The Most Habitable Districts In Hong Kong

Residing in a bustling metropolis comes with its execs and cons, particularly in a dense, fast-paced metropolis like Hong Kong. Whereas some components of the town supply comfort, greenery, and good transport hyperlinks, others could also be cramped, expensive, or much less well-connected. Collectively, these elements could be summed up in a single phrase: liveability.

Should you’re planning to relocate to the town, understanding which locations are probably the most habitable might help you determine the place to settle. We at Preply — a language studying platform and app offering classes with English lecturers and Mandarin and Cantonese on-line tutors — not too long ago analysed parameters to determine how snug and sensible it’s to reside in numerous areas in Hong Kong.

Whether or not you’re new to the town or seeking to transfer inside it, right here’s what we discovered.

Key findings

• Wong Tai Sin, Sham Shui Po, and Wan Chai are the least habitable districts in Hong Kong.
• Yuen Lengthy, North District, and Sha Tin emerge as probably the most fascinating areas to remain in.
• Kwun Tong, ​​Sham Shui Po and Yau Tsim Mong have the very best inhabitants density.
• Central and Western, Southern and Wan Chai are the priciest areas to purchase a home, and Tuen Mun is probably the most reasonably priced.
• Yau Tsim Mong, Kwun Tong and Sha Tin report the very best crime charges in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong’s finest and worst districts to reside in

To establish which of Hong Kong’s 18 districts rank highest and lowest for liveability, we examined knowledge from a variety of sources, together with official statistics from the Hong Kong authorities, publicly out there knowledge from Google, and from main service suppliers within the metropolis.

By analyzing a number of elements that contribute to day by day life, we established a rating that highlights the districts providing one of the best total dwelling expertise.

The research reveals that the finest districts to reside in Hong Kong are Yuen Lengthy, North District, which incorporates neighbourhoods like Fanling and Sheung Shui, and Sha Tin. These areas stand out because of a stability of affordability, accessibility, and high quality of life.

However, the least habitable districts within the 852 are Wong Tai Sin, Sham Shui Po, and Wan Chai, reflecting challenges associated to value, density, and different city pressures.

The rating relies on key elements that have an effect on day by day life, together with how crowded an space is, housing costs, crime charges, the variety of outlets and eating places, entry to parks, faculties, public transport (trains and buses), and the standard of air, water, and noise ranges.

By weighting these standards, the rating highlights which districts supply one of the best total dwelling circumstances. The next sections will additional discover these standards, providing a deeper look into the weather that form the liveability of every district.

North and Tuen Mun: one of the best districts to purchase a house in Hong Kong

Tuen Mun, North District and Yuen Lengthy stand out as three of the most reasonably priced locations to purchase a house in Hong Kong, whereas we discovered that Central and Western District, Southern District and Wan Chai rank because the priciest components of Hong Kong.

If Central and Western districts attain a mean value of HK$21,181 per sq. foot, Tuen Mun stays probably the most budget-friendly at round HK$9,204. To match, the typical value per sq. foot in Paris stands at HK$7,271. This huge distinction is smart, as Central’s prime location and function as a industrial hub hold demand, and costs, excessive.

The variation in property costs throughout Hong Kong displays the town’s distinctive geography and improvement patterns. These areas usually fetch sky-high costs due to their comfort, status, and proximity to the enterprise centre and iconic landmarks. The northern a part of Hong Kong and the New Territories supply a extra suburban, laid-back setting farther from the guts of the town, making property extra reasonably priced.

Security issues? Yau Tsim Mong tops Hong Kong’s crime charge charts

Whereas Hong Kong is a protected metropolis by world requirements, crime charges can nonetheless fluctuate relying on the place you reside, and the North District, the Islands and Wan Chai are its most secure areas.

In accordance with figures from the Hong Kong Police Pressure, which examined the Variety of Reported Instances by Police Districts from January to October 2024, Yau Tsim Mong seems to be the least protected district in Hong Kong with 8,883 reported crimes. However, North District is the most secure with simply 586 instances throughout the identical interval.

Protecting Tsim Sha Tsui, Mong Kok, and Yau Ma Tei, it’s one of many busiest areas in Hong Kong, full of vacationers, late-night leisure, busy buying streets, and high-density residential buildings. The fixed circulate of individuals and vigorous nightlife consequently will increase alternatives for petty crime like theft, pickpocketing, and minor assaults.

North District’s decrease crime numbers replicate its quieter, extra residential setting, with fewer industrial hubs and nightlife choices in comparison with city hotspots.

On the lookout for area? Islands is Hong Kong’s least crowded district

For these craving extra respiration room in Hong Kong, Islands District is your finest wager.

In accordance with knowledge from the Hong Kong Inhabitants Density by 18 Districts report, the previous industrial neighbourhood of Kwun Tong is probably the most crowded locality, adopted by vacationer hotspots Sham Shui Po and Yau Tsim Mong. On the opposite finish of the spectrum, the least congested components of the territory are the Islands District, North District, and Tai Po.

Islands District, with its 1,021 residents per sq. kilometre, supplies a stark distinction to Kwun Tong’s 59,704 people per sq. kilometre. Whereas Kwun Tong is a closely urbanised district, dwelling within the Islands District is a worlds-apart expertise. That is the most important district in Hong Kong and covers Lantau Island, Lamma Island, Cheung Chau, and different outlying islands.

It’s recognized for its open areas, mountain climbing trails, and sea views. Housing density is way decrease, and the approach to life tends to be extra chilled out.

Leisure Hub: Yau Tsim Mong leads in buying, bars, and eating places

Whereas Yau Tsim Mong might elevate issues with regards to tight dwelling areas and excessive crime charges, it takes the title as Hong Kong’s undisputed leisure hub.

In accordance with knowledge assessing the variety of bars and eating places and the variety of buying malls and supermarkets throughout all districts, Yau Tsim Mong comes out forward in each retail and eating choices, respectively with 6,234 bars and eating places and 324 buying choices.

Central and Western District, Jap District, and Tsuen Wan additionally boast a excessive variety of pubs and eating places. On the subject of malls and supermarkets, Jap, Kwun Tong, and Tsuen Wan additionally supply loads of choices, whereas Islands District, Southern District, and Tai Po have far fewer decisions. The Islands District, specifically, has solely 777 eateries and 46 retail hubs.

Elevating youngsters in Hong Kong? Yuen Lengthy and Kowloon Metropolis stand out

For households seeking to cool down in Hong Kong, Yuen Lengthy and Kowloon Metropolis are two neighbourhoods that come out on prime, due to their wealth of parks, playgrounds, and faculties. Each areas are strongholds for child-friendly infrastructure, doubtlessly making them interesting to folks.

Yuen Lengthy, Sha Tin, and North District are among the many most family-friendly areas in Hong Kong, due to their abundance of sprawling parks, biking tracks, and inexperienced areas. In distinction, Kwai Tsing, Wan Chai, and Southern District don’t supply as many conveniently situated leisure areas.

In the meantime, Kowloon Metropolis, Sha Tin, and Yuen Lengthy are extra suited to households with school-age kids as they’ve a excessive variety of high quality schooling choices. Nevertheless, Wan Chai, Tsuen Wan, and the Islands District have extra restricted faculty networks, making entry to schooling difficult for residents.

Selecting the place to reside in Hong Kong can really feel a bit overwhelming, particularly should you’re new to the town. Alongside elements like housing prices, crime charges, and faculty entry, public transport and environmental high quality had been additionally thought of within the ultimate district rankings.

Yuen Lengthy stood out because the finest for transport connections, whereas Wong Tai Sin got here in final. When it comes to air and water high quality, in addition to noise ranges, Kwai Tsing carried out one of the best, whereas Yuen Lengthy ranked the bottom.

Why this issues

Relocating is an enormous step. And settling into a brand new metropolis—or perhaps a new neighbourhood—can form your life-style, well-being, and alternatives.

At Preply, we’re right here to make transitions smoother. Studying the native language, understanding cultural nuances, and constructing on a regular basis confidence are all a part of what our tutors assist learners obtain. And it begins with feeling grounded the place you reside.

Each neighbourhood has its advantages and disadvantages, and discovering the fitting match usually is determined by your life-style and priorities. Should you’re settling in and serious about honing your language abilities, Preply might help. You possibly can be taught Cantonese to make getting round Hong Kong simpler, or enhance your English with native British, American, or different lecturers on-line to make the transition to a brand new job as seamless as doable.

So whether or not you’re trying to find area to breathe, a shorter commute, or just a safer place to name residence, understanding liveability might help you make extra knowledgeable choices.