Everyday Life

The Basics

Life in Hong Kong is many things, but boring is definitely not one of them. While it is a vibrant place to live, it is also crowded, dirty and sometimes overwhelming. No matter how prepared you are to live here there will be times when you wonder why you ever left home. But there will also be moments of delight and wonder as you discover all the this city has to offer.

The settling-in period is the most difficult. We know how frustrating it is if you have no idea where to find basic groceries, how to locate a physician, or how to choose the best school for the kids.

Whether you are at work from nine to six (or seven, if you are like most office workers), or you stay at home to look after the kids and home, you will most likely find yourself very busy.

The frenetic pace means that being organised is essential. You don't have time to waste searching for things you need, and that's why we've provided the information in this section. They will lead you to more information about how to make the most of your time in Hong Kong. We cover THE BASICS, EDUCATION, MEDICAL CARE, HOUSEHOLD HELP, and SHOPPING.

The Basics

Hong Kong is in every respect a modern city. After the return to China in 1997, there is little to suggest that Hong Kong is going anywhere but forward in terms of the services and amenities available to its residents.

The banking system bears the imprint of its British colonial heritage, with a little more bureaucracy than North Americans are accustomed to, but is nonetheless very efficient and easy to use. Most monthly utility and service bills can be settled by phone, through an automated teller machine or by cheque. Many companies also have an auto-pay facility which allows them to debit your account each month.

There are many Internet service providers to choose from, and the prices for a monthly connection are reasonable. One of Hong Kong's few consumer taxes is the PNETS charge levied on your Internet usage, but it was recently lowered.

Utilities are reliable, and it is a simple matter to arrange connections and disconnections. The telephone service provided by Cable and Wireless HKT is excellent, with many options for home services. Hong Kong has a very high penetration of cellular users, and the service is even available in the underground Mass Transit Railway.

There are several channels of locally produced television, as well as cable and satellite service. There are English and bilingual radio stations which offer news, music and talk. Hong Kong has two local daily newspapers, the South China Morning Post and the Hong Kong Standard. Hong Kong has mail delivery twice a day, including Saturdays. It takes only 24 hours for a letter to reach any other part of the territory, and international mail is also very efficient.