404 Titan,
thank you for your insight. the picture you have painted is that the entry-level salary package cannot possibly feed an expatriate family of 4, who are new to HKG. this is very true and i can only say that CX's LEP salary was set by assuming that the LEPs would live with their parents for a long long time!
but would this change if one were to keep the family at home for the first couple of years, and then bring them later when your salary package will have increased dramatically?