Guide To Living And Working In Hong Kong

​Hong Kong Accommodation:

Hong Kong has a dense population with a vibrant culture and dynamic night life. Living there as an expat has been made easy with the variety of international opportunities for you and your family. Although, if you feel unfamiliar with the housing and rental market

then it is recommended to use a real estate agent to help with your search. The average cost to rent in the city centre of Hong Kong is GBP £1,200 per month for a 1 bedroom apartment, £2,700 for a 3 bedroom apartment. If living outside the centre a 1 bedroom apartment would cost £800 per month and £1,600 for a 3 bedroom. Monthly utilities cost roughly £100 an apartment.

Hong Kong Transport:

The streets of Hong Kong are usually very crowded with a great deal of traffic jams so

to own your own car may not be a great option. The cheaper and more convenient

way to travel around town would be by public transport. Apart from the usual buses, minibuses, ferries and trams, the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) has 11 train lines that run frequently including 12 trains that operate across the border to mainland China. The regular price of a monthly public transportation pass costs approximately under £40 and if you own your own car then gas will cost about £1.35 per litre.

Hong Kong Food:

Hong Kong is well known for its cuisine and its bizarre variety of foods. You may find many street markets with exciting range of eateries that sell delicacies the locals enjoy. If you like to eat out at mid-range restaurants it will cost on average £30 for a 3 course meal. Domestic beer ranges from £1.50 – £4.00 a pint. But if you prefer to cook at home and shop from the local markets it is calculated to cost approximately £30 – £60 per month per person.

Hong Kong School Costs:

There are 3 types of schools in Hong Kong; Private; Government and Subsidized. Government schools are free and fully funded by the Government. They teach Chinese and English but the use of each language is determined by the school. The English School Foundation is subsidized by the Government and provides an English language education

for those students who don’t speak Chinese.

Costs up to £7,000 per year.

Private International schools can often be very competitive and quite expensive. Most international schools use English base curriculums but require applications to be submitted a year before.

Costs up to £14,500 per year

Hong Kong Language, Religion and Government:

Chinese (especially Cantonese) and English are official languages of Hong Kong however many other Chinese dialects and other languages are also used. The use of Mandarin has known to increase since Hong Kong has reintegrated with China. There is a wide variety of beliefs in Hong Kong varying from Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism and others. Although temples are normally dedicated to one or two deities there are usually images of other Gods and Goddesses found inside. Small numbers of Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Jews also populate in Hong Kong. The Government is run by the Chief Executive who is the head of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. He or she is appointed by the Central People’s Government through an election by the Election Committee

Hong Kong Culture:

Hong Kong celebrates many festivals and holidays of the East and West. A few traditional celebrations include the Dragon Boat Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Lunar (Chinese) New Year, Christmas, Western New Year and more.

A few of the main public holidays of 2018 include:

Western New Years Day – 1st January
Lunar New Years Day – 16th February
Easter Weekend – 30th March – 2nd April
Ching Ming Festival – 5th April
Labour Day – 1st May
The Birthday of Buddha – 22nd May
Tuen Ng Festival – 18th June
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day – 2nd July
Day After Mid-Autumn Festival – 25th September
National Day –  1st October
Chung Yeung Festival – 17th October
Christmas Day – 25th December
Boxing Day – 26th December

Hong Kong Health Care

Hong Kong is known to have one of the best healthcare service facilities in the world. Its medical infrastructure is made up of a combination of 12 private hospitals and 50 public hospitals. For those who prefer to be treated by Western practitioners should expect to pay a higher fee for the service. Private healthcare with a basic cover, including hospital, dental and outpatient costs, range from £1,000 to £6,000 a year.

See more jobs and information on living in Hong Kong.