Hong Kong

Hong Kong, or Xianggang in Mandarin, is officially known as the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, or HKSAR, and is one of two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China. This means it has a separate Chief Executive and Head of Government from China, but still falls under foreign policy and is protected by the Chinese central government’s military.

With an estimated population of over 7.5 million people, Hong Kong is rich in culture and religion, with 92% of the population being of Buddhist or Taoist faith and attracting nearly 20 million tourists from all parts of the world each year. The majority of tourists from North America, Australia, New Zealand, Western Europe and United Kingdom travel to Hong Kong during the months of June, July and August, even though these are the hottest and wettest times to visit the area.

The weather in Hong Kong is sub-tropical with tropical storms and typhoons most common between the months of July and September, but are not uncommon to hit land as early as May or as late as November. December, January and February are the driest months, with the least amount of precipitation and humidity.

Hong Kong is compact and major attractions, shopping and dining are never far away, especially with the various forms of reliable and affordable public transportation systems, ranging from the mass transit rail (MTR), taxis, buses and ferries. The taxis and mini-buses are color-coded to be easily identified as to which areas they service and public transit signs are in Cantonese and English.

English is widely spoken throughout Hong Kong, and Hong Kong is one of the safest cities in the world, even at night, making it an extremely popular place for expatriates.

There is a large selection of housing available to expats, though the cost of property, both rentals and purchases, is expensive. Places such as Central and the Mid-Levels are perfect for those seeking scenic and spacious apartments, but with quick access to the business and financial districts. The expat seeking the prestigious estate would best be suited for the Peak or the suburbs on the south side of Hong Kong island. Though property will be expensive no matter where an expat chooses to live, some more popular locations include Mid-levels, Soho, Causeway Bay, Happy Valley, Pokfulam, Repulse Bay, Stanley, Discovery Bay, Sai Kung, Clearwater Bay, South Lantau and the Gold Coast.

Hong Kong tops the U.S., U.K. and Australian expats’ list of Asian destinations. Expats to Hong Kong enjoy some of the highest average salaries in the world, with almost half earning more than HKD$1,400,000 per year. Though an attractive salary, it is definitely earned with hard work and an average work week consisting of 50 or more hours and 49% of all workers putting in overtime on a weekly basis. Expats also enjoy a flat rate income tax of 16% per annum.

See next: Land Zoning & Ownership

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ExpatFlats - Hong Kong