A Week In Hong Kong On A $46,282 Salary

Occupation: Postdoctoral researcher
Industry: Academia
Age: 32
Location: Hong Kong
Salary: $46,282
Assets: MPF account: $6,129; checking (Canada): $3,133; checking (Hong Kong): $21,625; personal investments: $64,319.
Debt: $0
Paycheck Amount (Monthly): $3,844 (income is pre-tax in Hong Kong).
Pronouns: She/her

Monthly Expenses

Housing Costs: $0 (I live with my parents).
Loan Payments: $0
Family Expenses (家用 ga yong): $1,281. It’s customary for adult children in Hong Kong to pay a lump sum of money to their parents once they have stable income. The exact amount depends on your monthly salary, whether you live with your parents, how often you eat at home, etc. The minimum is around HKD$3,000 ($385) — this is if you don’t live with your parents — and the maximum is pretty much whatever you’re willing to give.
Critical Illness Insurance: $7.06
Apple iCloud: $1.02
Phone Bill: $5.66
MPF (Mandatory Provident Fund) Contribution: $192.83 — this is the compulsory retirement saving scheme in Hong Kong. All adults between 18 to 64 have to contribute 5% (up to HKD$1,500, or $193) every month and employers have to match that.

Taxes: ~$2,300 for my tax bracket.

Was there an expectation for you to attend higher education? Did you participate in any form of higher education? If yes, how did you pay for it?
Absolutely. I come from a very academic-inclined family on my father’s side (bunch of PhDs and master's degrees) and the expectations were always that every kid in my generation must at least get an undergraduate degree and then we could pursue whatever dreams we want. My career options were doctor, lawyer, or professor (as is typical for many Hong Kong families), with the latter being the least preferred. I went with academia because I am honestly terrified of the responsibility that comes with being a doctor or a lawyer (lives are at stake here!). I did my undergrad and master’s in Hong Kong, then went to Canada to do my PhD. I was lucky to do quite well in the public exams, so my tuition was partially covered with scholarships. My parents kindly paid for the rest and covered my living expenses (hostel fees, food, etc). I also started working part time as a research assistant in my second year, which gave me a bit more spending money. I paid for my master's degree with my monthly stipend, but since I still lived at home, my living expenses were mostly covered by my parents. I paid for my PhD and all living expenses with a combination of savings (from doing my master’s), scholarships, and part-time research and teaching assistantships.

Growing up, what kind of conversations did you have about money? Did your parent(s)/guardian(s) educate you about finances?
We really didn’t talk about money at home when growing up, but my parents instilled in me the importance of saving very early on. They opened a children’s savings account for me and helped me put all my lai-see (lucky packet) money into it. I’m still using that account (which became available to me after I turned 18). However, they are definitely against investment products (all stocks, funds, etc) and are extremely risk averse. I probably inherited that tendency from them, but I’m trying to change that mindset and start investing in index funds or something of similar risk.

What was your first job and why did you get it?
I got my first job in my second year of undergrad as a research assistant. I did it mostly for the research experience (which is a pretty privileged motivation), but the extra spending money was a bonus. My parents were still covering some of my tuition and my living expenses, so I mostly just saved up my pay checks in case of emergencies.

Did you worry about money growing up?
No. I had a vague idea that we were not as well off as my peers when I was in primary school, but I think my parents shielded me from most of the struggles. We couldn’t afford all the extracurriculars and trips that my classmates had, but I was always well-fed and well-clothed (with hand-me-downs, I later found out) and my mum made sure to enroll me in any free (or subsidized) community centre classes she could find. I was definitely well-loved and happy as a kid.

Do you worry about money now?
Absolutely. It first started when I moved to Canada alone for grad school and realized how much it actually cost to maintain a household (definitely made me appreciate my parents even more). I was lucky enough to receive a multi-year funding package right off the bat (which is already miles more fortunate than most of my peers), but the stipend really barely covered all the costs of living. I felt so anxious at the end of each semester because I was terrified my stipend would run out before the next payment (we received one-third of the yearly stipend per semester). I honestly went a bit nuts working extra jobs and saving during the first couple years of grad school (because WHAT IF) and didn’t quite calm down until I got a larger scholarship (and a therapist) later down the line. I’m still dealing with quite a lot of anxiety now, especially since both of my parents will be retired soon, and I feel responsible for supporting them from here on out.

At what age did you become financially responsible for yourself and do you have a financial safety net?
I became financially responsible when I started grad school in Canada at 24. Technically I have a decent safety net built up with my savings, but realistically I am extremely reluctant to touch any of it. Now that I am back in Hong Kong living with my parents, I feel like I am no longer financially responsible (and a bit of a failure, to be honest). The amount I give them per month would barely even cover rent if I lived alone in Hong Kong. My parents are definitely still my safety net. I am certain they would not hesitate to do everything (even mortgage their apartment) if I needed a bailout very badly. My only hope is it will never come to that.

Do you or have you ever received passive or inherited income? If yes, please explain.
No.

10 a.m. — I roll out of bed very unwillingly and make a coffee (Nescafé, instant, black). I drink the coffee while I check my email. I eat a piece of Taiwanese pineapple cake that my friend E. gave me after his trip to Taiwan. It is chewy and it really seems like there are pieces of shredded dried pineapple in the filling. Most importantly (as an Asian), it’s Not Too Sweet^TM. I shower and moisturize after breakfast (The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%; CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF30), then head to the bus stop.

10:30 a.m. — I hop on the first bus of the day. Travelling via this route requires one transfer (to another bus). There’s not too much traffic at this time of day. I doomscroll on my phone and spam memes at my friends. $2.24

11:50 a.m. — I arrive at school and decide to treat myself to an all-day breakfast. I get a full breakfast with scrambled eggs, mushroom, tomato, beans, smoked salmon, and a hash brown. When I get to the office, I make a drip coffee (another Taiwan souvenir from E.). I dig into my second breakfast (hobbit-approved!) while checking my email (again) and opening up a datafile from yesterday. The drip coffee is too watery (I really need to learn the art of a pour-over), but it gives me the caffeine boost I needed to start my day. $5.85

3:30 p.m. — I finally finish analyzing the dataset and writing up the preliminary results. I need a break, so I grab my thermos and a green teabag and make myself a cuppa. I bought a big box of tea when I first started this job and so far I still haven’t run out. I check my email (again again) and start working on a manuscript that got sent back for revisions. I kindly wish Reviewer 2 a very bad, not good, day.

6:30 p.m. — Still working on the manuscript. I am hungry, so I eat a mini chocolate pastry. I bought this ages ago and it is spectacularly stale. Keep chugging along.

8:30 p.m. — Mum texts me to let me know she’s ready to go home. I pack up my things and leave to catch the MTR (our version of the underground). $0.51

8:45 p.m. — I arrive at our rendezvous point early, so I go to a nearby Japanese supermarket to see if they have any sushi left. They start discounting the sushi at around 7 p.m. and usually by the time they close, the sushi will have been discounted twice. I manage to snag the final pack of aburi salmon sushi. I am elated. $6.43

9 p.m. — I meet up with my mum at the bus stop. She stares disapprovingly at the sushi (she’s convinced I will get worms). We take the bus home together. (The sushi was great.) $1.88

11 a.m. — I doomscrolled until pretty late last night, so I wake up late this morning. I make a coffee and eat a few digestives. My dad bought them a while back and forgot about them, and now I’m trying to finish them before they expire. They are also spectacularly stale (seems like a repeating theme here). I check my email while I eat.

12:30 p.m. — I’m meeting a friend, H., from uni for lunch, coffee, and a trip to a couple of secondhand stores we’ve bookmarked. We usually do this once a month. I sprint to the bus stop after showering and moisturizing. $1.88

1:30 p.m. — We’re having ramen today. I get a spicy ramen with chasiu ($10.54) while H. gets the pork soup ramen ($9.26). The soup is really savoury and the noodles are cooked to perfection. I paid for lunch last month, so this time H. pays. After lunch, we go to the first secondhand store of the day. I browse a bit, but honestly most of the clothing there isn’t really my style. Neither H. nor I buy anything.

2:30 p.m. — We take the MTR to the second store. H. googles for coffee shops near the store for our monthly yap session. $0.95

3 p.m. — We settle on a coffee shop with very (very) large windows and an abundance of sunlight. We both get an Americano ($5.14) and H. pays (because I paid last time). We catch up on everything that has happened since our last outing. It’s nice. I like doing these quiet afternoons.

5 p.m. — I don’t end up buying anything at the second store either, but I do Strongly Recommend H. gets a pair of special-edition, Year of the Dragon-themed Dr. Martens. These are my dream shoes but alas (!) my size sold out almost immediately so I can only live vicariously through my friend now. H. ends up getting them (while I cackle evilly in the background). We go our separate ways at the MTR station. $2.79

7:30 p.m. — Mum makes baked salmon with a soy and garlic sauce and stir-fried vegetables with bean curd. We eat these with brown rice. I love my mum’s cooking — it was honestly the thing I missed the most when living alone in Canada. After dinner, I do the dishes and wipe down the kitchen counters. I doomscroll some more in bed.

11 a.m. — I wake up and have my usual coffee and stale digestives. I check my email while I eat. After breakfast, I crawl back into bed to read. I have an unfortunate addiction to trash literature that requires absolutely no brainpower. I’m reading a Chinese novel about a protagonist who is reincarnated in ancient China as a son of a minor noble. It’s filled with tropes and is exactly what I need.

2:30 p.m. — I snack on some potato chips. I make a second coffee. I read some more. The protagonist is making bank by recreating modern inventions like glass, concrete, gunpowder, etc. Not gonna lie, I would not last two days if I were in his place — I promptly deleted all of my chemistry knowledge from my brain the second I graduated secondary school.

6:30 p.m. — My parents are having dinner with one of my aunts. I am too lazy to cook, so I go to a noodle shop nearby to grab dinner. I get Sichuan fish soup with pickled mustard greens and rice noodles on the side. This is my favourite comfort dish. I save half of the soup for tomorrow but finish the noodles. $9.51

9 p.m. — I follow one of Maddie Lymburner’s (aka MadFit) ab workouts and nearly die. I started working out to her videos during the pandemic, but I decided to stop after my period went MIA for two years (probably a mix of stress, bad diet, and low body fat). I recently started working out again after I finally gained some weight and my period came back, but oh boy, am I out of shape. I hop into the shower after the workout. My whole body feels like jelly, so I lay in bed until sweet, sweet darkness takes me (sleep, not death — I’ve still got work tomorrow, okay).

10 a.m. — Usual coffee, digestives, email combo. Today is a work from home day, so thankfully I don’t need to commute. My supervisor has asked me to design a new study for one of the papers he’s working on, so today is going to be mostly literature review (aka Google Scholar doomscrolling).

1:30 p.m. — I make another (much-needed) coffee and eat a handful of mixed nuts. I’m not very hungry, so I decide to soldier on. I reply to an email from one of my Canadian collaborators before continuing down the literature rabbit hole.

4:30 p.m. — I eat a banana. It’s a good banana.

7:30 p.m. — My mom buys siu mei (Cantonese roasted meats) — we have roast pig (with very crunchy skin) and roast duck with rice. There weren’t any vegetables, so we split two clementines between the three of us. They are really sweet and juicy. I need to eat fruit more often.

10 p.m. — I try following along with another MadFit workout (this time a squat challenge), thinking that SURELY my legs should be stronger than my core. They were not. I nearly die again, for the second time in a row. It’s quite embarrassing, really. I shower and go to bed deeply ashamed of my lack of physical prowess.

10 a.m. — I have a coffee, deciding to forgo the digestives (honestly tempted to just throw the remainder out at this point). I check my email and nearly have a heart attack when I see a notification about one of the papers I recently submitted. Thankfully it’s just an automated response and not a desk reject. Palms still sweaty, knees still weak though.

11 p.m. — I hop on the bus and settle in for a nice doomscroll. My friend K. texts me a reel of a cat at work. I react appropriately (crying emoji) and respond with a reel. Neither of us say anything during the entire exchange. I have accepted that reels are my preferred mode of communication. $2.39

12:20 p.m. — I decide to eat something a bit more filling today, so I get a lo mai gai (steamed glutinous rice with chicken, wrapped in lotus leaves). I usually get this when I’m expecting a late dinner and need something to last me longer than usual. The glutinous rice is really hearty and the flavours from the mushroom and chicken have seeped into every individual rice grain. I eat while reanalyzing data from my dissertation for the hundredth time. Alas, the data is still as uncooperative as the day I first met her. I’m slowly giving up hope on ever getting these findings published. $3.86

3:30 p.m. — I make another drip coffee, this time with a Vietnamese drip bag my aunt got me as a souvenir (everyone close to me knows I am obsessed with coffee). I really try to slow the pour this time, but I still think the coffee is too watery. I need to look up how to do this properly because I am just wasting good coffee at this point. I decide that my dissertation data is a lost cause (for now) and move on to working on a different dataset.

7:15 p.m. — I get a call from K. This is pretty rare because, as millennials, we are absolutely terrified of phone calls and exclusively communicate via Instagram reels (she was the one I was texting on the bus). She asks me where I am and I tell her I’m in the office (duh), but then she asks me if I’m coming tonight. Then it dawns on me. I’m supposed to be meeting a group of friends for dinner tonight, but I have somehow mistakenly thought it was tomorrow. I immediately start apologizing and sprint out of the office (and into the night). Thankfully, the dinner spot is only a short bus ride away, but I still make sure to spam bowing cat emotes in the group chat the entire bus trip. I feel like a terrible friend. $0.86

7:35 p.m. — I arrive and promptly get lost in the labyrinth that is a typical Hong Kong mall. I end up calling K. again and she (very patiently) guides me back on track. I arrive at the restaurant with a flurry of apologies, but luckily everyone lets it go with minimal teasing. We get pizza, fried chicken, and pasta (Italian-Korean fusion). Everything is great and it’s really nice to catch up with this specific group of friends. We’ve known each other for more than a decade at this point, but we’re still pretty close despite a couple of us moving overseas (and back). Everyone is grown up and accomplished now, but somehow these gatherings still bring back memories from high school. We split the bill evenly. $28.03

9:20 p.m. — I take the MTR, then a bus home. I briefly debated going back to the office to finish up what I was working on earlier, but my friends were (strongly) against that, so I decided to finish up tomorrow instead. It’s pretty late by the time I got home, so I just shower and read a bit more of that “reincarnated in ancient China” novel. $2.64

9:20 a.m. — I don’t have time to make a coffee today because I need to be out the door before 9:30 a.m. My building is undergoing maintenance and the lifts are scheduled to stop working at 9:30 a.m. (after most people have left for work). I live more than 40 floors up, so taking the stairs is really not an option. I make it before they stop the lifts and head to the bus stop. $2.39

11 a.m. — I decide I need something sweet for breakfast, so I get a McGriddle meal. I check my email while I eat, and feel my arteries clog a little bit more with every bite I take. I need to finalize a study design to discuss in a meeting with a supervisor tomorrow, so I get cracking ASAP. $4.89

3 p.m. — My eyes hurt, so I take a break and venture downstairs to the staff pantry to use the fancy coffee machine. I usually just make instant coffee or drip coffee at my desk, but today I need the good stuff. The machine is loud as usual, but the first sip totally makes it worth it. I go back to my office and continue working. If I never see another powerpoint slide, it will still be too soon.

6:30 p.m. — I take another break and munch on a mini pack of potato crisps, which, surprise surprise, are also stale! My dad and I clearly share the same tendency to bulk purchase snacks then forget about them. I got a bit sidetracked earlier by a different project, and now I need to lock in and finish this study design.

7:50 p.m. — I don’t end up finishing everything, but I’m starving and starting to get a bit hangry. I take the MTR and then the bus home. $2.39

9:30 p.m. — Mum left me some dinner and heats it up when I get home (LOVE). It’s really healthy today, with shrimp, zit gwaa (hairy gourd), pork, and tomato, with brown rice. I scarf it all down, do the dishes, and go to rot in bed. I really envy people who have all sorts of hobbies and extracurriculars, but I’m mostly too tired and/or too lazy to do much outside of work.

9:20 a.m. — I wake up a bit earlier today, so I manage to make my usual coffee before showering and sprinting out the door. I have an appointment scheduled at the bank today, so I need to hustle. I hop on a bus. $1.88

10:30 a.m. — I make it to the bank on time and am finally able to open a new account. I’m trying to dip my toe into investing and want to do it with a bank that offers better rates. I’d asked around for advice and most of my friends suggested this specific bank, so I just went with it. The appointment takes a little longer than expected due to a few hiccups (I’ve forgotten my proof of address, so I have to ask my dad to quickly scan me a soft copy), but luckily things work out.

11:15 a.m. — I walk to the MTR station, but then decide to get sushi before work. It’s my birthday after all and I want to try the monthly specials. I get all three of the limited time sushi items (chopped beef with uni, chopped tuna with uni, aburi tuna) but honestly they’re not particularly good. I get a few of my favourite nigiri sushi items (tuna belly, scallop, salmon, etc.), which thankfully are good as usual. A bit disappointed, but all in all, I’m in a good mood. $23.40

12:20 p.m. — I arrive at work and make another coffee (instant this time because drip is really not working out for me). I have a meeting with my boss/supervisor at 4 p.m., so I’m preparing the various bits of different projects I want to discuss with him today. I also need to set up some surveys for other projects I’m working on, so it will be a bit packed until the meeting.

5:10 p.m. — My meeting with my supervisor overruns quite a bit, but it’s pretty productive. I go back to my office and make some notes of things we discussed during the meeting. I also send out a couple of miscellaneous emails and tidy up some of the datafiles I’ve been working on. My mum texts me at 5:40 p.m. that she’s leaving the office, so I start packing up. I’ll probably need to work over the weekend to make up the hours, but that’s for Saturday-me to worry about. Today, we celebrate!

6 p.m. — The bus ride home takes a lot longer than usual because it’s during peak hours. I rarely go to and leave work at regular 9-5 hours for this exact reason — I detest being stuck in traffic. It can add a good 20 minutes to the commute, which is already more than an hour long. Today though, I don’t mind it as much because my mum and I just spend the time trying to decide what pizza to order. It’s serious business, choosing toppings. We finally decide on a large supreme (no olives), creamed spinach, spicy wings, some weird fried fishcakes (shaped like fish??), and garlic spaghetti. The bus has moved maybe two inches, but it’s okay. $2.39

7:30 p.m. — We finally arrive and pick up the pizza. I decide to treat my parents as a thank you for producing good ole me. The pizza is really good, and I think my dad was the happiest he’s been all week (he really, really likes pizza). I am officially 32 now and it feels a bit weird. I feel like I’m a decade behind my peers because I spent all these extra years studying and only just recently hit the job market (and we all know what it looks like right now). Nevertheless, I’m going to enjoy the moment and leave the rest for tomorrow-me (and weekend-me) to worry about. $41.53

“To be honest, I had a pretty good idea how much I spent per week. I’ve been tracking my spending religiously for a few years now, so I wasn’t very surprised by the expenses breakdown. That being said, tracking what I actually do over the week was quite interesting — I’m not much of a planner and I tend to wing it with my schedule. As long as I complete my work on time, I tend to have an incredible amount of flexibility at my job. Looking at my schedule all laid out in front of me, I’m hit by how unproductive I am outside of work. I used to be an avid artist, but at some point I just stopped creating and switched to just passive entertainment (eg. doomscrolling). My excuse is that I’m too tired to do anything, but back then creating art really brought me joy. I think moving forward, I’m going to try to pick up some sort of artistic hobby, preferably stuff I can cart around with me to do during my commute. Hopefully that would also help me cut down on my screen time (ha!).”