Moving to New York from Hong Kong
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Hong Kong to New York — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Hong Kong to New York, you would find that New York is 30.3% more expensive than Hong Kong overall. A HK$588,191 salary in Hong Kong would need to be roughly $61,904 in New York to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Albany averages 58°F vs 79°F in Hong Kong, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Hong Kong to New York.
What does your salary buy?
HK$588,191 → $61,904
To maintain the same standard of living in New York
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 96.1% more
Groceries
pay 21.9% more
Transportation
pay 1.4% less
Housing
pay 36.8% more
Childcare
pay 42.2% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Hong Kong to New York, based on official data.
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
37.230,584
Hong Kong
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Hong Kong to New York.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Hong Kong performs better than New York across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
New York generally does better on employment & economy, though Hong Kong leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Hong Kong performs better than New York across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Hong Kong | Albany |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 68°/61°F (20°/16°C) | 37°/19°F (2°/-7°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 83°/75°F (28°/24°C) | 68°/47°F (20°/8°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 88°/80°F (31°/27°C) | 78°/58°F (26°/14°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/68°F (24°/20°C) | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Hong Kong | Albany |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C) | 31°/15°F (-0.8°/-9.7°C) |
| Feb | 67°/60°F (19.4°/15.3°C) | 35°/17°F (1.4°/-8.2°C) |
| Mar | 71°/64°F (21.9°/17.6°C) | 44°/26°F (6.9°/-3.5°C) |
| Apr | 78°/70°F (25.6°/21.1°C) | 58°/37°F (14.6°/2.9°C) |
| May | 84°/76°F (28.8°/24.5°C) | 69°/47°F (20.8°/8.4°C) |
| Jun | 87°/80°F (30.7°/26.5°C) | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.6°C) |
| Jul | 89°/80°F (31.6°/26.9°C) | 82°/61°F (27.9°/16.3°C) |
| Aug | 88°/80°F (31.3°/26.7°C) | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.5°C) |
| Sep | 87°/79°F (30.5°/26.1°C) | 72°/52°F (22.3°/10.9°C) |
| Oct | 83°/75°F (28.1°/23.9°C) | 60°/40°F (15.4°/4.2°C) |
| Nov | 76°/69°F (24.5°/20.3°C) | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.3°C) |
| Dec | 69°/61°F (20.4°/16.2°C) | 36°/21°F (2.1°/-6.0°C) |
Hong Kong Observatory
National Weather ServiceVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Hong Kong and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Hong Kong passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States passport holder visiting Hong Kong
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in New York than Hong Kong?
Yes — New York is on average about 17% cheaper than Hong Kong. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to New York?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $15,476 in New York on a HK$588,191 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from New York?
Usually fine from major cities in New York. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
What's the weather like in New York compared to Hong Kong?
The average high temperature in Albany is 58°F, compared to 79°F in Hong Kong. Albany receives around 39.4 in of rainfall per year, while Hong Kong gets 95.7 in.
What language do they speak in New York?
The official language in New York is English. In Hong Kong, the official languages are Chinese and English.
