Living in Asia

Living in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is split into four sections, Kowloon, Hong Kong Island, New Territories and Outlying Islands. Kowloon and the New Territories are part of the Chinese mainland to the north of Victoria Harbor. Hong Kong Island, where the main business hub exists, is situated on the southern side of the harbor facing Kowloon. The Outlying Islands consist of 234 islands.

• Hong Kong enjoys a sub-tropical climate.
• Winters are cool and dry, summers hot and humid (often extremely so).
• Winter lasts from January to March, the coldest month being February.
• Typhoons are possible during the autumn months.
• A Typhoon Warning System is in place, with television and radio giving plenty of notice about approaching storms or heavy rain.

Relocating

Many people, particularly families on a long term contract, will be interested in shipping their possessions. When shipping your belongings be aware of a couple of points:

• Electrical standards: 220 Volts, 50 Hertz, 3-Pin square British Standard plugs are used everywhere.
• Most mobile phone chargers and similar portable devices, such as laptop computers, are designed to run on every voltage and frequency around the world.
• Domestic helpers, or maids (known in Hong Kong as Amahs) are very popular, although many expat families are initially hesitant to have an outsider living with them. The fact is, a maid gives your busy family more time to relax.

Living in Singapore

Nine out of ten Singaporean families are property owners. The rental market in Singapore is almost entirely supported by expatriates living in Singapore.

• It is not cheap to rent an apartment or house in Singapore.
• Accommodation costs can typically amount to 40 percent of household expenditure.
• Even with above average rental prices there are many options from which foreigners can choose.
• These include condominiums, semi-detached terrace houses, multi-story apartment or public housing from the Housing Development Board (HDB).

Living in Malaysia

Compared to international standards, housing in Malaysia is quite cheap. In central Kuala Lumpur, however, prices tend to be quite high. If the cost of housing is an issue, it is advisable to avoid the central areas and go for a place in the suburbs. A wide range of housing is available in Malaysia. You can find anything from apartments, to semi-detached houses, bungalows and condominiums.

• Condominiums are a special form of accommodation, which are particularly favoured by foreigners. These are fenced housing estates with security staff and cameras.
• Very often they also include swimming pools, tennis courts and other leisure facilities.
• The apartments and houses come either fully-furnished, semi-furnished or unfurnished.
• Unfurnished housing can mean anything from included kitchen units to an entirely empty flat.
• Keep in mind that traffic in the cities can be very bad, so try to find accommodation which is close to your workplace, international schools, shopping and recreation facilities.