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I just came back from a trip to Hong Kong, and I understand that apartments are very high. Rent for a 500-700 sq. ft. rent could cost $2,000. A local told me this.
But food is incredibly cheap there. A full breakfast of omelette, toast, and drink equals about $5 per meal, which is extremely cheap. That was at the restaurant in my hotel. By comparison, I live in California and $5 would buy you a drink only, not an entire meal.
The MTR is also really cheap. I estimate about $4 to get from one place to another one way.
So I was wondering what salaries are like in Hong Kong?? The cost of living is low, but the cost of rent is high, so how does this affect salaries? Does anyone know the salaries of common jobs in Hong Kong are? Common jobs as in nurses, administrative assistants, software engineers, teachers, CPAs, bank managers, etc.?
Actually you have to spent 2500-2700 for a remote (reachable to CBD within an hour) for a 500 sqft unit. For CBD areas or “good” locations, ~3000 is needed. McD is invincible. The lowest price a meal (burger+fries+cola) you can find would be $3.
Fresh undergraduate makes approximately 1,500-2,200 with the exception of ‘government’ jobs which is 40-50% higher.
The standard-of-living in Hong Kong is higher than the US, in that a cheaper accommodation is likely to be better standard that the same in the US. You might be comparing a US 5-star hotel with what looks like HK's 5-star but is really 2-star. A breakfast costs around $5 but you don't get much for it as the breakfast is quite light.
Salaries are pretty low. Not sure what your point of reference is but this is in comparison to the US. White collar jobs starting level salary might pay around $1500 a month. Certain industries like Finance may allow for faster rising salaries, but overall it is pretty tough for many to have a comfortable living considering the cost of housing.
I agree with you on the food...you can get great meals for cheap. But it's also easy to spend a lot as there are plenty of expensive restaurants too. MTR is the best transit system I have ever used, imo, but I also wouldn't call it cheap.
I just came back from a trip to Hong Kong, and I understand that apartments are very high. Rent for a 500-700 sq. ft. rent could cost $2,000. A local told me this.
But food is incredibly cheap there. A full breakfast of omelette, toast, and drink equals about $5 per meal, which is extremely cheap. That was at the restaurant in my hotel. By comparison, I live in California and $5 would buy you a drink only, not an entire meal.
The MTR is also really cheap. I estimate about $4 to get from one place to another one way.
So I was wondering what salaries are like in Hong Kong?? The cost of living is low, but the cost of rent is high, so how does this affect salaries? Does anyone know the salaries of common jobs in Hong Kong are? Common jobs as in nurses, administrative assistants, software engineers, teachers, CPAs, bank managers, etc.?
When I studied abroad for a semester in Hong Kong a decade and a half ago, local students told me salaries are not high in Hong Kong and I doubt that has changed. Most everyone gets by, all of my relatives who live there do, but you won't earn much as a public servant or as service personnel. Hong Kong residents typically work very hard and work longer hours than their American counterparts. They also like to socialize a lot which means spending much money and so it is much harder for working class and middle class folks to save money over there. That and pretty much eveything has a fee to it over there. To us Americans, Hong Kong living does seem cheap since their currency is pegged as around $7.80 HK to $1 US but to locals, Hong Kong is always an expensive place to live.
Hong Kong residents typically work very hard and work longer hours than their American counterparts.
My wife was considered the overachiever in different American offices...she worked maybe 55-60 hours a week. When she did a brief stint in HK her colleagues regularly joked about her "leaving early to go on vacation." When we visit we always have to meet friends for dinner at 8 oclock cause thats the earliest they can get off work. These are just anecdotes and obviously dont apply across the board but still offers a fair glimpse.
My wife was considered the overachiever in different American offices...she worked maybe 55-60 hours a week. When she did a brief stint in HK her colleagues regularly joked about her "leaving early to go on vacation." When we visit we always have to meet friends for dinner at 8 oclock cause thats the earliest they can get off work. These are just anecdotes and obviously dont apply across the board but still offers a fair glimpse.
60 hours would not be considered an overachiever in most tech companies, on wall st, law firms, in medicine, farm work, or in science research at the very least in the US, as well as other industries.
However, it would be considered a lot in any unionized job and most working class jobs in the US.
60 hours would not be considered an overachiever in most tech companies, on wall st, law firms, in medicine, farm work, or in science research at the very least in the US, as well as other industries.
However, it would be considered a lot in any unionized job and most working class jobs in the US.
Researchers have no real weekends or holidays.
In mainland China, many workers work on Saturday.
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