China vs. Hong Kong vs. Taiwan
China vs. Hong Kong vs. Taiwan
Political situation aside, what would you say are the main differences one would notice on a day-to-day basis between living in these three places? I tend to think of Hong Kong and Taiwan as being more modern and "easier" places to live, but I have no specific examples to back that up.
Re: China vs. Hong Kong vs. Taiwan
Western manners. Chinese mainlanders have no concept of lining up, waiting patiently, using a toilet, being courteous. You must push, shove and trample on babies if you want to get anywhere (possibly literally).
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helloiswill
- Posts: 75
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Re: China vs. Hong Kong vs. Taiwan
Taiwan is a very comfortable, yet exciting, place to live. Despite a few people on this forum who had some negative experiences, I can tell you that in my 3 years living and teaching at a cram school, I found it to be a remarkable place to live and travel. People are welcoming, food is fantastic, and the island is full of natural beauty. It definitely has an island feel but in a way that strengthened community, not in a way that felt confining. I eventually moved on from Taiwan, seeking professional growth and my certification/masters back in the states. However, If I were offered the right opportunity at the right school on the island, I would move back in a heartbeat.
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wrldtrvlr123
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- Location: Japan
Re: China vs. Hong Kong vs. Taiwan
China is a very big place so tough to compare it to the others but having lived in Beijing and visited HK I would agree that in general China is going to be more rough around the edges in many/most ways than HK (and presumably Taiwan).
There is decent infrastructure in most big cities in China (within a range from fair to very good) but public transport is generally going to leave something to be desired in coverage, execution, etc which means taking a fair amount of taxis which can be frustrating and get expensive quickly. Pollution will also range from just bad to utterly horrible.
There will be a range of western goods, quality restaurants and western style housing (poor to very good with Beijing being on the very good end of the scale).
People will also vary wildly in manners (by western standards), English proficiency and their familiarity with having Westerners in their midst.
HK has more of a British heritage and will generally be at or beyond the positive end of the scale in virtually all areas I have mentioned (and many more I haven't). HK will also generally be more expensive to live a decent lifestyle than many/most places in China. HK is also an amazing place where I could imagine living many years whereas Beijing was an amazing place that is good for a few years but not much more than that for many people.
A lot of generalizations here but might be of some use to you or others.
There is decent infrastructure in most big cities in China (within a range from fair to very good) but public transport is generally going to leave something to be desired in coverage, execution, etc which means taking a fair amount of taxis which can be frustrating and get expensive quickly. Pollution will also range from just bad to utterly horrible.
There will be a range of western goods, quality restaurants and western style housing (poor to very good with Beijing being on the very good end of the scale).
People will also vary wildly in manners (by western standards), English proficiency and their familiarity with having Westerners in their midst.
HK has more of a British heritage and will generally be at or beyond the positive end of the scale in virtually all areas I have mentioned (and many more I haven't). HK will also generally be more expensive to live a decent lifestyle than many/most places in China. HK is also an amazing place where I could imagine living many years whereas Beijing was an amazing place that is good for a few years but not much more than that for many people.
A lot of generalizations here but might be of some use to you or others.
Response
The issue is that China is such a vast region the experience can be very different within China depending where you are.
My observations HK is like Tokyo accept everyones busier. Its not uncommon for locals to work 3 jobs. HK is the easiest to adopt to,its an international city and English is a working language. You can get anything you need as far as imports and the culture is a business culture of Asians more than an Asian culture of business. All of that comes at a price though and the easiness and coin needed to live comfortably as an IT means that there is a fair amount of desirability in working in HK. I love HK of the three its where Id pick, but theres a certain routine if your single and a certain albeit different routine if youre a couple, and while you can always wake up one day and do something else, the work culture makes those routines very deep. Its difficult making friends when they always have another job to do or go to. Still you can get anywhere too anywhere from HK relatively cheaply and of the three has the most condensed expat population, there are always various groups doing any and every imaginable activity. You can career out in HK with the right IS, and once your in HK moving around to other ISs and moving through the regional tiers is a lot easier. There are a number of conveniences that you take for granted in HK like open internet and web access and access to premium programing. If you have to see Game of Thrones and want to watch its airing, you can do that in HK. The weather is also pretty nice if you like it on the warm side.
Taiwan doesnt really know what to do with itself, there is a lot of Japanese influence and everything Japanese is "cool" compared to everything Chinese. Despite that, Taiwan (at least Taipei) is more like SK, a lot of relatively new and affluent families and individuals who really dont know what to do with their success, so they consume. You can live pretty easily, the metro isnt as good as HK, SG or JP but its not bad is mostly on time, you can navigate the basics of living in Taiwan without knowing mandarin, and theres a decent enough expat base to provide a decent social life. New Taiwanese are kind of like adolescents who are rebelling and just get older without growing up. Older Taiwanese think the new most recent generation is basically millennials who abandon everything of their culture and tradition. Life is a lot easier the more you spend on it. Its reasonably affordable to have a domestic helper who cleans does the laundry etc. You likely couldnt or wouldnt want to afford doing that in HK. Taiwan is probably best thought of as China lite with a lot of Japanese influences. You can definitely have more in Taiwan than you could in HK without living like a hermit.
China is all over the map. Shanghai is not Shenzhen and theres a lot of variation. I agree the rougher lifestyle is accurate. China has the easiest job opportunities and the best savings potential. You can live VERY well in parts of China on an ITs salary. The problems are that in some parts there might little if any access to western amenities, and a very sparse social scene amounting to your fellow ITs and some ETs. In the more affluent regions of China (such as Shanghai) you will find what was once farming people have moved to the urban centers and dont have a lot of sophistication. Depending on your location it might take forever to do the most tasks because there isnt access to English and everything you have to do through your ISs office staff. Still there is a real historical culture. People will be the friendliest in having white western friends in China is status, and so socializing is with locals is easier. Of course depending on the whims of the government things can change over the course of a day, and sometimes you just have to shrug pay what they ask and move on with your life.
My observations HK is like Tokyo accept everyones busier. Its not uncommon for locals to work 3 jobs. HK is the easiest to adopt to,its an international city and English is a working language. You can get anything you need as far as imports and the culture is a business culture of Asians more than an Asian culture of business. All of that comes at a price though and the easiness and coin needed to live comfortably as an IT means that there is a fair amount of desirability in working in HK. I love HK of the three its where Id pick, but theres a certain routine if your single and a certain albeit different routine if youre a couple, and while you can always wake up one day and do something else, the work culture makes those routines very deep. Its difficult making friends when they always have another job to do or go to. Still you can get anywhere too anywhere from HK relatively cheaply and of the three has the most condensed expat population, there are always various groups doing any and every imaginable activity. You can career out in HK with the right IS, and once your in HK moving around to other ISs and moving through the regional tiers is a lot easier. There are a number of conveniences that you take for granted in HK like open internet and web access and access to premium programing. If you have to see Game of Thrones and want to watch its airing, you can do that in HK. The weather is also pretty nice if you like it on the warm side.
Taiwan doesnt really know what to do with itself, there is a lot of Japanese influence and everything Japanese is "cool" compared to everything Chinese. Despite that, Taiwan (at least Taipei) is more like SK, a lot of relatively new and affluent families and individuals who really dont know what to do with their success, so they consume. You can live pretty easily, the metro isnt as good as HK, SG or JP but its not bad is mostly on time, you can navigate the basics of living in Taiwan without knowing mandarin, and theres a decent enough expat base to provide a decent social life. New Taiwanese are kind of like adolescents who are rebelling and just get older without growing up. Older Taiwanese think the new most recent generation is basically millennials who abandon everything of their culture and tradition. Life is a lot easier the more you spend on it. Its reasonably affordable to have a domestic helper who cleans does the laundry etc. You likely couldnt or wouldnt want to afford doing that in HK. Taiwan is probably best thought of as China lite with a lot of Japanese influences. You can definitely have more in Taiwan than you could in HK without living like a hermit.
China is all over the map. Shanghai is not Shenzhen and theres a lot of variation. I agree the rougher lifestyle is accurate. China has the easiest job opportunities and the best savings potential. You can live VERY well in parts of China on an ITs salary. The problems are that in some parts there might little if any access to western amenities, and a very sparse social scene amounting to your fellow ITs and some ETs. In the more affluent regions of China (such as Shanghai) you will find what was once farming people have moved to the urban centers and dont have a lot of sophistication. Depending on your location it might take forever to do the most tasks because there isnt access to English and everything you have to do through your ISs office staff. Still there is a real historical culture. People will be the friendliest in having white western friends in China is status, and so socializing is with locals is easier. Of course depending on the whims of the government things can change over the course of a day, and sometimes you just have to shrug pay what they ask and move on with your life.
Re: China vs. Hong Kong vs. Taiwan
I live in Taiwan and haven't been to either Hong Kong or China so I can't speak with any authority on the latter two.
Taiwan is a really safe and convenient place to live. In Kaohsiung and particularly Taipei, it is easy to get around due to the MRT. The people are really nice and welcoming. You will find all sorts of western luxuries as well as plenty of goods from Japan and Korea. It has a 24 hour convenience lifestyle. There is always a food vendor open no matter what time of night and at worst you can just go to one of the 7-11's that is on basicly every corner. You can get by quite easily without learning Chinese or Taiwanese. In terms of drinking and going out, I wouldn't call it as exciting as a western country or many other big cities in Asia, but in Taipei there will be enough to keep you occupied. The country has a lot of natural beauty.
On an international teacher's salary you should be living a pretty comfortable lifestyle. You'll be able to afford renting a nice apartment and eating out regularly with plenty of national travel and international travel during the holidays. The cost of living is probably about the same as Bangkok in Kaohsiung and a bit more expensive in Taipei. Definitely cheaper than Hong Kong.
The downsides are that there is quite bad pollution. In Kaohsiung during winter the AQI is generally between 130-180. The pollution is better in Taipei. The weather is nice all year around in the southern part but it can be rainy and miserable in winter in Taipei. Summer is really hot. Typhoons also come through in the rainy season and earthquakes happen. If you are a single male you will enjoy the dating scene. Many single female expats complain of difficulty dating compared to back home. It would be a good place for bringing a family due to the cost of living, child friendly environment and safety. Traffic is dangerous and crazy.
Taiwan is a really safe and convenient place to live. In Kaohsiung and particularly Taipei, it is easy to get around due to the MRT. The people are really nice and welcoming. You will find all sorts of western luxuries as well as plenty of goods from Japan and Korea. It has a 24 hour convenience lifestyle. There is always a food vendor open no matter what time of night and at worst you can just go to one of the 7-11's that is on basicly every corner. You can get by quite easily without learning Chinese or Taiwanese. In terms of drinking and going out, I wouldn't call it as exciting as a western country or many other big cities in Asia, but in Taipei there will be enough to keep you occupied. The country has a lot of natural beauty.
On an international teacher's salary you should be living a pretty comfortable lifestyle. You'll be able to afford renting a nice apartment and eating out regularly with plenty of national travel and international travel during the holidays. The cost of living is probably about the same as Bangkok in Kaohsiung and a bit more expensive in Taipei. Definitely cheaper than Hong Kong.
The downsides are that there is quite bad pollution. In Kaohsiung during winter the AQI is generally between 130-180. The pollution is better in Taipei. The weather is nice all year around in the southern part but it can be rainy and miserable in winter in Taipei. Summer is really hot. Typhoons also come through in the rainy season and earthquakes happen. If you are a single male you will enjoy the dating scene. Many single female expats complain of difficulty dating compared to back home. It would be a good place for bringing a family due to the cost of living, child friendly environment and safety. Traffic is dangerous and crazy.
Re: China vs. Hong Kong vs. Taiwan
I lived in Taiwan for 3 years. Have to say Damok sums it pretty much perfectly.