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The cost of living in Hong Kong is pretty similar to most large international cities although we found some things to be much cheaper and some things to be much more expensive. Really, it depends on what you buy, where you shop and your expectations. I found books to be quite expensive, clothing to be cheap and imported food to be very expensive. I found the wet markets cheap. I found schooling expensive. It really depends on where you have come from prior to your time in Hong Kong, what your employment package is and what you are prepared to pay for different goods and services. I have a friend who was happy to pay $3000HK for a cut and colour at her hairdresser - I drew the line at around $500HK and I had a friend who never paid more than $100HK.

Weights and Measures

Hong Kong officially uses the metric system, however the English system is also used and occasionally you might use Chinese units. Depending where you shop you will come across an array of measurements. Certain places use metric, others favour imperial and the wet markets favour the Chinese system: a catty is about 600 grams.

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