Tight budget near HongKong PolyU

[zumbito]

Hi everybody,

I might be moving to Hongkong next year, I will be doing an exchange at Hongkong PolyU, but unfortunately can't apply to student dorms. I need something near the university as I must go there everyday. I don't know exactly how much will I have for the rent, the schoalrship is about 13-15k, and with that I have to cover everything, so I have two questions: How much should I allocate for the apartment, and where can I find a place near PolyU for that amount?

I might bring my girlfriend with me, so if possible I want to skip extremely small apartments.

Thanks for the help!

[imparanoic]

consider living in New territories, you can get a large apartment in northern nt at 700 sq ft for HK$8000 or a rural house for HK$6000 or HK$7000 near a town, longer commute at 40mins -50mins,

or you live in tight small apartment 300 sq ft on 7th floor with no lift in mong kok for HK$9000, but only 15mins commute

[wtbhotia]

Look at To Kwa Wan also

[zumbito]

Wow! So really this scholrship wont be enough!

[wtbhotia]

Wow! So really this scholrship wont be enough!

Need to know what you deem as extremely small apartments. What SQ/FT is ok for you.

There are cheap apartment and there are expensive apartments, HK is expensive and even what is wrriten as the SQ/FT of an apartment, only 60-70% is actual usage.

try doing some searches to see what your money can get ya. Never rent an apartment without physically visiting it and having a proper look through.

http://eng.28hse.com/utf8/searchproperty/

[imparanoic]

Wow! So really this scholrship wont be enough!

well, not really, living cost is not expensive in HK, but rental for apartments is very expensive, more expensive than Shenzhen, Beijing and shanghai, you have to compare HK prices with city like Paris, London, NY and Tokyo as it's expensive place to live

alternatively, for a few thousand rmb ( as you're in china now) you can get a decent size apartment in Shenzhen, and commute to poly uni, it probably take you at least 1.20mins ( the queue for the visa/immigration can take a long time ) then direct train from lo wu to hung hom ( poly u is exit b), but this is will be painful and tiring after a few months

while in sheung shui or fanling, affordable apartment and house is HK are common and only involves a 43min direct train to hung hom (you get to sleep on the train as well as you get a seat)

[zumbito]

Wow, too much work to do! I don't even know the different areas. From what I've seen in Cragislist, the rooms are crazy expensive. How much do you think.
Wtbhotia For me extremely small is anything bellow 300sqft.
Imparanoic If I spend 9000$ for the apartment how much do I need for daily live? (just normal expenses not too much crazy partying or luxuries)

[chingleutsch]

Please don't look at Craigslist for HK accommodation - it is scam-artists' territory.

To Kwa Wan, around to the older areas in Kowloon City is definitely a good place to start looking for a cheap place, but remember it is cheap because it is old, cramped and dingy.

In theory a commute from SZ could work, but you'd need to live in a more expensive area near a border crossing, and spend your rental savings on train fares. You'd also be using more than a page a week in your passport, so that would need regular replacement!

[imparanoic]

Wow, too much work to do! I don't even know the different areas. From what I've seen in Cragislist, the rooms are crazy expensive. How much do you think.
Wtbhotia For me extremely small is anything bellow 300sqft.
Imparanoic If I spend 9000$ for the apartment how much do I need for daily live? (just normal expenses not too much crazy partying or luxuries)

craiglist in hk is known to be full of scams, try this classified or even better search the other hk asia expat classified, but most are them in Hk island and expensive, for more on NT apartments, you need to look at centraline

http://hk.centanet.com/eng/ehome.htm

depends on what you eat? do you eat cheap and cheerful local food, what do you eat in china where you live now

how long do you regard as acceptable for your daily commute ?

[zumbito]

I would say around 40min? Of course the shroter the better, but I rather have a decent size apartment and spent 10 more minutes in the train than living next to the university in a shoebox. Still can't understand how the university doesn't provide accomodations for visiting scholars...