Hong Kong - Post Report Question and Answers
How would you describe the availability and cost of groceries and household supplies relative to your home country?
You can get pretty much everything in Hong Kong, but most imported items are very expensive. - Jun 2020
Like most places very expensive if you are buying imported goods at a grocery store, but can be relatively reasonable. The chain grocery stores are good for most things, if not pricey. There is also a store that imports American goods if you can't do without your favorite Kirkland products or buffalo sauce. - Jul 2018
You can find just about anything and they will deliver it to your door! Great convenience but super expensive here. I can buy a basket of groceries..not a push cart, but a basket you carry, and it'll cost me over US$100! Food also seems to go bad more quickly here...not sure if it is the air or lack of preservatives but you have to be careful not to buy too much fresh produce or it'll go bad. Nothing worse than having to through out a US$10 avocado! - Apr 2016
You can get everything here, but it may cost ten times what it does in the U.S. - Feb 2015
Just about anything can be found in Hong Kong. One thing I was not prepared for is the very high cost of groceries, particularly meat, dairy, and produce (things you can't get through the DPO). Be prepared to spend more on groceries than on your mortgage back home. Both the consulate doctor and the community liaison officer advise against shopping "local" due to all the food scares in China. That leaves imports, which are very expensive. We are not provided with an adequate cost of living allowance here in Hong Kong, this is widely recognized and accepted. The low COLA versus the high cost of living in Hong Kong is a prevalent topic of conservation among the Consulate community. Living in Hong Kong has become a financial hardship for families. - Feb 2015
You can find just about anything here. There are so many options: U.S. brands, French, Italian, Japanese, etc. I think the prices are fair, but some would argue that. We are not in America so don't expect Walmart prices. - Mar 2012
Unless you're buying all Chinese products (which I don't recommend) and only produce from the wet markets, it is pretty expensive. Western imports, produce in grocery stores, milk products, etc are more expensive than in the US.Most things are available at one point or another, however the market in Hong Kong is considered as one giant experiment, so products come in for a few weeks, then just disappear. If you see something you like, you'd better buy all of it immediately, or you won't see it again. - Mar 2012
You can shop in the markets or in grocery shops (ranging from the low end to the top-end international standard).Prices can be high if you shop in the international supermarkets which stock items and brands from all around the world. - Aug 2010
You can get everything here. Probably a bit more expensive in general than in the US, sometimes much more so. - Jun 2010
Now, this is the bad part of Hong Kong. It is EXPENSIVE. The expat-type food and household supply selection is great but it is all generally imported from England, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. If you chose to eat only local foods, you can shop at markets and save some money. - Jun 2008
