Lifestyle in Hong Kong

You can sum up the expat lifestyle in Hong Kong with a phrase often used for the world’s biggest cities: ‘work hard, play hard.’ Nearly everybody does both. There are always restaurants to dine at, bars for a drink, clubs to dance in, and sights to see.

Expats working in Hong Kong often live their social lives at the same pace and with the same efficiency expected of them in the business world. After long, demanding days at the office, locals and foreigners alike have a wealth of options, from ostentatious luxury to the city’s great outdoors and cultural life.

Wealthy foreigners have long been drawn to Hong Kong by lucrative salaries, country club memberships, domestic helpers, and glamorous homes, so expats lucky enough to live in luxury have no shortage of options. Full expat packages have become less common, but those on more realistic payslips can still stay fit, entertained, well fed, and culturally engaged.

It isn’t always necessary to pay top dollar. The nightlife and shopping aimed at expats can be pricey, but there’s an endless supply of reasonably priced local equivalents. If you have a sense of adventure, this subtropical city also has plenty of outdoor options, from hiking trails and beaches to public barbecue sites.

Shopping in Hong Kong

The shopping in Hong Kong is legendary, and it’s easy for high-income expats to quickly become aisle-cruising addicts in an Asian hub with no sales tax and an impressive inventory of designer boutiques.

Flashy designer labels are extremely popular, especially with Hong Kong locals and mainland Chinese shoppers. Developers have kept pace, and parts of the city can feel like one endless chain of shopping centres.

The Landmark, IFC Mall, Harbour City, Pacific Place, Elements, and Times Square are just a few of them. Big names such as Prada, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci are everywhere, and high-street brands such as Zara and American Eagle are available as well.

Locals and tourists love the markets, and so do expats. Ladies’ Market, Jardine’s Crescent Market, Temple Street Night Market, and Stanley Market are among the best known. Haggling isn’t accepted everywhere, so watch what other shoppers do before you try to negotiate. Where it is fair game, you’ll usually have more luck bargaining over a bulk buy than over a single small item.

Eating out in Hong Kong

Part of the fun of eating out in Hong Kong is the sheer variety of cuisines from all over the world. More than 75 restaurants have Michelin stars. Some of the best meals, though, come from the cooked food centres and dai pai dong (open-air food stalls) at markets such as Kowloon City Market, Bowrington Market, Queen Street Cooked Food Market, and the Java Road Cooked Food Centre, where the fare is excellent and the prices low.

For high-end dining, look to Central, The Peak, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Wan Chai. Diners in these areas get harbour and ocean views on the side. The bill will be high, so if you’re planning on luxury bites, budget carefully.

Nightlife and entertainment in Hong Kong

You’ll find plenty of nightlife in Hong Kong once the sun goes down, from luxury lounges to hole-in-the-wall craft beer spots. For trendy clubs, head to Lan Kwai Fong, where the crowds spill out of buzzing nightclubs and swanky rooftop terraces onto the pavement below.

An occasional big night out is good fun, but some expats want something more refined. Live music bars and jazz clubs are dotted around the city. Lan Kwai Fong can feel heavily geared to tourists and expats, so many longtime residents point newcomers towards SoHo and Peel Street, or the Star Street area over in Wan Chai, for a more local, music-led night.

Best Attractions and Sightseeing in Hong Kong

Outdoor activities and sports in Hong Kong

Outdoor activities and sports in Hong Kong are easy to come by, whether you want to break a sweat or make friends.

Many expats use the facilities at the city’s private membership clubs, which have pools, gyms, tennis courts, and squash courts. You can also sign up for a standalone gym or a specialist club, such as a yoga studio or a boxing gym. Whatever your sport, there’s a place to do it.

Hong Kong has little spare land, but hiking is hugely popular all the same, and the contrast between the green hills and the towering glass-and-steel buildings is spectacular. The Hong Kong Trail is a 31-mile (50km) route across the forests and ridges of Hong Kong Island. It starts at Victoria Peak, ends at Big Wave Bay, and passes through five country parks along the way. Another popular option, the Lung Fu Shan Morning Trail, is a well-trodden path from near the University of Hong Kong up to Victoria Peak.

If you want to get out on the water, you can try windsurfing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, sailing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding. Windsurfers head to the beaches at Stanley and Sai Kung, as well as Cheung Chau, which is famous as the home of Olympic windsurfing champion Lee Lai-shan. Waterskiing and wakeboarding lessons are on offer around Tai Tam and Sai Kung. The Leisure and Cultural Services Department also runs several water sports centres where you can hire equipment and take courses.

Watching sport is a social event in its own right. The biggest fixture is the Hong Kong Sevens. Every spring, fans in fancy dress fill the stands for the three-day rugby tournament, which moved in 2025 to the new 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium. The stadium is the centrepiece of Kai Tak Sports Park, which was built on the site of the old airport. Midweek, expats and locals pack Happy Valley Racecourse for Wednesday-night horse racing, one of the city’s best-loved evenings out.

Meeting people and making friends in Hong Kong

Socialising can feel daunting at first, but meeting people and making friends in Hong Kong is easier than it looks. Newcomers tend to connect through shared interests, whether that’s a hiking group, a sports team, a volunteering drive, or a business networking event. Expat clubs and online platforms such as Meetup are a good first port of call, and you’ll find clubs and societies for just about every nationality and hobby.

Read more about how to Meet People and Make Friends in Hong Kong and the Best Clubs and Societies in Hong Kong.