[Melkir]

I'm moving to HK in December from the US and working in Cyberport, being as the geography is still a complete mystery, any ideas on where I should start looking to live?

I don't want an expensive or lenghty commute, but I depend on technology (read, internet) to do my job so it has to be available (and fast). Easy access to easy food stuffs, grocery, etc would also be a plus. I'm probably looking between 5-6k as the max I can spend. Any suggestions?

[KnowItAll]

5-6K might be difficult given the Cyberport location. You'd have to look at Aberdeen, there is a mini bus that goes through Aberdeen to/from Cyberport.

By the way, our office is in Cyberport.

[berryplucker]

Do you mean 5-6K HK$ or US$? (Assumed per month)

If HK$ then that is right at the bottom limit of prices for a place of your own. If US$ then no probs at all.

[Melkir]

Unfortunately it looks lik 5-6k HKD

[KnowItAll]

You're going to have to try and do better than that. Unless you live closeby, Cyberport is a bit if a err ... pain in the arse to commute to, on a daily basis.

Some of the larger employers here like Microsoft are padding their employees pockets with "hardship" type allowances for making them trek all the way to Cyberport.

[Melkir]

I did notice it was quite the ride out there, nice campus though all I need is a cot in the office and I should just live there! :-)

Anyone want to estimate what I would be looking at to live "resonably" close by, with easy access to "wherever" a non-party animal like myself would need to go? (I think that means a computer store..or.. maybe Ikea)

I'll be spending the first month in Kennedy Town, which appears to be some distance away, but not like it's the other end of the island (longwise).

[KnowItAll]

You might also want to look at Lamma. There is a ferry to Aberdeen and you can get a mini bus to Cyberport.

Kennedy town is a bit of a pain to commute to Cyberport (not sure if there is a direct mini bus or not).

[Lammarite]

5-6k would get you a good 700sqft flat with roof on Lamma (some furnished). There is a ferry from Yung Shue Wan and Pak Kok direct to Aberdeen which takes 15 mins. On the ferry you can read the paper and have a cup of coffee before you get on the lightbus to Cyberport. The ferry is about HK$10 each way if I remember correctly. The lightbus is probably about HK$5-7 and may take 10 mins if not a little less.
You can find out more about the island at www.lamma.com.hk

[Melkir]

After seeing some of the responses to my expected price range for housing I began to wonder if I'm under the "wrong assumption" meaning, the quick-fast-response that I think of when I go for housing costs, typically what I've been told most of my live is housing should never be more than 1/3 your income. I try to keep it lower than that without a doubt, is this assumption incorrect for Hong Kong? What are some ratios or quick-fast-response for talking about how much you should limit yourself when looking for housing?

[KnowItAll]

You should look at getting your housing allowance boosted to around $10K or raise your salary to where $10-15K falls under the 1/3rd rule.