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Discover Hong Kong

Prepare for expat living with our handy guides to life, work and managing your money in Hong Kong.

Want to move to Hong Kong?

A truly international city, Hong Kong's skyscrapers are filled with professionals from across the world. Hong Kong is home to many major financial and professional services firms, each keen to attract talent, and with a global community and modern feel, most expats find it easy to settle in.

A ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality is a helpful attribute for those who want to take advantage of all Hong Kong has to offer. As well as higher salaries and high quality of life, expats are often impressed with their career progression, and when it's time to take a break, Hong Kong is the perfect base from which to explore the rest of Asia.

Explore life in Hong Kong

What's on your moving abroad checklist? We break down the essentials including salaries, education and accommodation in Hong Kong to help you prepare. 

Living in Hong Kong

Preparing for a big move? Learn about accommodation, healthcare and more with our guide to life in Hong Kong. 

Working in Hong Kong

Salary, business hours, what to wear - get an insight into what it's like to work in Hong Kong. 

Tax in Hong Kong

If you're moving to or from Hong Kong, make sure you've got the facts on tax. 

Facts and figures

Double check the basics in our Hong Kong factfile.
Population About 7.5 million
Political system Special Administrative Region of China operating on
a ‘one country, two systems’ principle. Hong Kong manages its affairs except for national defence and diplomatic relations
Main languages Cantonese, English and Mandarin
Major religions Buddhism, Taoism and Christianity are the most common religions
Time GMT +8
Electricity 220V, 50 Hz. Three-pin rectangular blade plugs are most common
Currency Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
International dialing code +852
Internet domain .hk
Emergency number 999
Road traffic Drive on the left
Double check the basics in our Hong Kong factfile.
Population Political system
About 7.5 million Special Administrative Region of China operating on
a ‘one country, two systems’ principle. Hong Kong manages its affairs except for national defence and diplomatic relations
Population Main languages
About 7.5 million Cantonese, English and Mandarin
Population Major religions
About 7.5 million Buddhism, Taoism and Christianity are the most common religions
Population Time
About 7.5 million GMT +8
Population Electricity
About 7.5 million 220V, 50 Hz. Three-pin rectangular blade plugs are most common
Population Currency
About 7.5 million Hong Kong dollar (HKD)
Population International dialing code
About 7.5 million +852
Population Internet domain
About 7.5 million .hk
Population Emergency number
About 7.5 million 999
Population Road traffic
About 7.5 million Drive on the left

Key phrases

Brush up on some conversational classics.
English Traditional Chinese How to say it in Cantonese
Hello 你好 Néih hóu
Goodbye 再見 Joigin
How are you? 你好嗎 Néih hóu ma
Thank you 多謝 Dòjeh
Yes Haih
No 唔係 Mh’haih
Do you speak English? 你識唔識講英文呀? Néih sīk-m̀h-sīk góng Yīngmán a?
Can you help me? 唔該幫我 m̀h’gōi bōng ngóh
Sorry 對唔住 Deui-m̀h-jyuh
Brush up on some conversational classics.
English Hello
Traditional Chinese 你好
How to say it in Cantonese Néih hóu
English Goodbye
Traditional Chinese 再見
How to say it in Cantonese Joigin
English How are you?
Traditional Chinese 你好嗎
How to say it in Cantonese Néih hóu ma
English Thank you
Traditional Chinese 多謝
How to say it in Cantonese Dòjeh
English Yes
Traditional Chinese
How to say it in Cantonese Haih
English No
Traditional Chinese 唔係
How to say it in Cantonese Mh’haih
English Do you speak English?
Traditional Chinese 你識唔識講英文呀?
How to say it in Cantonese Néih sīk-m̀h-sīk góng Yīngmán a?
English Can you help me?
Traditional Chinese 唔該幫我
How to say it in Cantonese m̀h’gōi bōng ngóh
English Sorry
Traditional Chinese 對唔住
How to say it in Cantonese Deui-m̀h-jyuh

Climate in Hong Kong

Summers are hot and humid, with temperatures reaching around 32°C (90°F). Autumn is a more comfortable 19°C to 28°C (66°F to 82°F), while winters are usually cloudy and cold, with temperatures falling below 10°C (50°F).

Shipping to Hong Kong

While you can buy all your furniture and other household items in Hong Kong, shipping services are efficient and relatively cheap. There’s no duty or tax levied on imported personal household items, and no limit on how much you can bring in.

Hiring professionals: If you hire an international removal company, make sure it has reliable ground services. Get quotes that include delivery and unpacking – apartments are usually high up and you’ll be glad to have help.

Food: Most food items can’t be brought into Hong Kong without a permit, so it’s much easier to stock up when you arrive.

Pets: You can take your pets to Hong Kong, but apartments are small, outdoor space is limited and not many parks allow dogs. Pets may also be quarantined for a minimum of 4 months. You’ll find information about bringing pets into Hong Kong on the Agriculture Department’s website.

Should you get an offshore bank account?

An offshore account can be useful for expats looking to keep some money in a central location, rather than one specific country or region. 

Our Expat Bank Account is an offshore account that comes with a range of benefits, including:

  • A Global Money Account - Make quick and easy payments across borders.
  • Relationship manager - Someone to help you and your family manage your money.
  • Online and on mobile - Manage your banking, FX and investments wherever, whenever.

You can set your account up in USD, EUR or GBP and you can hold it alongside accounts in the country you're leaving or the one you're moving to.

 

Top tips

Here's what expats have told us about living in Hong Kong.

Make sure you have sufficient cash for the large deposit required to rent a property - around 3.5 months up front to include the deposit, a months rent in advance and the agent’s fee.
English-speaking schools are extremely difficult to get into. You need to discuss this with your employees/organise it well in advance of arriving.
Don’t underestimate the cost of living in a lower tax jurisdiction! Accommodation, healthcare, education and transport can cost significantly more than you think!

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Additional information

    All Expat Explorer survey data, including the tips in quotation marks, is provided by HSBC.

    All other content is provided by expatarrivals.com, Globe Media Ltd and was last updated in July 2023. HSBC accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of this information.

    This information is purely for orientation and to inspire further research, it does not constitute advice and no liability is accepted to recipients acting independently on its contents. The views expressed are subject to change.

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