Moving to Hong Kong from Italy

moving to

What to Expect

A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Italy to Hong Kong — from daily expenses to quality of life.

If you moved from Italy to Hong Kong, you would find that Hong Kong is 39.5% more expensive than Italy overall. A €65,700 salary in Italy would need to be roughly HK$861,585 in Hong Kong to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese and English. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Hong Kong averages 79°F vs 69°F in Rome, making it significantly warmer.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

How your spending power changes when you relocate from Italy to Hong Kong.

What does your salary buy?

€65,700 HK$861,585

To maintain the same standard of living in Hong Kong

Calculate with your salary →

The biggest cost differences at a glance

Restaurants

pay 43.2% less

Groceries

pay 25.5% more

Transportation

pay 22.5% more

Housing

pay 97.2% more

Childcare

pay 2.1 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 66.4% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 EUR = 8.95 HKD (July 2026)

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?

Real numbers on people moving from Italy to Hong Kong, and how the trend has changed.

Living there in 2020
669 ↑ 4% vs 2015

people born in Italy live in Hong Kong · UN DESA

Who's moving to Hong Kong?

Top countries of origin for Hong Kong's foreign-born residents.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

How Italy and Hong Kong stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

IT
0.6
HK
0.4

Hong Kong performs significantly better than Italy across all safety metrics.

What about the environment?

CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

IT
5.1t
HK
4.6t

Hong Kong performs significantly better than Italy across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

IT
31.5
HK
39.8
Electricity per capita World Bank, 2023

annual consumption — reflects grid capacity

IT
5,048 kWh
HK
6,375 kWh

Hong Kong performs significantly better than Italy across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

IT
7.6%
HK
3.9%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

IT
$52,700
HK
$64,400

Hong Kong performs significantly better than Italy across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

IT
82.6 yrs
HK
83.6 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

IT
3.2
HK
2.5

Hong Kong generally does better on family life, though Italy leads in education spending.

Data: Italian Revenue Agency, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Rome Rain: 31.7 in/yr (804 mm)
69° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Hong Kong Rain: 95.7 in/yr (2431 mm)
79° / 71°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Rome Hong Kong
Jan–Mar 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) 68°/61°F (20°/16°C)
Apr–Jun 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) 83°/75°F (28°/24°C)
Jul–Sep 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) 88°/80°F (31°/27°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) 76°/68°F (24°/20°C)
View all months
Month Rome Hong Kong
Jan 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C)
Feb 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) 67°/60°F (19.4°/15.3°C)
Mar 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) 71°/64°F (21.9°/17.6°C)
Apr 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) 78°/70°F (25.6°/21.1°C)
May 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) 84°/76°F (28.8°/24.5°C)
Jun 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) 87°/80°F (30.7°/26.5°C)
Jul 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) 89°/80°F (31.6°/26.9°C)
Aug 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) 88°/80°F (31.3°/26.7°C)
Sep 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) 87°/79°F (30.5°/26.1°C)
Oct 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) 83°/75°F (28.1°/23.9°C)
Nov 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) 76°/69°F (24.5°/20.3°C)
Dec 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) 69°/61°F (20.4°/16.2°C)

Data: Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology, Hong Kong Observatory Hong Kong Observatory

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Italy and Hong Kong. To live, work, or study long-term in Hong Kong, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Hong Kong's immigration authority.

Italy passport

Italy passport holder visiting Hong Kong

Visa Free
Italy passport holders can enter Hong Kong without a visa.
Hong Kong passport

Hong Kong passport holder visiting Italy

Visa Free
Hong Kong passport holders can enter Italy without a visa.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Hong Kong than Italy?

Day-to-day costs in Hong Kong run about 47% higher than Italy on average; specific cities can swing further.

How much money do I need to move to Hong Kong?

A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a €65,700 comparable salary, that's around HK$215,396 in Hong Kong for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.

Can I work remotely from Hong Kong?

With 39.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Hong Kong can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Italy and Hong Kong.

Is Hong Kong safe for expats?

Hong Kong performs significantly better than Italy across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Hong Kong is 0.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Italy.

What's the weather like in Hong Kong compared to Italy?

The average high temperature in Hong Kong is 79°F, compared to 69°F in Rome. Hong Kong receives around 95.7 in of rainfall per year, while Rome gets 31.7 in.

What language do they speak in Hong Kong?

The official languages in Hong Kong are Chinese and English. In Italy, the official languages are Catalan and Italian.

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At a Glance

IT HK
Population 61,095,551 7,276,588
Currency Euro (€) Hong Kong Dollar (HK$)
Languages Catalan, Italian Chinese, English
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +39 +852
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 999