EVERY country has its issues, some maybe worse than others prompting many to migrate for the sake of better opportunities and Malaysians are no different as the topic comes up more often than not.
However, grass is not always greener on the other side, especially considering the cost of living.
Hong Kong is well-known for its high cost of living, particularly when it comes to renting an apartment that can take up thousands just for a small space.
The Global Property Guide recently ranked Hong Kong in first place for having the most expensive housing market in the world.
According to a Malaysian financial literacy account on X, @TheFuturizts, their six day stay in opened their eyes to how expensive living in Hong Kong can be.
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“Hong Kong has made me feel privileged to be a Malaysian.
“Though rent and housing prices here are expensive, it is nothing compared to HK, and food is honestly cheap,” the X post said.
The finance based account pointed out that rent can cost up to HK$30,000 a month for an apartment less than 400 square feet.
An image attached to the X thread showed an apartment rental advertisement, where an apartment measuring 292 square feet costs a hefty HK$23,900 (RM13,300) per month.
The post then elaborated how the median salary in the island is around HK$20,000 (RM11,035) to HK$30,000 (RM16,554) and coupled with the rent costs, it makes it near impossible for entry level workers to afford to live comfortably.
The post also states how the top 0.001% of Hong Kong’s population control over half of the region’s total income, skewing the wealth distribution more to the rich to the point that the middle class were forced to migrate for a better life.
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“Meanwhile, the extremely poor are left with no choice but to stay. With them earning way below the median, a lot of families stay in micro apartments (less than 60 square feet),” the post added.
The cost of these tiny spaces are estimated at around HK$3,800 (RM2,110).
A report from South China Morning Post stated that subsidised housing is not easily attainable compared to other countries, estimating that over half of the population live in private housing and only a mere 15.7% live in subsidised housing.
Netizens shared similar sentiments of the post, with many Malaysians agreeing how Hong Kong is mostly expensive.
A commenter from Hong Kong said they visited Malaysia recently and was “shocked” at how much cheaper Malaysia is.
