Advice on relocation

hey everyone, complete newbie here seeking a little perspective. I am about to be offered a 1yr (option to stay up to 2 additional yrs) position with my company in the Asia region. I can choose to live in either Hong Kong or Singapore, however, at least half my time will be spent traveling around the region. I'm looking for any input you experienced vets have on the pros and cons of HK vs. Sing. I'm a 42y/o single male, not a huge partier but do enjoy getting out and about some evenings. I'm not looking for any specifics, just generally how you feel the two locations compare. Tons of thanks for any and all input!!

I lived in HK for a few years and recently moved to Singapore a couple of months back. I must say, I do prefer Singapore at this stage. You get bigger apartments for your $$$, more space generally, A LOT less pollution and it's more green. In saying that, I did live in Soho in HK so I was right in the mix of things.



I do miss parts of HK though, the shopping, the buzz of the city at any time of the day etc etc.

It depends on what what lifestyle you want to live. Being in Singapore now, I can fly to Thailand, Malaysia for a weekend. Being in HK, you need 3-4 days off to fly further south unless you want to travel to China.


If you're both going to travel around Asia and can visit HK anyway, I would choose Singapore.


Where are you from? This will also determine what kind of lifestyle you want.

Thanks for the reply, Milty. I'm coming from small town, USA. I'm used to a pretty laid back, easy going lifestyle, but am looking forward to experiencing a little "up tempo" living when the mood strikes. :) I will be traveling regularly to China, Malaysia, Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines. I was thinking HK would be more centrally located for all the travel, but Singapore may be a little more relaxing when I'm off. I will be traveling to HK next week, then Singapore the next week to check things out and make my decision. Any advice on areas to check out in either? Specifically, areas that can be easy to relax in but not too far from the action?

I have lived in both. Singapore is very relaxed and slow. It is fantastic if you have a family. However, i would not hesitate for a split second to recommend Hong Kong as your first option. As a single person, you will get up tempo plus the balance of walks and country parks and cultural intensity in Hong Kong. I honestly can't imagine being a single expat living in Singapore!