Should I Move to Hong Kong?
Jenny offers advice to those who can't decide if they should accept a position in Hong Kong
The British influence on Hong Kong is clear for all to see but that doesn't change the fact that you'll find yourself immersed in a fast paced and apparently alien culture. How you adapt to that is up to you. In my personal experience, most people love Hong Kong, or at least grow to love it after initial problems. It seems to me that cases where people can't wait to leave Hong Kong are rare and I would suggest that if you're having doubts or worries about moving here, just throw them out the window and go for it. You'll probably be asking yourself 'What was I so worried about' once you arrive and have settled in.
You're biggest problem will probably be one of perception. Even though so many things will appear so far removed from what you are used to, behind all the Chinese neon signs and bizarre looking food, it's just another city with ordinary people going about their lives and is really not that different when all is said and done.
Air pollution is a big problem in Hong Kong. As your flight approaches the airport, 10 or 15 minutes out, you may even see a brownish grey haze set against the cleaner white clouds beyond. This is not necessarily pollution from Hong Kong but may be from the nearby cities on the Chinese mainland. Don't be surprised if you see people walking around wearing face masks on some days. Much of the pollution is caused by fumes getting trapped at street level amongst the tall buildings. When the wind blows from the North, things can get very bad with pollution form Southern China. Having said that, things are probably no worse than other major worldwide cities but if you are concerned for medical reasons etc then you may want to consider living in the New Territories, the South side of Hong Kong Island or one of the smaller outer islands, where air can be much cleaner.
Worried about your safety? In a word, don't! Hong Kong is an extremely safe place to live and although it has its problems, like any other city, the police are professional and nearly all places are relatively safe to walk even at night. Just to convince you further, it has been described as one of the safest cities in the world and boasts a very low crime rate. Obviously you should take the usual precautions but it should not be something you spend time worrying about. Whenever I am in Hong Kong, I just feel safe somehow.
Regarding the Hong Kong police, I once had to deal with them because I thought my purse had been stolen (it turned up the next day and I had just misplaced it). They were polite, professional, efficient and from what I have read, very fair. Accounts from friends also reflect this opinion.
The cost of living in Hong Kong is on a par with Western Europe, as are the wages. Something that will really help is the favourable tax regime and you'll be the envy of your Western counterparts back home when they find out how little you pay. The tax system is also very simple and your tax returns will take no time at all. For more details and up to date information on the Hong Kong tax system, follow the link on the links page to the excellent government websites.
The trick for cost effective living is to avoid getting into the routine of frequenting restaurants that serve Western food, just because you can't be bothered to get used to the local cuisine. Buy local brands and eat with the locals, it's not so hard once you get used to the way things work and you'll probably get to like it so much you won't look back. One thing's for sure, you're going to learn how to use chop sticks very well indeed! The good news is that if there's something from back home that you really can't manage without, it's likely to be available in Hong Kong. British people will be delighted to see branches of Marks and Spencer stores, for example.
As a rule of thumb, many people agree that the cost of living is lower that the time of the handover in 1997 but then, so are the wages (Time of writing - May 2006).
Car ownership is really not necessary in my opinion. Nearly all Hong Kong residents rely totally on public transport. You can literally go anywhere at any time of the day or night on the world class transport system. It really is not an issue. So there's another thing you won't need to worry about. A car is not necessary and would probably be more of a hindrance.
If I had to come up with any downsides, I think it would be the crowded streets and often cramped living arrangements if your housing budget is small. You should certainly be prepared to accept smaller living spaces than you may be used to back home. Personally, that doesn't bother me at all but families will no doubt want more room. As for the crowds, well, this is one of the most densely populated places on Earth. One more thing is the summer heat. If you have a problem with extremes of heat and humidity, you should avoid Hong Kong in the hottest summer months, when you won't be able to walk a few yards outside without breaking out in a heavy sweat.
This is just a brief summary of things and if you have the opportunity to live here and experience things for yourself, why would you want to miss out? Go for it!
Need advice? Got a question? Go to our Hong Kong Forum