Hi guys- Me and my wife are considering leaving HK to head back to my home country Canada. But I'm having a lot of thoughts on the pros/cons of the decision.
Pros of moving:
- Perhaps better work/life balance
- Cheaper housing
- Better environment/air/nature
- Better and more relaxed education system in Canada for future children (public school in HK takes a lot to get into a good school, very costly if international school)
Cons of moving:
- Much higher tax rate in Canada (both income tax and GST)
- Lower gross salary for comparable job positions (due to differences in cost of living)
- The move itself will take some work and leaving a dependable friend/family base in HK (established in the last 5+ years to join a defunct friend-base back home- will need to establish again)
- Less work opportunities/ climb the corporate ladder (especially with the increasing tax rate the more you make, I'm not sure how much more I want to climb)
Has anyone else made this decision before? What was the key factor that influenced your decision?
By the way, 6 years ago as a fresh graduate, this site helped me make the decision to come to HK and it has been the best decision I've ever made. I can't say I love HK (but I'm quite fond of HK other than the insane housing cost and the overcrowdedness), but I've met my wife here, I've made significant progress with work and have developed some life-long friendships here that I will treasure for a long time. So, I'm really grateful for this site