Relocating to Shanghai

Would like to get some views on packages for relocation to Shanghai.


I was told that they would give me roughly the same as now. how does that play out?


What are the elements I need to think about and how?

- Taxes?

- Salary payment in RMB or HKD/EUR/USD?

- Housing?

- Schooling? (we don't have kids YET)

- Driver? (none in HK, do we need?)

- Maid? (heard it can be very expensive to get a good one)


any comments on the above?


- what else?


cheers

Taxes are much higher than HK, I think it is on the order of 40%. However, rent is much lower. About 1/3 the cost of Hong Kong equivalent.

So you work out the math based on your salary/rent levels.


it is better to get paid in RMB. It is very easy to convert RMB to foreign currencies inside China. Converting foreign currencies to RMB is subject to restrictions.


Housing/Schooling, get whatever you can from the company of course.


Driver. you'd best get one. The cost is much lower than HK. Less than 5k, maybe even 3.


Maid: local maids only. they are cheaper than HK, around 2k. Language barrier is a major problem. Which is why so many expats employ Filipino maids illegals. (hence the extra cost.)


Shanghai is more vibrant city than HK. There are 500 thousand expats living in SH now compared to HK's 100k. And the makeup of the population is much more diverse. (In HK, we generally just have bankers and English teacher. In Shanghai you encounter people from much more diverse backgrounds.) Young expats who have worked in both cities generally like Shanghai more than Hong Kong.


The tax problem can probably be solved with the help of your employer. See if you can maintain a "part time" status in HK, and received the majority of your pay in HK.

@GreenValleys, all my friends who lived in both cities agree ...

well, posting on a HK expat site saying more young expats prefer SH to HK, you will get mostly response from people who disagree. That is not surprising.

I live in HK, not SH. I notices the different expat enthusiasm for these two cities on my recent visits to SH after the financial crisis. This is what I noticed: expats in HK who lost their jobs last year or so mostly left for home. In SH, I met several out of work expats, (some out of work for years, before the crisis hit.) bumming around in SH looking for any excuse to stay. Some tell me they will never go home. I have never met a HK expat who is that enthusiastic for HK, at least not yet.

I agree that on paper, HK is better than SH for the most part, especially when it comes to government services, and general convenience for non-Chinese speakers. However, after 7 years in HK, I find that HK lacks charms compared to other megacities such as New York. The depth and breath of culture in HK is not great for such a big city. SH is better. I have spent less than 1 month in SH on all my trips combined, yet I could already feel SH has more culture than HK.

another poster mentioned crowds, well, on this count, I think HK is usually worse, at least not better. Relatively speaking SH is less than 1/2 as crowded as HK. SH is crowded, HK is extremely crowded.

regarding winter, this is really a matter of personal preference. I grew up in a northern climate. I find a change of seasons more interesting than a 7 months summer.

For expat without children who regard expat life with a bit of adventure, looking for an experience, I think SH is better. For people with children, or just want a "quiet" life as similar to home as possible (myself in this category) HK is better.

@Oski


HK has 100k expats? That may be because there are many, many of us who have been here so long (because we like it ...) that we are no longer considered expats. In HK we just have bankers and teachers? Me thinks you need to go out and meet a few more people.


Can't comment on Shanghai as I've never been there (and am not really attracted to it to be honest, great city though it seems to be).