[nilesh_mhatre]

I'll be transferred to HK near future (within 2 mths). Interested to understand the monthly expenses in HK. I had done an initial study and it workedout as:

House Rent 10,000
Schooling <ESF school, Kindergarten) 7,000
HouseHold Res.Telephone 500
Cooking Gas 600
Mobile Phone 500
Cable TV 600
Groceries 8,000
Transaport 2,500
Electricity 2,000
Water 200
live-in Maid 4,000
Misc.Exp. 2,000
PLUS Income tax @ 10%

I assumed, the monthly exp. would be around 40,000 HKD per month, Is this budget is correct ?

[KnowItAll]

Some of the expenses are on the high side.

Groceries
Transport (unless you're cabbing it everyday or own a car or live in Disco Bay).

If you're planning on staying in HK for more than a year, budget 30% taxes for the first year, as you essentially have to pay in advance for the next year's estimated earnings.

Rent is on the low side... but then there are TONS of good options available these days.

[KnowItAll]

Cost of living in Hong Kong

[nilesh_mhatre]

good inputs to consider.

I'll be working at Central so I am more interested looking apartment within 30mintues travel to office and main criteria will be close to ESF school as my kid is now 4yr old. Can any one suggest nice location meeting this criteria and that to RENT I can afford between upto 10K.

Added advantage if I could find few Indian families in that apartment !

[KnowItAll]

Originally posted by nilesh_mhatre

I'll be working at Central so I am more interested looking apartment within 30mintues travel to office and main criteria will be close to ESF school as my kid is now 4yr old. Can any one suggest nice location meeting this criteria and that to RENT I can afford between upto 10K.

Nilesh, an excellent place for you would be Baguio Villas which has a mini-bus which will drop you off at Princes Building. $8 per trip. The return mini is from Star Ferry.

Has a large Indian and expatriate community.

Near to the West Island School.

1100 sq ft apartments are going for $10-11K inclusive from what I saw a few days ago on the notice boards.

You might also want to look at Belchers. Not sure what the rates are like.

Take a look at http://www.gohome.com.hk for more info on rentals.

You shouldn't need to spend 500 per month on your mobile unless you need to make international calls from it. There are deals around at $88 per month now including a fair bit of local airtime.

Transport at 2500 per month seems like a lot unless you plan to use taxis everywhere. I would say 800-1000 for a daily public transport commute plus a few other bits & pieces. Some of your other figures (electricity, water are on the safe side).

Personally I would spend the 4000 on something other than a maid, but it does seem that many expats in HK like the status symbol.

[HKFella]

Employing a maid being a status symbol in HK? Around a couple of hundreds of thousands of them abounding in HK, and for so many years. That has to be a good laugh! And it has to be some inveterate singleton in HK who sees it in those jaundiced terms. It ain't an English governess or a 'menagerie' of maids on display that we are talking of. Nilesh, you are a family man - you can very well make up your own mind without undue influence. 3.5- 4K is about it for now.

So how many of you who have maids in HK had one wherever you came from or will have one wherever you go to next?

I suspect less than 1%. One of the primary reasons is that it would be seen a bizarre or even socially unacceptable to employ someone in the way that people do here (living in something smaller than a prison cell in most countries, or even sometimes forcing them to sleep on the lfoor of the living room).

I'm not enough of a hypocrite to do that.

[Ace]

I agree with u paul...Some people are so selfish tht they donot provide room to the maids, and on top no off day which they are suppose to get everyweek. They are forced to sleep on the floor and even stay awake late night if there are guests at the house....Again to be awakened early morning for daily chores....Some employers are really really sick......

[shri]

Give me a break guys.. if someone wants a maid and wants to pay for it, let the market forces take control and let people make their choices both as employers and employees.

There is really no need and this is not really the place to discuss the moralities of hiring maids, the topic was all about expenses in Hong Kong. Lets not turn this into an attack on him.

It is fairly evident that someone who is taking into consideration ESF fees has kids and hence having a helper is often a good plus.

Paul, when you bring up the issue of how many people have maids / helpers at home. I'd say most Asian expatriates do have helpers back in their countries due to large unskilled labour pools.

It is usually the western folks who tend to get into the whole "wow" thing when they come to Asia and see what is available and the costs involved.