Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hong Kong and Yap

For one person, living is cheaper in Yap: $1,895 a month against $2,984 in Hong Kong, rent and utilities included – about $13,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

144

Cost of Living Index in Hong Kong
Learn more

Hong Kong Living Index

Jump to prices

Hong Kong

🇭🇰 Hong Kong (China)

$2,984

/mo nomad

Yap

🇫🇲 Micronesia

$1,895

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hong Kong and in Yap

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hong Kong and in Yap actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,984 per month in Hong Kong vs $1,895 in Yap, rent included.

Hong Kong $2,984
Yap $1,895

A couple spends around $4,558 per month in Hong Kong vs $2,509 in Yap, rent included.

Hong Kong $4,558
Yap $2,509

A family of three spends $6,132 per month in Hong Kong vs $3,123 in Yap, rent included.

Hong Kong $6,132
Yap $3,123

Hong Kong costs about 57% more than Yap, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hong Kong and Yap sit above the global median – Hong Kong by 123%, Yap by 41%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.46 HK$66.4

$30.38 $30.38

-72.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$63.2 HK$496

$60.5 $60.5

4.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.20 HK$48.66

Cappuccino

$4.90 HK$38.42

$4.41 $4.41

11.11%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 HK$10.01

$1.78 $1.78

-28.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.06 HK$8.31

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.68 HK$60.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.28 HK$49.24

Milk (1 liter)

$2.86 HK$22.45

White Bread (500g)

$2.43 HK$19.10

$5.85 $5.85

-58.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.18 HK$17.09

$4.53 $4.53

-51.88%

Eggs

$3.54 HK$27.80

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.12 HK$197

$5.12 $5.12

390.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.89 HK$69.8

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.63 HK$138

$6.05 $6.05

191.40%

Apples (1kg)

$4.11 HK$32.23

$4.29 $4.29

-4.20%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 HK$21.32

$4.49 $4.49

-39.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.59 HK$36.05

$4.38 $4.38

4.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.02 HK$31.52

$4.37 $4.37

-8.01%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 HK$25.50

$5.30 $5.30

-38.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.27 HK$25.70

$1.63 $1.63

100.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.60 HK$12.54

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 HK$13.56

$1.52 $1.52

13.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.14 HK$103

Wine (Bottle)

$16.59 HK$130

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 HK$15.80

$3.81 $3.81

-47.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 HK$17.13

$2.99 $2.99

-27.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.44 HK$11.31

$0.98 $0.98

46.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.1 HK$699

$21.86 $21.86

307.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 HK$28.54

$7.46 $7.46

-51.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.31 HK$10.29

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.82 HK$124

$5.12 $5.12

208.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$4.06 HK$31.89

$1.55 $1.55

161.94%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$44.4K HK$348.2K

$3,992 $3,992

1011.26%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$37.4K HK$293.2K

$3,976 $3,976

839.76%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$247 HK$1,942

$79.8 $79.8

210.26%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$15.89 HK$125

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.46 HK$168

$79.9 $79.9

-73.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$91.4 HK$717

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.08 HK$71.3

Cinema Ticket

$13.96 HK$110

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,155 HK$9,068

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.3K HK$174.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.9 HK$541

$24.41 $24.41

182.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.44 HK$317

$76.0 $76.0

-46.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 HK$627

$81.0 $81.0

-1.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 HK$923

$119 $119

-0.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,180 HK$17.1K

$987 $987

120.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,718 HK$13.5K

$994 $994

72.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,047 HK$39.6K

$1,018 $1,018

395.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,543 HK$27.8K

$995 $995

256.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.1K HK$228.7K

$1,490 $1,490

1856.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$17.6K HK$137.9K

$995 $995

1665.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,228 HK$25.3K

$262 $262

1131.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.91

400000

-100.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Hong Kong: October 4, 2026

Last update for Yap: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Hong Kong

$1.7K 57.5%

Yap

–

Groceries & Markets

Hong Kong

$415 13.9%

Yap

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hong Kong

$285 9.5%

Yap

–

Eating Out

Hong Kong

$205 6.9%

Yap

–

Clothing & Footwear

Hong Kong

$138 4.6%

Yap

–

Sport & Entertainment

Hong Kong

$119 4%

Yap

–

Getting Around

Hong Kong

$105 3.5%

Yap

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,180 in Hong Kong versus $987 in Yap. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1131% higher in Hong Kong, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $63.0 in Hong Kong versus $60.0 in Yap. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $415 vs $260 – making Yap the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇭🇰 Hong Kong

🇫🇲 Yap

🕒 Local time

19:26 7:26 PM

21:26 9:26 PM

2 h ahead of Hong Kong

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,367,900 Capital

11,577

💱 Currency

Hong Kong Dollar HKD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 HKD = 0.127 USD

1 HKD = 0.114 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to HKD – Hong Kong Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇭🇰 Hong Kong Dollar ($)

Hong Kong Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 7.85 HKD (1 HKD = 0.127 USD). 1 EUR = 8.79 HKD (1 HKD = 0.114 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to HKD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Hong Kong Yap 2,920 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Hong Kong
Yap

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Hong Kong vs Yap: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,984 in Hong Kong, $1,895 in Yap – roughly 57% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,476 per month in Hong Kong and $2,843 in Yap. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yap, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 307% less in Yap. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Hong Kong, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Yap, where all-in costs run around $1,895, than in Hong Kong at $2,984. In Yap it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hong Kong it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Hong Kong has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,895 in Yap to $2,984 in Hong Kong. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Yap. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hong Kong makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.