[WestCove]

Hello All, I will be moving to Hong Kong shortly from Singapore. I am a US expatriate (working for US company). I will appreciate someone with similiar background or familiar with this situation, offer some good advice:

1) what's the apartment rental cost will be in HK island, say, 1000sf in mid to upper range. I paid around Singapore dollar 3K per month here for a 24 hour security apartment, not knowing what's the equalvant cost in HK...heard it's much more?

2) Both HK and Singapore appears to have similar low income tax, any major difference?

Any suggestion on the moving to HK will be highly appreciate.

Thanks in advance.

WC

[shri]

Upper to middle range for Mid-Levels for a 1000 sq ft is about HK$25-40K depending on the building.

Check http://www.gohome.com.hk for more pricing info.

[WestCove]

Thanks Shri and Paul for the info sharing. HK$20K or less is something I can live with. Anything higher just doesn't make sense. Gee...after all these years, the housing cost in Hong Kong is still this high...Let me ask a question, what would it looks like for an apartment say HK$10-12K rent per month? I am not really in for harbour view thing, only a nice community.

Thanks again

[shri]

Discovery Bay, Lamma, Baguio, lots of places in Mid Levels, Kowloon offer reasonably priced apartments.

Paul, Grand Panorama is actually at the bottom of the 'middle scale' with the higher end of middle starting on Old Peak Road, 80 Robinson Road etc .. and the upper end in South Side / Peak etc... I'm talking about costs not the class of people.

[hkboy]

The rent has gone almost 50% down over the past few years in Hong kong. You can find a good flat in Hong Kong Island less than 12K. In Wanchai, Central, Causewaybay, NorthPoint. You can find very good flats even less than 10K. If you don't mind Harbour View or If you like to save some money and want to get the same comfort as living in Mid Levels or upper class level places then checkout some good residential buildings in above cities.

[WestCove]

Thank you all for the nice suggestion. After all, it appears HK is not as expensive as I thought. I am saying this is to compare those rental appartment in Shanghai for expat which now range between U$2000-3000 per month.

[WestCove]

And one more question: Which way has tax advantage; have employer pay for the rent as a benefit, or employer give me the money instead? I guess this does not make any difference on the US tax side, I mean local tax liability & saving.

Thanks a thousand

[shri]

Taxation

[nekkid]

I'm livin' in a pretty cool place in Midlevels for 9K a month - and I've got a roof deck. There are plenty good deals to be had - I recommend the B&W section of HK Magazine...it's free to grab at most any bar/restaurant here.

-nekkid

[The Boy Plunger]

Hi nekkid:

I am interested to know the size and condition of your flat coz I am looking at the moment, albeit from london, but need a place to live by end of Feb 04, needs plannning material ... the ones I looked at on websites are expensive, and probably targeted for expats, therefore priced higher.

Your help would be much appreciated!

Boy