner are openminded and prepared to be interested in HK you'll enjoy it.
If your partner (or you!), can't live without big shopping malls and needs to live in Suburbia don't go.
If you can't live in a place where the air and water pollution is amongst the worst in the world, forget it!
1/ Cost of living? Expensive, but HK has dropped massively in this regard, today in the paper it said it has dropped from 5th to 55th most expensive city for expats in the world.
2/Best areas? What do you like? If you want to pretend you're not in HK go to Discovery Bay. There is no best place to live....check it out for yourself.
3/ Rent/Buy? Home prices have risen 70% in the last 3 years. If your coming for 10 years or more and are getting a housing alowance, buy. You will not get accomodation equal to your home country or the Mid East. A large appartment here is considered 1500 sq/ft though you can get bigger. Most HK people live in less than 1000.
4/Agencies? Renting in HK is very lopsided to owners, and they'll shaft you if they can. Look on asiaexpat or geoexpat for agencies.
If you're not working for CX or KA I probably wouldn't come, you need money to live OK in HK.
Good Luck!
Last edited by Mr Hankey; 10th Aug 2005 at 01:38.