Rentals in Hong Kong are extremely expensive. Due to the limited availability of suitable land to build on, Hong Kong has developed vertically. The vast majority of the population lives in high-rise accommodation.
You should plan for a few weeks of looking at apartments before you find one that matches your needs in terms of size, quality and price. Apartments are measured in square feet: one square metre equals 10.762 square feet.
Rental prices depend on many different factors including size, location, age of the building and the facilities available. If you are higher in a building, you generally get a better view. Apartments on the higher floors command a premium. Apartments with a sea view (usually abbreviated in ads to ‘S/V’) are usually more expensive than those with a mountain view (‘M/V’), which in turn is preferable to rooms without a view.
Distance from the centre of town is also a factor. Many locals do not like residential areas that are more than an hour away from downtown. Most also prefer the security of living in populous areas and are reluctant to live in quiet rural neighbourhoods. Anything over fifteen years old is considered ‘old’ in Hong Kong, so the landlord may be more amenable to negotiation.