, Hong Kong

Over half of Hong Kong couples are saying “I don’t”

They're also giving-up on having babies, too.

The high-cost of living has forced 53% of middle-class unmarried couples who participated in a city-wide survey to say they were delaying marriage to try to save cash.

The same survey also found that 45% of Hong Kong’s middle-class couples have abandoned the idea of having a child. The new survey commissioned by Citibank blames the city’s high cost of living for the middle-class' souring on marriage and parenthood.

Nearly half of married respondents said the statement, “Because having a kid is too expensive, my spouse and I have decided against having one/having another,” “quite” or “totally” described their situation.

Another 29% felt neutral about the statement, while only 26% of married respondents said it didn’t apply to them.

Join Hong Kong Business community

Experts said such findings can be partly explained by the outrageously unaffordable prices for Hong Kong housing, which have surged 120% since 2008.

A modest 650-square-foot apartment on Hong Kong Island, for example, costs some US$1 million, according to government statistics. Citibank said the middle-class in Hong Kong spend some 40% of their income on housing alone.

The survey polled 1,000 adults in April aged 30-40 with monthly income between 20,000 and 50,000 Hong Kong dollars (US$2,580-US$6,450). 

Since you're here...

...there are many ways you can work with us to advertise your company and connect to your customers. Our team can help you dight and create an advertising campaign, in print and digital, on this website and in print magazine.

We can also organize a real life or digital event for you and find thought leader speakers as well as industry leaders, who could be your potential partners, to join the event. We also run some awards programmes which give you an opportunity to be recognized for your achievements during the year and you can join this as a participant or a sponsor.

Let us help you drive your business forward with a good partnership!

Top News

HSBC Life posts 21.5% share of new premiums in Q1 2025
The insurer wrote over HK$20b in new business premiums during the period. 
Insurance
McDonald’s-leased HK retail sites hit market in $1.2b sale
The properties are located in high-traffic areas including Tsim Sha Tsui, Causeway Bay, Mong Kok, among others.
Hong Kong tourism rises 11.9% with Mainland travel rebound
Hotel occupancy averaged around 85% in 2024, but the Average Daily Rate (ADR) dropped 4.3% YoY.
Hong Kong insurance premiums hit $28.6b in Q1 2025
This was driven by robust growth in both long-term and general insurance business.
Insurance