How much does it cost to live in Hong Kong?

Based on AffordWhere's dataset of 2 Hong Kong cities, a single person needs roughly HK$28,200–HK$35,225 per month all-in, depending on the city. That covers average 1-bedroom rent plus tracked essentials like groceries, transport, and utilities.

What is the cheapest city to live in Hong Kong?

Kowloon is the most affordable Hong Kong city in AffordWhere's dataset, with an estimated all-in monthly budget of about HK$28,200 for one person (average 1-bedroom rent HK$19,250/month).

What is the take-home pay on a median salary in Hong Kong?

On Hong Kong's median gross salary of HK$23,000 per month, take-home pay is roughly HK$21,265 after income tax and social contributions — an effective rate of about 7.5%.

Cost of Living in Hong Kong 2026: from HK$28,200/mo

Living in Hong Kong costs from roughly HK$28,200/month for one person (rent plus essentials) in its most affordable city, while the median local salary is about HK$23,000/month.

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What it costs to live in Hong Kong

Across AffordWhere's Hong Kong dataset, average 1-bedroom rent ranges from about HK$19,250 per month in Kowloon to HK$25,375 in Hong Kong — a 32% difference for the same apartment size. A single person's all-in monthly budget (rent plus tracked essentials) starts around HK$28,200 in Kowloon and reaches about HK$35,225 in Hong Kong. On the median gross salary of HK$23,000 per month, take-home pay in Hong Kong is roughly HK$21,265 after an effective 7.5% in tax and contributions.

Average 1-bedroom rent and estimated monthly budget by city in Hong Kong
City	Avg 1BR rent /mo	Est. monthly budget (solo)
Kowloon	HK$19,250	HK$28,200
Hong Kong	HK$25,375	HK$35,225

Budget = average 1-bedroom rent across tracked neighborhoods plus tracked monthly essentials (groceries, transport, utilities, and more). Sources on our data sources page.

Common questions about Hong Kong

Cities across Hong Kong

Calculate your net salary in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Income Tax Calculator

Take-home pay at common salary levels, with the full breakdown: income tax, social contributions, health insurance. Rates come straight from the government.

Top Hong Kong salary benchmarks

What does it actually cost to live in each city? Budget, comfortable, and premium tiers.

Moving to Hong Kong?

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Moving to Hong Kong? Start with the numbers.

The gross salary on your offer letter isn't what lands in your account. Type yours in and you'll see:

Net monthly income after every deduction
A line-by-line tax breakdown — income tax and social contributions
Your effective tax rate
How cost of living compares city by city
Neighborhoods you can actually afford

Figures use 2026 tax rates from official Hong Kong government sources. Full attribution lives on our data sources page.