Poor Arts Expat Moving to Hong Kong

Hello all. This is a great forum and I hope that you all will be kind enough to help me with a few questions as I am moving to Hong Kong in a couple months.


I've recently finished grad school and won a position in a local performing arts organization. The pay is very little by expat standards (about 20k a month plus an few thousand more per month if you include a end of season bonus) but I am planning to make do and try to live like a local. It is tough finding a job in my field even in the US where I'm from, and my long-time girlfriend is from Macau and works in Guangzhou so this is still an attractive move.


Obviously housing will be an issue and I won't be able to afford the typical expat areas. My work is in Central and Tsim Sha Tsui. I'm looking at hopefully 300 net feet for a max of 10,000. I've seen a few places in that range online in North Point and beyond on the island line. Farther away I've noted a lot of cheap apartments in Tsuen Wan around Allway Gardens. Any other suggestions? I don't really want to commute for more than 30 or 40 minutes if possible, as I will have evening performances.


I also have a question about renting and setting up a bank account. I've read that opening up a bank account as a local involves already having proof of address while opening up an account as a foreigner involves waiting for a letter to arrive back at home. I'm given 2 weeks accommodation to find a place, so I want to be able to create a bank account quickly in order to be able to transfer money (my parents will probably end up wiring me money for my first few months rent) and rent a place. Will banks in HK let me easily set up a bank account before I have a permanent address?


Finally a more unusual question. My work doesn't involve a particularly loud instrument but I am still worried about my neighbors when I practice. I don't want to bother people and I can't afford soundproofing. How are older vs newer buildings in terms of soundproofing and wall thickness? Also, would tower blocks be better than old slab-style buildings (less adjacent walls)?


Thanks a lot!

What's the instrument ?! Might be useful to mention it when people are considering how to respond and suggest.


Another not too wild suggestion : Will your gf (presumably a Chinese who speaks Cantonese) be able to screen the realtor for you. As a foreigner, you are stigmatized as being an upwardedly mobile young banker or lawyer...... and get that high quote which is a lot more time consuming to negotiate down. Not impossible, just time-consuming.


The LOCAL realtors with sites strategically located all mtrs will have realistic postings than anything online. And realtors are struggling for bss now.


I would not push to tell that you're American per se. Harder to open account. You should have a HKID which is welcome at every bank, outright.

Thanks for the response. Sorry, I suppose I'm trying to preserve my privacy (the orchestral world is very small). Let's just say that my instrument is a bowed string instrument, so it'll be quieter than say a trumpet or piano. Practicing probably won't be a huge problem, but I've heard some horror stories online about places with paper-thin walls and grumpy neighbors.


My gf will be able to help me, although we may only have a few days to look for apartments together as she will have to return to work, so we'll have to be quick. She doesn't really know the HK property market but I'm sure her Cantonese will be invaluable. How much bargaining can one hope for in the bottom segment of the rental market? Is 5-10% reasonable?