[HKChigger]

Originally Posted by eleven11

Thanks for all the responses -- that's 35k USD per year -- which is maybe 272K per year HKD. I'm young, single, willing to take risks. I know how to stretch a dollar -- but I can't live in a dump. I'm curious how much a simple, clean studio costs -- nothing extravagant, doesn't have to be in fancy part of town.

It sounds like Hong Kong could be right for you. How small are you willing to live? How far are you willing to travel? Do you need to be surrounded by foriegn people or would you be comfortable anywhere? If you also let me know your working location I could maybe suggest some areas for you depending on the answer to the above questions.

[pushan]

ok dude...or dudess..as the case may be

u got 35K HKD pm, and no house to boot, right ?

ok...here's my situation, I get something just below 30K pm, but company gives me a 2bed-room decent flat(furnished) in Tin Shui Wai (1 hour travel from HK CBD) - you can value this house at 5-6K HKD.

So roughly I earn same as you.

Now, it would depend on where ur office is located, and how far from your office you are willing to live...if u choose to be at 1 hr travel from your office, you can stay in Tin Shui Wai or Tai Po, where decent flats come in pretty cheap rates.

In my situation (and I am married), I still save at least 15K pm...and that after I have 3 vacations in various parts of China and 1 trip home to India every year.

Of course, we travel like back-packers, I am an Indian so I can hunt for a bargain, and neither my wife nor myself shop in the expensive fashion brand stores in HK (which are pretty frequent and enticing).

To give an example, we do not buy our clothes from Armani, we do so from Giordano (local HK brand, good quality, honest price)...so I get around around salary, and save 15K a month, while being married.

Of course, if you want to have beer at the high end American joints and dine with fine ladies in the hip dens...then it's a different matter altogether...the choice is yours

Hope this helps

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by pushan

ok dude...or dudess..as the case may be

u got 35K HKD pm, and no house to boot, right ?

Umm Pushan

I assume you didn't major in maths then?

Eleven11 does state that its 35k u.s per year, i.e 22k hk per month. Thus not comparable to your salary.

[goleoboy]

22k a month is 'doable' in HK... What you'll find in HK is that you have options - very similar to NYC. Eg. you can either eat at Buddhakan vs. eat at Congee Village in Chinatown. Food / meals can be cheap if you don't snub your nose at "local food joints" - 'semi-fastfood places like' Cafe Decoral or Maxims where you can feed yourself for like $5-6bucks USD/meal with drinks. Heck even McDonald's is cheaper in HK than in the states... I've found that, after also recently moved from NYC, my biggest expense is TRANSPORTATION!! and i'm not even talking about cabs, but subways! The MTR is very efficient but expensive and adds up quickly. In NY you don't care because for $76 bucks (is it still 76??) you get a month of unlimited ride on the subway and bus. But in HK they don't offer unlimited monthly passes... which sucks. So if you live 'far' from the office, make sure the cost you spend for transport is worth the savings in rent...! As in any developed city, you will never starve and your place wouldn't really be a 'dump' (which many apts in NYC can be...having seen my share of creaky / leaky walk-ups in east village...) If you live far from Central, you can actually find some decent places for like $5-6k that are safe and clean... but be prepared... they may not be 'dumps' but will be 'tiny'...

Also a good thing about HK is that everywhere is pretty 'central' as the city is very densely populated. So you never really are out in the 'boonies' and will always find a 7-eleven / supermarket / restaurants nearby. :-) good luck , you sound like a young guy, I'd recommend you take the risk and build up your credentials by getting some international experience... which would be incredibly valuabe when you're ready to head back home to the States!!

[Keith]

Here is a list of probable monthly costs (in HKD):

inc. tax: 2k
rent: 7k (say somewhere in TC)
transport: 1k
phone/elect/water/misc: 1k
lunch & coffee: 1.5k

so you will have approx 9.5k/mth for everything else. Should be doable if you dont do food+drinks at LKF/Wanchai/Soho every night.

Hope this helps.

[clip_my_wings]

In NY you don't care because for $76 bucks (is it still 76??)

for the subway in NY? really that bloody cheap .. in UK its nearly like 200 dollars!! and shabby at that

[DanielandHayley]

Don't listen to all the negativity regarding salary - this site probably isnt the best place to get a true opinion as from what i gather anything under HK$50k per month your considered a pauper.

You can have a great lifestyle on your salary, its what you make of it. I earn less than that, I live on Park Island, holiday 5-6 times a year and certainly don't lvie of congee and giordano clothing.

It's about priotising, i.e. dont pay twice as much as you need just to live in the mid-levels where you dont get value for money etc etc

Come to Hong Kong - its' great

[jimbo]

Originally Posted by DanielandHayley

Don't listen to all the negativity regarding salary - this site probably isnt the best place to get a true opinion as from what i gather anything under HK$50k per month your considered a pauper.

You can have a great lifestyle on your salary, its what you make of it. I earn less than that, I live on Park Island, holiday 5-6 times a year and certainly don't lvie of congee and giordano clothing.

Ah but it helps being on a double salary right?

But yes you're right that you can live very well in HK without a bankers salary, I'm seen as slitting my own throat in some quarters by taking a 40% pay cut from London to start a fresh challenge in HK, But you know what? I can live damn well in HK still on the salary which I am expected to be on.

I can eat local for $30 if I chose but I can also blow $1000 on a dinner and thats still cheap, Its a question of prioritising and living within your means and be able to splurge now and again too.

[Keith]

Here are some more figures:

2006 Median income = approx 10k/mth
2006 Median household income = approx 17k/mth

You will definitely survive on 22k/mth

[carang]

"survive" yes.....
you won't have much left over at the end of it though.....