Need advice about salary and locating to HK

Hi there,


I'm from Melb Australia and am considering coming over to HK with a job offer from an educational organisation that is offering me $18000 HK a month.


Can I live on that and pay rent for a good quality 2 bedroom apartment in HK. Accomodation is not offered as part of the contract.


I also have to remit $478 a month to Australia for rent (Why I have to pay rent in Australia is another story)


I know I wouldn't be able to save much money paying two lots of rent, but if I do come to HK I do not want all my salary to go in to renting a hovel.


I will consider sharing but the occupants have to be ultra clean as I wouldn't tolerate drunken slobs.


I seldom drink so I know I would be saving there. I also enjoy cooking too.


Advice is most welcome.


Thanks

JC

JC - do a search on this forum - there are lot of threads on that, should help! As for drinking - the Chinese tend to drink hardly ever in my experience - so look for a local room-mate!

"Can I live on that and pay rent for a good quality 2 bedroom apartment in HK. Accomodation is not offered as part of the contract."


On the Island it's a stretch with your budget. Wouldn't be in a great area.

As was written above, if the search page is working, you will find many threads, try kindergarten salary

$18,000 isn't good, in fact it sounds something like a local kindegarten helper's salary. This is only AUD$28,000/year. I think you should stay in Aus.

I think you would have to share in a small 2 bedroom, 400 sq ft apartment. Expect an apartment to be about $8-10,000 a month. Maybe a little less but I think this would be close. Living costs will be about $5-7000 but could be less if you are sharing or not.

Try living in Shatin or Tai Wai. (Yuen Long is cheap) Perhaps on HK Island but I think HK Island will put you well over your budget

Another option is to come in on this salary (and do it very tough) and get your working visa, but after a year start looking around. I think you have to do at least a year, but you are in the country and you can change jobs as long as your new employer is willing to sponsor you.

But just repeating $18000 is rather low ($18000 x 12 months) / 7.5 = AUD$28,000.

Not many people will work for that.