15/04/2026
https://sc.mp/74pdk
I was privileged to have lived in both great cities, Hong Kong and Manila. But I do not agree with this news story on South China Morning Post. It is true that Hong Kong has one of the most expensive real estate and that most of it's citizen, can't afford to buy a home for themselves. Manila on the other hand is not as expensive in terms of real estate as that of Hong Kong. I believe the only difference is the pay terms of the developer in terms of acquiring the property. In Manila, some developers offer a downpayment period, before an owner needs to take out a loan, to pay for the balance of the property bought. Hong Kong on the other hand is you need to pay the property upfront, so you loan from the bank, before being able to own the property. In Hong Kong, the younger generations are unable to afford to purchase property, because it is indeed expensive and beyond their means to own. Even middle class younger generations can't afford to buy one. But in Manila, the same younger generation, could be able to afford to buy a property, but their priorities are not targeted to own properties. Siblings who are all working, could equally contribute their income to be able to buy properties, but they do not do that. As they have different priorities such as travel, gadgets, fashion, etc.
