# Living Costs ( Specifics)



## dwilkinson (Jan 26, 2011)

Hi,

Our family are coming to Hong Kong for a secondment of 3 months. My husband's company is asking us to research and tell them how much money we will need from them for some specific things. I wondered if you could help me with this. There is very little information out there. 

2 Bedroom serviced apartment that is not far from the central Hong Kong
How much would a monthly cost for this be? 

Food ( we currently spend about £150 a week on food here in UK)

Transport costs ( We have no intention to have a car, so that would only be public transport for 2 adults and 2 kids)

Your help is greatly appreciated.


Thanks

Dee


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## dunmovin (Dec 19, 2008)

dwilkinson said:


> Hi,
> 
> Our family are coming to Hong Kong for a secondment of 3 months. My husband's company is asking us to research and tell them how much money we will need from them for some specific things. I wondered if you could help me with this. There is very little information out there.
> 
> ...


Wise choice on no car. The public transport is one of the best systems in the world.

with 2 kids but only a 3 month stay, will education be a factor? will the company pay for that?
Food bills can generally be less than UK and so long as you stick to the two main supermarket chains (Wellcome and Park'nShop) and avoid meat and fish from mainland China, you'll do fine. (there is huge choice of alternatives... NZ lamb, brazillian chicken,Australian beef, lamb, pork and chicken, local eggs and milk, European cod, haddock, salmon, trout, etc.)

There is no sales tax (or there wasn't when I left 3 years ago)

Medical & dental insurance for all the family.


Serviced appartments? don't have any 1st hand experience sorry


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## dwilkinson (Jan 26, 2011)

dunmovin said:


> Wise choice on no car. The public transport is one of the best systems in the world.
> 
> with 2 kids but only a 3 month stay, will education be a factor? will the company pay for that?
> Food bills can generally be less than UK and so long as you stick to the two main supermarket chains (Wellcome and Park'nShop) and avoid meat and fish from mainland China, you'll do fine. (there is huge choice of alternatives... NZ lamb, brazillian chicken,Australian beef, lamb, pork and chicken, local eggs and milk, European cod, haddock, salmon, trout, etc.)
> ...


Thank you for your reply, kids are only 2 and 4 and the eldest is not due to start school until September, hence our decision to take the secondment to Hong Kong. 

Got a few quotes from serviced apartments and the cheapest I could find was 30,000 HKD That is a lot more than we were expecting.


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## AndrewC (Mar 14, 2012)

*Serviced apartments*

Yep, I'm afraid that most of them are REALLY expensive. You can opt for furnished flats, but they tend to be on the small side, especially on the Island, if you want to go for the 20k bracket. 

If you want to go lower (10k) then you have to go out to the New Territories, which adds to your travelling time (to work). But there are many expat communities around those areas, ie Sai Kung.


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## dunmovin (Dec 19, 2008)

dwilkinson said:


> Thank you for your reply, kids are only 2 and 4 and the eldest is not due to start school until September, hence our decision to take the secondment to Hong Kong.
> 
> Got a few quotes from serviced apartments and the cheapest I could find was 30,000 HKD That is a lot more than we were expecting.


it may be a daft question, but why are YOU doing the research? Surely if the company wants you to go to HK, then will know the budget available. If you come in with a price under thier budget" GREAT...it suits you"


Dig your heels into the ground.... if they want your other half bad enough, they'll set the upper limits of terms


remember these people are in HK. they know property prices, cost of living there.....


you don't. 


You both should make them work towards an offer for that give comfortable life, a decent salary, health, dental care


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