What's it really like in Hong Kong?

[pandabearest]

1) Central.


2) Wellcome, the cheapest supermarket. You think $66 HKD is acceptable for a 1L tub of yoplait yoghurt? That is = $10+ AUD, Whereby the same product there is $4 / $4.50 AUD?


3) I wouldn't want to catch something. Sorry that is my true feeling, my friend got sea lice. Its a well known fact alot of expats in hk enjoy the booze, a little too much, a few too many nights a week. Its what people live here for.

[MovingIn07]

Of course YOGHURT is going to be expensive - loads of locals are lactose intolerant and it's not exactly a classic chinese food. You are not going to find it any cheaper in most other asian countries. But if you like chinese/other asian foods, they are cheaper here than "back home". And besides, a tax rate of 15% compared to 50+% (give or take medicare) ... things can afford to be nearly double the price if you compare how much GROSS INCOME is required to purchase them.... you are looking at too small a sample set to give a realistic picture. Sure, if all you eat is western food, HK is more expensive. If you eat local, it's dirt cheap. If you eat a mix, I think it's on a par with Aus and cheaper than UK.

And I know plenty of expats who never go near LKF and never get drunk .. all the ones with families, for example. And all the single guys and gals in our other offices (London, Melbourne etc) all used to go out and get pissed too ... more age than location, I think!

[imparanoic]

Of course YOGHURT is going to be expensive - loads of locals are lactose intolerant and it's not exactly a classic chinese food. You are not going to find it any cheaper in most other asian countries. But if you like chinese/other asian foods, they are cheaper here than "back home". And besides, a tax rate of 15% compared to 50+% (give or take medicare) ... things can afford to be nearly double the price if you compare how much GROSS INCOME is required to purchase them.... you are looking at too small a sample set to give a realistic picture. Sure, if all you eat is western food, HK is more expensive. If you eat local, it's dirt cheap. If you eat a mix, I think it's on a par with Aus and cheaper than UK.

And I know plenty of expats who never go near LKF and never get drunk .. all the ones with families, for example. And all the single guys and gals in our other offices (London, Melbourne etc) all used to go out and get pissed too ... more age than location, I think!

yeah, you're right, try getting some "local HK cuisine" roast duck and rice in UK, some places in uk will cost HK$120/9GBP ( bristol), while in hk you can get it for HK$35/2.70GBP.

as with every other place in the world, non native food will be at premium price, which can be applied most other imported products, not just food.

[hullexile]

1) Central.


2) Wellcome, the cheapest supermarket. You think $66 HKD is acceptable for a 1L tub of yoplait yoghurt? That is = $10+ AUD, Whereby the same product there is $4 / $4.50 AUD?


3) I wouldn't want to catch something. Sorry that is my true feeling, my friend got sea lice. Its a well known fact alot of expats in hk enjoy the booze, a little too much, a few too many nights a week. Its what people live here for.

1) well I suggest you move then if the smell is that bad
2) do you live on it?
3) yes of course you are bound to catch something. Obviously I and all the people I know have just been lucky. As Moving says not all expats are heavy drinkers. I like a night out in Wan Chai but it is only about once a month and just a few drinks not legless.

You really are a glass half empty type of person aren't you?

[jaykay]

1) Central.

That explains the rest of your post.

There's a whole different HK out there waiting for you to experience it....if you're brave enough....

[carang]

i was going to say the same thing....you need to get out more. there is a HECK of a lot more to hk than central.

as for drinking... hmmmm... last time i was in a bar was about 6 years ago! yes, when i was younger, going out to the bar/pub was great fun... but it DOES get old fast (as do those who frequently do it).

as others have said... yoghurt is not a staple of 95% of the population, so it is a LUXURY good and as such, you will pay through the nose for it! as a matter of fact, i would go so far as to say that most western food is a LUXURY. there is no way i could afford to eat here (all the time) what i would eat in canada. now... if you want to eat chicken feet... i'm guessing they are a lot cheaper here than "back home".

our family eats probably 50-50 asian/western. we are happy with that. when money is tight, we eat all asian. food is just as good, but 1/4 the price.

lifestyle... there is so much more than drinking....
think about how easy it is to travel. the luxury of being able to afford domestic help. travel within hk is easy and very affordable. nothing is very far from where you are.

stink? unless you live above a stinky tofu stall, or a durian seller. i do find the dried seafood places a little smelly, same as the chinese medicine places... but other than that, can't say that it smells any worse than any other city.

[Boro Boy]

...Rachel...i'm from Middlesbrough originally...HK doesn't smell, trust me, i'm qualified...(btw, i love the 'boro...)

[hullexile]

...Rachel...i'm from Middlesbrough originally...HK doesn't smell, trust me, i'm qualified...(btw, i love the 'boro...)

When I lived in Hull it was between a bakery and a tannery. Wind in one direction lovely, the other direction yuk. The only smell I get here is when my wife is cooking dried fish (I hate) or I'm cooking a curry (she hates).

[Boro Boy]

...Hull...you are blessed...you don't come from Grimsby or Scunny...or do you..?

[ArKay]

I was born in Scunthorpe...funny old smell from the works when the wind was blowing right...

In the HK where I live, the smell is incense burning in the stairwell of my old building and in all the little temples nearby. Love it.