LST
You do realise there are plenty of folks on the 777, averaging out 94+ hours of credit a month in their first 12 months of flying?
This will pay around US$95,000 in those 12 months. You'll probably get a 13th month paycheque. You'll pay but a tiny fraction of the tax you'd pay in the UK. You won't worry about council tax, cars, car insurance, petrol, etc. They'll cover 90% of ESF school fees.
Now, it looks fairly enticing, no? All of a sudden, actually, the Cadet SOs I know are having a blast. travelling at least once a month, during their 18-20 days off.
HK real estate is expensive, there's no doubting that. However, so is NYC, Central London, etc. I have a little credibility here, because I've lived in both of them. However, living here can be as cheap as you can imagine, all the way to grotesquely expensive. But, compare to the hideously over-taxed UK and neighbours, I wouldn't be so quick to harp on about cost of living. Everything else other than real estate can be had for very little.
So, if you cant beat em, join em; buy a piece of real estate, as many cadets have, and have at it.
You're right, it isn't what it once was. Neither is anywhere. Try not to cry about it. It still beats the crap out of what's on offer in the UK, financially.
If you want advice, I'm happy to give you the rundown. I have a close friemd who is a Cadet SO, who can answer your Qs. There are large numbers on here, who think they have the foggiest clue about something which they do not. Shocker, on this yellow site, I know.