Hong Kong or Singapore with 2 Young Children

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Hi,

I know this has probably been done a million times, but i really need your advice to help make a decision....

My husband has been offered the opportunity to relocate with his job to either Singapore or Hong Kong. We have 2 young children 4 years old and 8 weeks old and would like to know what life would be like like for young children in Singapore/HK. My 4 year old is at school so therefore would llike advice on schooling and things to do for him outside of school. For me (a stay at home mum) and my 8 week old are there many mum and baby groups to go to?

Having never been to either Singapore or Hong Kong any advice on life and what to expect, and also what Singapore & HK are like would be greatly appreciated!

If there is anyone who has been through a relocation to either Singapore or Hong Kong with 2 young children i would love to hear your experiences!

Thank you all in advance!

Well I live in Singapore so I would say Singapore. Loads of expats, lots to do with the kids, weather is a bit hot but doable.

I have only been to HK as a tourist and have also heard its a great place to live but the pollution is bad.

Also do a search as there was recently 2 threads going on about Singapore and HK.

Good luck!

Lived in Singapore with 2 young children and had a short visit to Hong Kong. Both are nice though most people I know who have lived in both say Hong Kong is better when you're younger and for partying, building career etc where as Singapore is better for when children come along. Another factor for some is that air pollution is generally much worse in Hong Kong so that affects some peoples choices.

Happy to help with any queries on Singapore.

Hong Kong and Singapore both great - you'd make lots of friends and a good social network in both.

Singapore probably has the nicer family environment - social life with young kids tends to revolve around the pool and baby groups/playgroups with trips to parks and the zoo. Weather same pretty much all year round. It's cleaner - depending on your budget, houses are possible for living. School options include Tanglin, UWC, plus a number of other interational options.

Hong Kong is more crowded but still good for families - it's bigger than Singapore and I think there is more to do. Beach trips, junk trips, visiting islands. You do feel like you are in China. Schools are smaller in building size due to land premium, so feel more crowded and have more of inner city feel. Weather has more variety - wet and humid in summer, dry and sunny in Autumn and cooler in Winter months. (Can even be described as COLD!)

There can be bad pollution days in HK. It does put some people off, but it's not an every day thing and not a major issue for me.

One deciding factor could be where your husband is likely to travel. (Assume it's a regional job.) If he's likely to cover mostly Northern Asia (Greater China, Japan, etc) then HK is a better option - mostly SE Asia, then Singapore. It's a pain to find you have to be away for the week, when a day or 2 would do.

One thing to add - sports activities and other out of school activities good in both places. That said I think HK has the edge perhaps because the weather encourages people to sign up and get involved. The mini rugby/youth rugby in HK is incredible with hundreds of kids playing all over HK during the season.

Schools - great schools in both places but difficult to get places. Get name down quickly once you decide or engage your husband's employer to help you.

For SG look up Tanglin Trust School, United World College and Overseas Family School to get started. For HK, look up English Schools Foundation, Kellett School, HK Academy, French Internaitonal, German Swiss. They will give you a feel for options.

Hi,
Nothing to add to help your decision, I'm afraid, but my husband's work is relocating us to Singapore from London in August with our two daughters (3.5 years and 20 months) and a baby on the way (due October). I'm wading my way through school options, housing, playgroups etc so if you need a buddy to search/worry/get excited with please let me know! Good luck with your decision!

I live in HK. I cant really compare as have never been to Singapore but I think HK does offer a good quality of life for families. There is a big party scene but there's also a lot to do for those that don't want to fall out of 'Dusk till Dawn' at 5am every morning

My son was born here (now coming up to a year). There are loads and loads of baby/toddler groups- Gymboree, Panda Junction, Baby swim classes, soft play centres, soccatots etc and lots of sports/ activities for older children. A lot of buildings have pools; some also have playrooms.

We have a proper winter so it's not scorching hot all year round, and there's a lot of great hiking.

Schools- can be hard to get into- does your husband's company have any debentures?- but no worse than Singapore, and in fact probably marginally less competitive. There are 2 types of school in the English speaking system- the international schools (Kellett is the British School- it's also possible to go into the International stream of non-English schools such as the German-Swiss) or the ESF system, which prioritises non-Cantonese speaking children.Both are fee paying. It is technically possible to send your child to the free public school (Cantonese speaking) but, language aside, it's a very different beast- lots of focus on rote learning and copying (partly necessary as Chinese is so hard to learn to write)

Downsides- pollution can be bad and rents are eye wateringly high. If you're not living on the island or expat enclaves like Disco Bay or Sai Kung, the choice of English speaking activities for children is a lot more limited.

Also, what are your plans? It can be bloody difficult to get work in HK as a non-Cantonese speaker unless you work in financial markets, law or teaching. HK is awash with people who speak English, Mandarin and Cantonese so it's tough to make a case of why they should hire someone who doesn't, except where they specifically need a native English speaker.