When you visit Hong Kong, you will notice double-decker buses like in London and hear English-speakers everywhere. It is not surprising because Hong Kong was once a British colony, but its entire territory was transferred to China in 1997. Hong Kong has the status of a special administrative region now. Before moving to Hong Kong from the USA, the UK, Canada, or Australia, consider that there are different from the Chinese visa requirements for immigrants and a separate governmental system. Even if you need a visa to China, you might not need a visa to Hong Kong. If you are planning to immigrate to Hong Kong, check what specific requirements apply to the citizens of your country and prepare all the necessary documents. This relocation guide will help you to get ready for a move and choose the appropriate services for international removals to Hong Kong.
If you plan to move to Hong Kong from overseas, it may seem a bit difficult and challenging, especially when relocating from the USA to Hong Kong. You will need to get accustomed to a new environment with different traditions and culture, however, Hong Kong has a spirit of the international atmosphere. Before relocating from the USA to Hong Kong, you also have to take care of a visa and choose the right services for the international removals to Hong Kong.
Relocation to Hong Kong for a long-term is associated with moving lots of personal belongings, electronics, valuable items, and even household goods. It is practically impossible to take all of them with you, so Eurosender is here to help you with moving house to Hong Kong. Depending on your chosen route, our booking engine will craft an optimal solution based on the price-to-performance ratio. It means that international removals to Hong Kong would be an affordable option to transport numerous packages. Moreover, you will benefit from booking shipping services with Eurosender as:
Check our services for international removals to China once you decide to relocate from the USA, Canada, Australia, or any other country, and contact our friendly logistics experts who will assist you with moving house.
Immigration to Hong Kong is a comprehensive task, so you need to be holistically prepared for a move. Check some basic facts about Hong Kong in this section and way detailed information about the country, its culture, healthcare system, and even the cost of living throughout further sections of this article.
| Location | Hong Kong is located on a group of islands in the south of China. The country borders on Shenzhen in the north and washed by the South China Sea from other sides. |
| Capital city | Hong Kong |
| Climate | Hong Kong is in the subtropical climate zone. The winters are usually mild and warm, while the summers are humid and hot. |
| Currency | Hong Kong dollar (HKD) |
| Population | There are about 7.5 million people living in Hong Kong, but this number is gradually increasing due to an influx of expats in the country. |
| Language | Chinese and English are the two official languages in Hong Kong. |
| Timezone | UTC +8 |
| Surprising fact | Hong Kong ranks first in the list of cities with the highest number of skyscrapers in the world. There are 294 registered skyscrapers with a height over 150 meters in Hong Kong, while New York has only 229 high buildings. |
As you already know, Hong Kong is an autonomous region in China which has its own governmental system and traditions. This city-state resembles New York and London to some extent, meanwhile, the way of life in Hong Kong is also similar to that in renowned metropolises. Living in Hong Kong could be a dream for one person and a nightmare for another. Therefore, we have prepared a list of the pros and cons of living in Hong Kong for you to decide whether to immigrate to Hong Kong or not.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Hong Kong is on the list of the most expensive cities in the world. Before moving to Hong Kong, evaluate your future salary offered by an employer and decide whether it would be sufficient to support yourself and other family members upon relocation.
The average salary is about $4000, while the cost of living is about $2500 per person per month. This includes apartment rental costs, utility bills, food, internet, mobile communications, clothing, and entertainment.
You need to choose a corresponding visa type depending on the purpose of your visit and stay in Hong Kong.
The healthcare system of Hong Kong is controlled and funded by the state. Indeed, citizens and residents are not obliged to support it with taxes or social security schemes. Every citizen and a legal resident of Hong Kong has the right to access healthcare services for free.
Private healthcare sector does exist in Hong Kong as well, that is why many expats prefer private insurance as well. Even though public healthcare system provides all medical and clinical services, private clinics may have a narrow specialization in a certain healthcare sector and thus grant higher quality of services. Before moving to Hong Kong, look through various private health insurance schemes and decide which is the most suitable for you. If you immigrate to Hong Kong for work, consult with your employer whether there are no hidden costs for healthcare services.
The education system of Hong Kong is very similar to that in the United Kingdom. Children have to attend primary and secondary school obligatorily. It lasts for about 10 years after which students decide whether they would like to enrol in vocational schools or universities.
There are 3 types of schools in Hong Kong: public, private, and those based on the ESF system. Education in public schools is usually conducted in Chinese or English and is free of charge. Private schools do not differ much from the state ones, but there are fewer children in the classes and students may have in-depth studies of certain subjects. Educational establishments of ESF (English School Foundation) are rather expensive, but high costs are justified by comprehensive programmes of extra-curricular activities along with professional foreign teachers who take a personalised approach towards every student.
Higher education in Hong Kong has a very good reputation in the international market. The biggest state universities of Hong Kong are on the list of the best higher education establishments in the world. As a rule, annual tuition fees constitute about $5000-6000 and the quality of education is second to none. Hong Kong universities also offer exchange programs for international students.
Headquarters of large international corporations are widely presented in Hong Kong, which means that there are a lot of opportunities for expats in the financial, digital advertising, and the IT sectors. Finance business partners, software developers, data protection experts, data analysts, brand managers, and sales managers are in demand. Furthermore, you should be fluent in both English and Mandarin if you want to get a job in Hong Kong.
The prices of the real estate property in Hong Kong are very high as the land is scarce there. The cost of 1 square meter can be even $40,000, but everything depends on the neighbourhood, infrastructure, location, and conditions of a house or apartment.
If you are not planning to buy real estate property, it is possible to rent a studio apartment. Consider that there is high competition in this sector so you might wait for months before moving into an apartment. We recommend joining Facebook groups and communities for apartment rentals or find a reliable real estate agent that would help you with finding the most applicable option for you.
As Hong Kong was once a British colony, everyone drives on the left side of the road there. Consider that Hong Kong is a metropolis with an extremely high density of population, which means that there is a high chance to get stuck in the traffic jam. However, night time and afternoon are less busy periods of the day though.
If you want to buy a car in Hong Kong, it will cost you much because of the prices for vehicles, parking and fuel prices, and high road taxes. Car insurance will cost you about $3000 additionally because such services are very expensive in Hong Kong compared to the prices in other countries worldwide.
About 90 % of all citizens and immigrants prefer using public transport in Hong Kong. Metro is the fastest way to travel across the city. Given that Hong Kong has a comprehensive public transportation system, you can also use buses, trams, ferries, and even funicular.
When expats are planning a move, they are usually wondering about the average moving costs to Hong Kong. Those who relocate from the United States are eager to estimate how much is shipping from the USA to Hong Kong. We would help you with relocation by offering the cheapest way to move furniture to Hong Kong. It is easy with the international removals to Hong Kong provided by Eurosender as you will get the most affordable cost of moving house to Hong Kong.
Depending on the amount and dimensions of the items you are planning to send, the appropriate shipping option should be chosen. Arrange everything with our experts and get the most affordable cost of moving house to Hong Kong by requesting an individual offer. Our professionals are always ready to help you and estimate the average moving costs to Hong Kong for you.
Disclaimer: The materials provided in this article were collected from other credible resources to be used for general information purposes only. Given that the legislative basis of the country and its economic development have a changing nature, the information provided in the article could be subject to change. Whilst we endeavour to keep the information up-to-date and correct, Eurosender will not be liable for any inappropriate, incomplete, or inaccurate information. Certain links will lead to websites which are not under control of Eurosender. Thus, Eurosender accepts no liability in respect of materials, products or services being not under control of Eurosender.