The best places to live in Hong Kong

Expats have several popular residential areas to choose from in Hong Kong, and each one suits a different lifestyle.

Families with young children tend to favour the southern part of Hong Kong Island, while single expats and young couples prefer Mid-Levels. More affluent expats often rent a pricey apartment or a townhouse on The Peak.

Here are our recommendations for expat-friendly areas and suburbs in Hong Kong.

Accommodation in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Island

Wan Chai

Wan Chai is both a major commercial district and a trendy residential area. It has plenty of lively bars and restaurants, and it’s one of the best places to live in Hong Kong for those who want to be in the centre of the action. It has traditionally been one of the cheaper places to live as an expat, although prices have climbed as the area has become more fashionable. For all its nightlife, Wan Chai is one of Hong Kong’s safer districts in terms of reported crime.

You can browse plenty of cheap clothing shops in Wan Chai, and there are tasty bargains to be found at the wet markets nearby.

Mid-Levels

Barely a 10-minute drive from The Peak and just south of Central and Wan Chai, Mid-Levels is one of the most popular places for single expats and young couples to live in Hong Kong.

Young expats are drawn here by the proximity to the city centre’s nightlife. Mid-Levels also suits expat families. There are good private schools nearby, along with outdoor attractions such as the Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens.

The Central-Mid-Levels Escalator, the world’s longest outdoor covered escalator system, connects the area with Central below. It runs downhill during the morning rush, then reverses to head uphill for the rest of the day. You’ll find both colonial-era apartments and modern, newly built developments here.

North Point

Expats after more reasonably priced accommodation and a sense of integration with locals should consider renting in North Point. The neighbourhood has no large-scale shopping malls, but you’ll find supermarkets, traditional wet markets, a few good restaurants, and the well-known Chun Yeung Street market, where trams trundle right through the stalls. The apartments here are affordable and generally in good condition. Transport links are good, and Kowloon is within easy reach. North Point and neighbouring Quarry Bay have grown popular with expats who can’t afford the areas closer to Central.

Repulse Bay

Contrary to its name, Repulse Bay is an attractive area, although the high rents may put some off. The neighbourhood is inhabited by many wealthy Hong Kong businessmen and their families. It’s an idyllic spot for expat families, who love the pleasant, palm-fringed beach and the proximity to international schools. Repulse Bay has no MTR station, so residents rely on cars or the frequent buses that run along the coast to Central and Admiralty. The nearest station is Ocean Park on the South Island Line.

The Peak

Highest of all on Hong Kong Island, The Peak is also its most affluent residential area. Height restrictions keep the low-rise buildings from spoiling the views or blocking the cool evening breezes.

Many housing complexes in the area have communal swimming pools, tennis courts, gymnasiums, and landscaped gardens, and there are pleasant walking trails nearby. In contrast to Mid-Levels, where high-rise apartment living is the norm, The Peak has townhouses and single-family homes.

The highly rated German Swiss International School runs its Peak Campus here for its upper primary and secondary students; younger children attend a separate campus in Pok Fu Lam.

German Swiss International School

Happy Valley

Happy Valley is an upmarket Hong Kong neighbourhood favoured by many expats, and is best known for the Happy Valley Racecourse, as well as its proximity to the shopping and nightlife hub of Causeway Bay.

Expats in Happy Valley can choose between classic low-rise complexes and tall, modern apartment buildings, and short-term serviced apartments are also available to rent. The area suits those who want somewhere quieter and greener but still close to the buzz of the city centre.

French families are often drawn to Happy Valley for the easy access to the French International School.

French International School

Jardine’s Lookout

On the hillside above Happy Valley, Jardine’s Lookout is an exclusive residential enclave. It’s home to an elite community in large detached houses and luxury apartment complexes. The area has plenty of amenities, along with wooded hills and sweeping views over Victoria Harbour. There are also international schools nearby for expat families.

Kowloon

West Kowloon

Although expats once regarded the Kowloon Peninsula as an inconvenient, less developed place to live, perceptions have changed, and these days many expats happily settle into the high-rise apartments of West Kowloon. Much of the change has come from the West Kowloon Cultural District, home to the M+ museum and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, and from the high-speed rail terminus that connects the district to mainland China.

Most of the newer complexes have good facilities and communal amenities, although the older apartment blocks are less well equipped. Shopping centres are plentiful, and the MTR runs through the area, so commuting into town is quick.

Kowloon Tong

Many expat families have also begun to settle in Kowloon Tong, as it now has a handful of well-respected international schools. Homes here come with space, a real rarity in Hong Kong, and the neighbourhoods are quieter too. This high-end residential area is made up of colonial-style houses, low-rise apartments, detached villas, and a smattering of gated communities. The district has Festival Walk, a ritzy shopping centre, and the MTR links it to the city centre.

Parents have plenty of international schools to choose from in and around the area, including the American International School, Australian International School, Yew Chung International School, and Beacon Hill School.

American International School
Australian International School
Yew Chung International School
Beacon Hill School

The New Territories

Sai Kung Town

Sai Kung, a small fishing village, is a popular place for expats and locals alike, and its appeal is easy to see. Seafood restaurants line the streets, and you can sit on the many benches along the front to gaze out over the sea and watch fishermen sell the day’s catch against a backdrop of hills. Sai Kung includes the Sai Kung East Country Park, a haven for backpackers, parasailers, hikers, cyclists and campers.

The main drawback of living in Sai Kung is the commute to Hong Kong Island. Sai Kung has no MTR station, so the daily journey to work is a long one; most residents take a green minibus to Hang Hau or Choi Hung station and change to the MTR there.

Even so, many expats choose Sai Kung for its proximity to good schools, and they find the longer commute is offset by cheaper accommodation and greener surroundings.

Lantau Island

Lantau Island is an enormous chunk of land, nearly twice the size of Hong Kong Island. It is home to Hong Kong Disneyland, Hong Kong International Airport, the Big Buddha at Ngong Ping, and Lantau South Country Park, the largest country park in the territory. Several residential areas on Lantau are popular with expats, especially Discovery Bay and Tung Chung, where families like the larger homes and international feel.

Lantau is far greener than Hong Kong Island, and the authorities have kept development in check with strict planning controls. More commercial ventures and housing projects have emerged in recent years, but the island is still relatively sparsely populated.

Most Lantau residents travel off the island for work, but it’s well connected to the rest of Hong Kong by the MTR and by frequent ferries.