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Moving from London to HK with a young family, is it worth it?!

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  1. #41

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    And he may not get the same number of vacation days either, or not be able to take them...
    kimwy66 likes this.

  2. #42

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    I think you should come! Your wife will be in a very good position to get a much better job and will be well paid when she's ready to work again. She can easily pick up tutoring as well at all these little private schools which might accommodate her schedule with little ones. So there can easily be some extra income if necessary.
    We found the working hours to be *better* here than in London (for a bank job, that is).
    As for your wife being isolated, I think the Hong Kong community is very accessible and I found it very easy to quickly meet people and get out! (Unlike my experience when I moved to London with my partner, where I felt completely isolated.)
    When we came to Hong Kong, we had never visited before and had never even been to Asia, and so far things are working out well! (Save the money for the flights for rent...)
    Best of luck!

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  3. #43

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    Quote Originally Posted by Elegiaque:
    We found the working hours to be *better* here than in London (for a bank job, that is).
    As for your wife being isolated, I think the Hong Kong community is very accessible and I found it very easy to quickly meet people and get out! (Unlike my experience when I moved to London with my partner, where I felt completely isolated.) !
    Wow! I'd love to know which banks you worked for. Longer hours in London???! All the bankers I know (including myself!) worked relatively long hours in London but in HK the hours are just ridiculous. Longer and less productive.

    As for being isolated in London compared to HK, I don't think you're really comparing like with like. As a newcomer to London (as you were Elegiaque) it can be an unfriendly city, but when you're established there (as the OP is) it's a totally different experience. HK is much more transient (for expats) so people are more open to friendship as people come and go all the time.

    Personally I agree with The Brit. On 50k I think the OP is crazy to come here at his current stage in life, especially with a young baby. Certainly if the OP plans to move back to the UK again after a couple of years, I wouldn't do it. Not enough to gain by moving to HK and too much to lose leaving London.
    kimwy66 likes this.

  4. #44

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    Quote Originally Posted by Elegiaque:
    We found the working hours to be *better* here than in London (for a bank job, that is).
    As for your wife being isolated, I think the Hong Kong community is very accessible and I found it very easy to quickly meet people and get out! (Unlike my experience when I moved to London with my partner, where I felt completely isolated.) !
    Wow! I'd love to know which banks you worked for. Longer hours in London???! All the bankers I know (including myself!) worked relatively long hours in London but in HK the hours are just ridiculous. Longer and less productive.

    As for being isolated in London compared to HK, I don't think you're really comparing like with like. As a newcomer to London (as you were Elegiaque) it can be an unfriendly city, but when you're established there (as the OP is) it's a totally different experience. HK is much more transient (for expats) so people are more open to friendship as people come and go all the time.

    Personally I agree with The Brit. On 50k I think the OP is crazy to come here at his current stage in life, especially with a young baby. Certainly if the OP plans to move back to the UK again after a couple of years, I wouldn't do it. Not enough to gain by moving to HK and too much to lose leaving London.

  5. #45

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    Quote Originally Posted by bibbju:
    Wow! I'd love to know which banks you worked for. Longer hours in London???! All the bankers I know (including myself!) worked relatively long hours in London but in HK the hours are just ridiculous. Longer and less productive.

    As for being isolated in London compared to HK, I don't think you're really comparing like with like. As a newcomer to London (as you were Elegiaque) it can be an unfriendly city, but when you're established there (as the OP is) it's a totally different experience. HK is much more transient (for expats) so people are more open to friendship as people come and go all the time.

    Personally I agree with The Brit. On 50k I think the OP is crazy to come here at his current stage in life, especially with a young baby. Certainly if the OP plans to move back to the UK again after a couple of years, I wouldn't do it. Not enough to gain by moving to HK and too much to lose leaving London.
    Apologies for the double post. Wifi on the ferry seems to be having a mini-bender :-(

  6. #46

    Office in Wan Chai. Salary less than £50k pa (what's that 40k HKD per month?). 3 month old baby. Wife on maternity leave. Sounds horrid.

    Forget it. For say over £80k pa it might be worth it.


  7. #47

    Hi,

    You are in a similar position to me, except it is my husband who has the job offer and it is me who is on maternity leave (4 month old baby). We are having similar discussions - I am worried about not getting a job whilst in Hong Kong (I'm a clinical psychologist) and then struggling to get one when we return to uk (which would prob be 3 years later). I am not sure that I have any advice but if you decide to move and so do we, maybe we could all hang out as our situations are so similar (we currently live in Lewisham, husband works at bank).


  8. #48

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    come to HK with wife and kid for 40K per month?

    if your wife gets a job then will be much better, but on that salary and with the shit quality of life that comes with working in a bank? no chance. don't do it.

    you will be unhappy. your wife will be unhappy because you are unhappy. then add in the stress of a young baby with no family around. it is a recipe for disaster if you ask me.

    but, and there is a but, the sense of the new and the feeling of adventure of being in a new and exciting city just might pull you through.


  9. #49

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    31 and in sales on 50k...

    If he's bright and a good networker he'd be on a lot more than that after a year here.

    His wife could get a very well paid job too.

    I would rather be in HK on 50k than in London on 50k. The housing is smaller but if you're in a complex you have all the facilities...

    If the size of your house is so important I wouldn't say London is a great choice either...

    31 man.....you know what...this is your last craic at taking some real risks mate.....I now have a 5 year old and a four year old......not saying I can't move but......what happens once the kids are a few years old, your roots sink down further...you have to invest more heavily in your community because of schooling, PTA, sports, etc, etc.....take a chance on life and see what happens! You're a young man!

    I bet a clever young man who comes here on 50k would be on quite a bit more in a year if he worked hard and networked well....yep....you've got yourself a real opportunity here...

    Get your wife logged into Geobaby so she can meet other Mummies and Mums to be who are already here....it's a good tip to make sure your wife is happy mate but ultimately she will have to put herself forward!


  10. #50

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    Thanks everyone - definitley given me food for thought. Its a toughie, money is a big factor here as I am in sales too, so my pay will flucuate. Last thing I want to do is move over and watch/budget for every little single thing, my wife is happy to be off work and look after the baby, and would rather not go back to work next Sept and thus is why this offer has become additionally attractive. If we can move there for the next two years and possibly have another baby and just live relatively comfortably on my wage, then it seems like a no-brainer. That said, I do not want to work longer hours and miss the early months of my first born, whilst having a lower quality of life due to not having enough money to live on, that absolutely makes no sense.

    Generally speaking, how much do I need per month to live comfortably? We calculated it as around $30-$40k (HKD), which would be for rent, utilities, food, travel etc. does that sound right? On my pay assuming I get £50k, that equates to around $50HKD per month.

    Thanks.


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