
Is Hong Kong the most expensive housing market in the world?
Hong Kong was recently ranked the most expensive housing market in the world for the seventh consecutive year, according to the annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey. The survey, which divides median house prices by gross annual median household income, found Hong Kong to clock in at 18.1.
Why are land prices so high in Hong Kong?
The high land prices policy worked many years in Hong Kong and had very much shaped the HK economy in a complex way (things are not so simple, you move one factor, it would impact many other It is determined by the market, and currently is demand driven so it is the demand that is driving the prices up.
What are the downsides of living in Hong Kong?
It is very expensive to live in Hong Kong because of high rent and high property prices. If those costs can be cut down, there would leave you with a lot of disposable income. Crowded. Crowd is a norm here. If there is no crowd there is likely a problem. Boring.
How does Hong Kong’s housing market work?
Meanwhile, Hong Kong’s government controls nearly half of the total supply or housing through public housing rentals and assisted home ownership purchase programs, which are intended for lower-income families. Meaning, just about half of the housing market is available on the private market.

Is Hong Kong housing expensive?
In 2020, Hong Kong was named the world's most expensive real-estate market, according to real-estate consultancy CBRE Global Living, with average property prices of around $1.25 million.
Is housing affordable in Hong Kong?
A family in Hong Kong, the world's least affordable housing market, will need to save for 20.8 years to afford a home in the city, according to the annual Demographia International Housing Affordability Study.
Which country has the most unaffordable housing?
All the cities on this graphic are classified as severely unaffordable—and, for the 12th year in a row, Hong Kong takes the top spot as the world's most unaffordable housing market, with a score of 23.2.
What causes Hong Kong housing problem?
Scarce land Over the past two decades, Ip said, Hong Kong has not implemented large-scale land development plans, causing the supply of land available for development to peter out. The dearth of new land is the fundamental cause of Hong Kong's awkward housing issue, characterized by being expensive, small and crowded.
Is Hong Kong affordable?
Hong Kong remained the world's least affordable housing market for the 11th year, underscoring the income disparity in the financial city.
How much does Hong Kong public housing cost?
The average monthly subsidized rent for a public rental home ranges from HK$320 to HK$4,260 (US$40 to US$546), with the average being HK$1,700 (US$220). Private (unsubsidized) rentals average HK$1,635 (US$209) for a 400-square-foot flat.
What is housing like in Hong Kong?
29.1% of the Hong Kong population lives in public rental housing estates. Kin Ming Estate, completed in 2003, is a public housing estate located in Tseung Kwan O. It consists of 10 housing blocks and houses a total of about 22,000 people. Private housing estates are a common form of private permanent housing.
Why is Hong Kong so unaffordable?
Low Supply, High Demand On one hand, Hong Kong's housing astronomical costs area a simple case of supply and demand. The city ranks as the fourth most densely populated among sovereign states or territories , with more than seven million residents spread across 1,106 square kilometers (427 sq miles).
Why is housing so expensive in Hong Kong?
Another reason why housing in Hong Kong is expensive rests on the way the government manages the land. The government controls most of the lands that can be developed for real estate purposes , and they offer these areas to developers through tender . The system means that development rights would go to the developer with the most attractive offer.
How long does it take to buy a house in Hong Kong?
The PIR value of Hong Kong means that it would take an average of 21 years for an individual resident or a single-income family to buy their own home. The high prices in the housing markets also translate to high rents. On average, an individual has to set aside more than 70 percent of his or her earnings for rent alone.
Is Hong Kong expensive to live in?
August 26, 2019. by Anka Baranski. The cost of living in Hong Kong is one of the highest in the world, and this is partly and primarily due to the fact that housing in the region is very expensive.
Is Hong Kong a tax friendly country?
A Further Note on the Real Estate Market. It is also important to mention that Hong Kong is one of the most tax-friendly economies in the world. The government has intentionally lowered taxes to attract businesses from different industries and sectors. To generate internal revenues, it controls and sells lands to private developers.
Which country has the most expensive housing market?
Hong Kong has the most expensive housing market in the world. Rent is so high, many can only afford to live in subdivided apartments known as "coffin homes.". But the problem isn't land scarcity. Hong Kong has the most expensive housing market in the world.
What is the most expensive housing market in the world in 2021?
July 22, 2021, 6:00 AM. Hong Kong has the most expensive housing market in the world. Rent is so high, many can only afford to live in subdivided apartments known as "coffin homes.". But the problem isn't land scarcity.
How much space does a family of 4 have in Hong Kong?
For the fortunate few, a family of 4 may have living space of 150 sq. ft. per person and such space is considered as a luxury in Hong Kong already, when compared to US of 2 to 4 times larger, on average, more spacious, per person. Public housing is available at much reduced rent or purchase costs.
Why is Hong Kong a government policy?
Government policy is to restrict building and to create a shortage in the price of land which causes prices to skyrocket. It turns out that large numbers of people in Hong Kong benefit from the policy, so it’s not going to change. You have a lot of expats and hyper-rich people pumping money into Hong Kong.
What happens when speculators hold properties to sell at a higher price?
When speculators are holding properties to sell at a higher price, the number of available properties in the market is reduced, creating a shortage of property supply. High land price policy. Since land is a precious natural resource of Hong Kong, the government is exploiting its potential by selling it at high price, ...
Why are the Occupy protests going nowhere?
One reason that the Occupy protests have gone nowhere is that the students in HK have found it extremely, extremely difficult to connect with the working class and poor.
Is housing in Hong Kong artificially inflated?
The prices of housing in Hong Kong are artificially inflated, not by a shortage of land, but by an excess of greed. Here’s how I learned that. I studied at HKUST, which is at the very East edge of Kowloon, far from the city center.
Is there a land shortage in Hong Kong?
Thus, land is not enough in Hong Kong.
Which city has the least affordable housing?
Hong Kong has the world’s least affordable housing market, according to a research by real estate firm CBRE. The average price per square foot is USD$2,091 in Hong Kong, which is significantly higher than that in Singapore and Shanghai which came second and third in the Global Living report. A UBS research reveals that even those who earn twice the city’s average income would need to work for 21 years to afford a 650 sq ft flat near the city centre in Hong Kong. However, in other major metropolises such as Tokyo and Paris, such apartment would only cost about 11 year’s salary and 15 years’ salary, respectively.
How long do you have to work to afford a flat in Hong Kong?
A UBS research reveals that even those who earn twice the city’s average income would need to work for 21 years to afford a 650 sq ft flat near the city centre in Hong Kong.
What is the impact of cross-border migration on Hong Kong?
Maggie Hu, Assistant Professor of School of Hotel and Tourism Management and Department Finance at CUHK Business School reveals that mainland Chinese migrants are willing to pay higher prices than locals when buying properties in Hong Kong. The ongoing study is done in collaboration with researchers from the National University of Singapore and the University of Cambridge.
Is Hong Kong a cross border country?
Over the last two centuries, Hong Kong has undergone several big waves of cross-border immigration from China. Due to scarcity of land supply, housing market in Hong Kong is under prominent impact from migration,” says Prof. Hu.
Yue Chim Richard Wong
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Yue Chim Richard Wong
According to the traditional point of view, demand for residential flats outstrips land supply because of high housing prices. Another viewpoint claims that housing prices soar because of an array of government regulations on zoning, planning, as well as other restrictions on buildings.
