Steelbranch,
It doesn't require any extra investigation.
DESO/FO (i.e expats) were given the typical allowances any other legacy carrier would have in order to attract experienced pilots. Housing benefit, school benefits for kids and an ex-pat salary.
Instead, all cadets will be placed on the local HK pay scale for a SO for the next few years before you get promoted. I'm not sure what the allowances are once you are an JFO or FO but it won't be great.
One of the other threads on this forum or the other one explains why this scheme is a win-win for Cathay. It is titled something like CCP open to all nationalities. You get a lot of information there as to what you won't be getting.