I know this is an old post, but I'll share my recent experience as of today (20.09.2017) to give anyone an idea of the joining fee and such.
Physical Fitness:
1 year contract - HKD350 per month, had to pay all up front.
Nothing else included, some equipment not accessible unless you pay for "personal trainer"/salesmen.
Up to 22 locations in Hong Kong.
Fitness First:
1 year contract - HKD748 per month, monthly installments + 325 joining/admin fee.
- Better gym equipment, cleaner shower, free towel hire, free gym clothes hire, free tea/coffee, all free classes(yoga, spinning, body pump etc.) at the cost of a higher monthly fee. 7 to 9 locations in Hong Kong.
Like HKCanadianMom mentioned above, they quoted me for HKD748 per month for a 1 year contract (all locations except for Sheraton in TST and exchange square in central), HKD708 for 2 years contract, I chose the former. No need to sign up for another year after the contract ends, just one month notice to quit after the first year has ended.
After some haggling, my joining/admin fee was lowered from HKD738 down to HKD325. They also threw in a free backpack.
But someone who also recently joined told me that they got the almost the same deal but with 2 backpacks, 2 shoe bags and 2 cinema tickets as well! I guess it all depends on their moods and how you haggle.
His advice is to sign up towards the end of each month when the sales rep tries to hit their target, you might just get a slightly better deal.
According to this forum and my mates who joined Fitness First, the monthly fee is always between HKD700-750. However, the joining/admin fee is fluctuated, try and haggle this.
PS. Physical in Central/Sheung Wan was recently renovated, downsized this location from 3 floors to 1 floor, like most gyms, after work hours are always packed, but with the downsizing, the weight training area is now ridiculously small, hence why I left when my contract was up. Tsuen Wan has the only spacious Physical gym.
After 2 years of Physical Fitness, Fitness First is definitely a much better gym at the cost of a higher price.
Most importantly, if you are new to fitness, be careful of the sales tactics of ALL Hong Kong gym personal trainers/salesmen, they would say things like "you're not doing it right or your form is bad" etc, give you a few pointers, then take your credit cards and sign up for lessons unwillingly / unknowingly (yes, it still happening after Califonia Fitness!).
And most of them are not even fit themselves! Most if not more of their knowledge can be found online/youtube anyway.
Workout is fun, after the battle of joining a Hong Kong gym, good luck!