how much do you need to live on in hk….?

[sleepdodger]

specifically, if schooling & housing is covered or partially covered would an expat uk salary £75k support a family 2 adults / 1 4 year old?
I've been offered a secondment but the hours would mean dp would need to give up work
I'm aware tax is only 15% vs 40% but what does living expenses look like in reality?
I've been to hk many many times, but never with a view of living there!
Whats the starter age for schools and what kind of school would you recommend for my dc to start at in september - reception age, to be able to integrate in uk(state school) again 2 years later
I'd like her to learn mandarin / cantonese but for education to be predomantly english speaking for ease of reintegration later
Would DH as a SAHD be unusual vs UK - tbh I would anticipate living in a compound style accommodation, or on one of the island like lamma etc
Thanks

[Laptopwieldingharpy]

If both accommodation and school are covered, yes absolutely! That's plenty.
I would really really err on the side of caution with these 2 major outputs though.
Compound style living/condo on HK island vs village life on Lamma is wildly different in terms of housing budget & commute to work/school. Perhaps you mean an enclave like discovery bay? That's not exactly cheap if you are paying the rent without a hefty allowance.

Stay at home dads are not the norm but there are plenty around.

[makesomenoise]

Absolutely, especially if housing & schooling are covered. Schooling can be very expensive.

You will struggle to find a place for your DC to start reception in September and this will need to be a primary consideration in where you choose to live. Join the facebook group HK Schools and you will be given plenty of advice there. It's not impossible, but will be hard, the international schools will mostly be full and entry is via assessment and massive cheques!

Have a good think about which languages you want to focus on. Most english schools will teach manderin to some extent, there are dual tongue schools which may be either english/canto or eng/mandarin. Our Dd picks everyday canto up easily.

Lamma living - whilst wonderful - can be tricky negotiating schools/commute to work etc. Compound living would be very different, there are many housing blocks which have play areas, pools, clubhouse etc which would help you and DC make friends.

Stay at home dad is not the norm in HK but there is plenty going on to get involved with.

Another website to look at is geobaby.com/hk.

[AggressiveBunting]

If you're happy to give details of the housing and schools allowance, that might help us tell you what would be affordable for you. Also, will the company sort you out a school place (i.e. buy a debenture) because having the means to pay and getting a place are 2 different things? If you want British curriculum then you want Kellett, Harrow or Nord Anglia, but here's the thing - Nord Anglia doesn't have a reception class so she would have to go to pre-school for another year, until old enough for Year 1, and Kellett has over 600 on the waiting list for reception in September 2015. Therefore, you need that debenture. Don't let them fob you off or tell you to try ESF because they're oversubscribed too.

Not trying to put you off, but v important to get the school place sorted and then work backwards to where you live- so for example Lamma to any of the British schools would be a major PITA. Lamma is ok but IMO not charming enough to justify the massive inconvenience of a no car/ ferry only commute- ferries don't run all night and the place is inundated with day trippers at weekends. There's nothing there apart from 2 tiny villages, a 4k hiking trail and a massive power station. People basically live there because it's cheap. If you want rural, I'd definitely go South Lantau (Mui Wo) instead because at least then you can get a car and drive out via Tung Chung, and Lantau has some fun beaches and HK's best hiking trails.

[sleepdodger]

Thanks do much for your replies
Work will be near old airport but with loads of travel so easy access to airport and hunghom station for china also v important! Where would you suggest for living for convenience so I can then look at schools?
Work have been vague about sums other than private schooling is paid for and driven in area lived in. No debentures available.
Housing is provided for first couple of months then allowance afterwards. I don't know sum but do know a couple of other people seem to manage ok living in disco bay or Clearwater so assuming similar!
Really in a quandary. 2 years ago would have already been on a plane, with schooling impact seems so very different to move dc now and the. Reinstate later

[AggressiveBunting]

Although to be fair if they're working in Kowloon Bay ( old airport) then Clearwater bay much more convenient than Mui Wo. I would completely discount the outlying islands if commuting to Kowloon Bay because you'd have to ferry to central, then walk, then Mtr. That's going to be 90 mins.