Like Tree8Likes
  • 2 Post By Char Siu King
  • 1 Post By jimbo
  • 1 Post By Skyhook
  • 1 Post By Open Casket
  • 1 Post By celerius

Apartment Advice - Moving from New York

Closed Thread
  1. #1

    Apartment Advice - Moving from New York

    Hi Everyone,

    I'm moving to Hong Kong for work in October, looking for some advice as to where to stay. I'm feeling pretty lost, reading through all the information.

    I'm looking to rent an one bedroom apartment with a budget around 20K HKD per month. I'm in my mid 20s, will be living by myself. I'm not sure where my office will be yet, my company is sending me to HK to open an office there.

    I'd like to live somewhere convenient and close to the subway lines, with a decent amount of space, not too noisy, and in one of the newer buildings. But it by no means need to be fancy, I don't want to throw bunch of money away either. I'd also be traveling a lot, so easy to get to the airport would also be a plus.

    If you are familiar with New York - I'm currently living in the Financial District in Manhattan and loving it. What would be some similar neighborhoods in Hong Kong? I don't care about the "Financial District" part of it, but more referring to the other aspects - close to lots of subway lines, quiet after business hours, close to the villages for going out, one of the relatively cheaper neighborhoods in Manhattan.

    Any advice about which neighborhood to live in/ where to look (broker, websites, ...), what type of apartment to look into, whether my budget is reasonable, anything else I should consider, etc would be greatly appreciated.

    I speak Mandarin as well, if that matters at all.

    Thanks,
    Dana


  2. #2

    Join Date
    May 2015
    Posts
    3,015

    I might recommend getting a temporary, serviced apartment near Central (Sheung Wan maybe). Live in the serviced apartment until you know where your office will be & that will give you a chance to learn a bit about Hong Kong before deciding where to sign a lease permanently.

    Ive lived in New York & HK both, and don't expect much from your housing here. It will be small, poorly built, overpriced, noisy, roachey .... unless you spend a fortune. Public transport here is very efficient, but also very crowded, especially during peak times. The airport is great, you'll really appreciate the effiency of HK's airport relative to NY airports.

    Although cantonese is the language of HK, mandarin speakers are everywhere in HK. So speaking Mandarin matters A LOT. That will certainly enhance your experience here & open a lot of doors for you both socially and professionally.

    best of luck and I'm sure others on this site can point you to temporary/serviced apartments that might be of interest to you. If you can find out where your office will be, that would obviously be a huge help in advising where you should live.

    danatuotuo likes this.

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Jun 2007
    Location
    Ex Sai Kunger Sunny Qld for now
    Posts
    8,318

    Seeing as the OP is young, single and with no ties etc, the areas below would be worth a look.

    Also, don't be afraid of older apartments, those that have been modernised in sought after areas that single, young professionals tend to enjoy hanging out. Depends how much of a hurry you are to find a place I suppose.

    My picks would be, providing your budget stretches far enough:

    Happy Valley
    Central i.e. Lyndhurst Terrace and around, Aberdeen street.
    Wan chai, in and around, Star street
    Causeway Bay, near Times Square and Victoria Park
    North Point, ideally nestled around Tin Hau
    Kennedy Town

    Also bear in mind that newer apartments are very inefficient where floor space applies, and bedrooms are irritatingly small, usually having to have one side of the bed hard up against a wall. You'll be lucky to get even a bedside table, let alone on both sides, like you would back in the US. Built in robes ? Yep, forget about that and hallway linen cupboards, they don't apply to 99.9% of, Hong Kong, either.

    Getting a serviced apartment for a couple of weeks to a month on HK island, is a good idea when you first arrive. That was a good suggestion of Open Caskets, just so you can scope the area out for the best fit for you.

    Hope that helps a little..

    danatuotuo likes this.

  4. #4

    Another vote for a serviced apartment for a few months. It's the smartest thing to do. You really have to get a feel for HK before making an educated decision on where to live medium to long term.

    The airport rules - once you get your HKID you'll cruise through immigration. Polar opposite of travelling in N. America.

    Good luck.

    civil_servant and danatuotuo like this.

  5. #5

    Thanks everyone for the advice! This is really helpful! Seems like staying at a serviced apartment first is the way to go

    I'm also wondering what's the best way to meet other expats there, are there meetups/events etc. people normally go to?


  6. #6

    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Posts
    14,414

    Avoid hk island especially if your budget is $20k you'd get a shoebox for that price.

    Stick to Kowloon west and you'll get a two bedroom in a newish development with clubhouse and pool etc for $16k

    danatuotuo likes this.

  7. #7

    I second Olympic. 2 stops to Hong Kong station (then short walk to Central station), if you're up to it you could even walk to Mong Kok to take the other line. Olympic is also the same line where you can get to the airport.

    danatuotuo likes this.