This friend mentioned that they also want to compare, so here are the cities I have visited in the past year compared to Hong Kong:

The first is Singapore. Both Hong Kong and Singapore have high living costs, but when comparing the two, it's not just my personal opinion. During my recent trip to Hong Kong, I asked many friends who live in both Hong Kong and Singapore, and they all felt that the food in Hong Kong is indeed better, significantly better than in Singapore.

Especially the chicken, as Singapore imports only frozen chicken and cannot have live chickens, so the taste of chicken is quite different. Moreover, almost all ingredients in Singapore are imported. Personally, I feel that food in Singapore is a bit more expensive than in Hong Kong, and the taste of the same ingredients may be slightly inferior. Additionally, Singapore's seafood is not as good as Hong Kong's, which must be acknowledged.

However, aside from food, Singapore leads in air quality, housing, citizen happiness, government satisfaction, and education. Of course, Singapore is smaller and has fewer people, so the nightlife is less vibrant. In Hong Kong, I might still be interested in shopping at 3 AM, but in Singapore, it feels quite lonely to be out at that time.

In terms of lifestyle, Singapore is better than Hong Kong, and I personally feel it is much better. Although the service industry in Singapore is not perfect, it is significantly stronger than in Hong Kong. In terms of employment, I believe Singapore completely outperforms Hong Kong, and I won't elaborate further on that. Transportation costs in Singapore are indeed quite high, but public transport in both places is excellent, with Hong Kong's fares being considerably cheaper.

The second city is Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. In the past six months, I have visited Vietnam frequently due to investments there. Vietnam has the second-best public safety in Southeast Asia after Singapore, so it's common to see many young men and women on the streets late at night. Compared to Hong Kong, the standard of living in Vietnam is definitely lower, but the happiness level is higher, and the cost of living is significantly lower in terms of clothing, food, housing, and transportation.

However, being a developing country, job opportunities in Vietnam are not suitable for those seeking employment. If you are just visiting, Vietnam is a great option, but the food there is probably the worst among the countries I frequently visit. I have tried local dishes, and aside from Vietnamese pho, I find it hard to adapt to other foods. Vietnamese Chinese cuisine is also quite disappointing, but Haidilao is very popular in Vietnam. You could say that if you want to date a girl in Vietnam, taking her to Haidilao is the best option.

Prices are similar to those in Shanghai, slightly cheaper. You could say Vietnam is like China in the 1980s to 1990s. Directly comparing it to Hong Kong is not very appropriate, but if you travel to Vietnam, you will have a completely different experience from Hong Kong.

The third city is Japan. I have lived in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Hokkaido, although not for long, but the total time is still considerable. When comparing food between Japan and Hong Kong, I personally think Japan is better. Of course, I wouldn't eat Cantonese cuisine in Japan; I just prefer the overall dietary structure in Japan. Compared to Singapore, Japan is on a completely different level.

In terms of living costs, Tokyo's costs are similar to Shanghai's, and outside of Tokyo, they are comparable to China's second-tier cities, but housing prices are much cheaper. Therefore, the living costs in Japan are significantly lower than in Hong Kong and Singapore. I have considered living in Japan, so I carefully compared various living costs, and I found that I could have a similar living experience in Japan for about one-third of what I would spend in Singapore.

Japan's service industry is also well-known, and in most cases, it surpasses Hong Kong's. However, the overall employment situation in Japan is quite similar to that in Hong Kong. Often, taxi drivers are older, and both Tokyo and Hong Kong are very fast-paced cities. During my shopping trip in Japan, I noticed that many middle-aged and young people, like in Hong Kong, looked quite exhausted. In terms of accommodation, white-collar workers in Japan and Hong Kong are quite similar.

Overall, I prefer the lifestyle in Japan, which is also why I enjoy traveling there. I rarely go to Hong Kong except for work, but I go to Japan for vacation. Similarly, I love shopping in Tokyo at midnight; it's quite fun. Japan has distinct four seasons, which Singapore, Hong Kong, and Ho Chi Minh City do not have.

The fourth city is Taipei. Taipei is very similar to Tokyo in many aspects, so I placed it here. Compared to Hong Kong, the pace in Taipei is more relaxed, similar to Singapore. People living in Taipei do not seem very tired; instead, they are often smiling. You can see people of all ages out and about late at night, but it seems that people in Taipei have high standards for their appearance, much like in Tokyo, which I did not feel in Singapore and Hong Kong.

In Taipei, it seems that very few people wear shorts, flip-flops, and T-shirts. The food in Taipei is definitely comparable to that of Hong Kong before 2022, with delicious food everywhere. I specifically went to Ximending and really regretted being stingy with money; I should have just taken a few bites of each dish and moved on to the next one. Of course, this is related to the fact that I have been to Taipei very few times, so everything looks delicious to me.

Having lived in Hong Kong for so long, I have become immune to many things. Additionally, Taipei's sanitation is quite good, and the service industry is friendly, basically like Japanese people who speak Chinese, so there are no complaints in terms of service. In terms of prices, Taipei is slightly cheaper than Japan, not to mention compared to Hong Kong. In my mind, Taipei is like Tokyo at a 20% discount, or actually a 30% discount because of the language advantage.

The fifth city is Dubai. I lived in Dubai for over a month last year. Comparing Dubai to Hong Kong is not very appropriate as they are completely different. Overall, I prefer Hong Kong a bit more. Although Dubai is dazzling, it feels very distant. Walking on the streets of Dubai, you can clearly feel that you are a foreigner; this feeling is something I have only experienced in Europe, not even in the United States.

The cost of living in Dubai is not low, but it is still cheaper than in Hong Kong. However, the food structure in Dubai is somewhat monotonous, and it is the only place where I encountered fake alcohol. Fortunately, there was a very influential person in our group who quickly switched out the first bottle of Maotai after one sip and did the same with the second bottle of Wuliangye, and then we just drank cola, and the shopkeeper didn't say a word about the exchange.

For me, Dubai is a nice tourist city where you can experience Middle Eastern culture, which is completely different from Asia. However, as an Asian, I find it slightly uncomfortable to live in Dubai long-term, especially when going out for a walk at night; I am quite cautious. In terms of food, Dubai's high-end Western cuisine is indeed good, at least it looks great. Additionally, although I spent some time there, it was mainly for activities, and I rarely experienced local life, so my comparisons may not be very accurate.

The sixth city is Shanghai. Hong Kong used to be frequently compared to Shanghai, but to be honest, before 2021, I really loved going to Hong Kong. At that time, I felt that Shanghai could not compare to Hong Kong. Of course, this is from my perspective; if you consider someone like Wang Sicong, Shanghai would definitely be better. When I lived in Shanghai, I was quite reclusive, mostly staying around my living area and rarely going out, and Shanghai felt too familiar to me, losing its sense of mystery.

However, in terms of living costs, Shanghai is slightly cheaper than Hong Kong. Compared to 21 years ago, the food in Hong Kong is better, and compared to Hong Kong 21 years later, I still think Hong Kong has better food for around 200 RMB per capita. For over 500 RMB per capita, Shanghai might be slightly better. I enjoy eating all-you-can-eat Japanese cuisine in both Shanghai and Hong Kong, and most of the time, I prefer Shanghai, but I often end up with diarrhea after eating in Shanghai, while that doesn't happen in Hong Kong.

I haven't been back to Shanghai for a year. When I was in Shanghai, I rarely went shopping except for meals, and I absolutely wouldn't go out shopping in Shanghai at midnight. If I went out, it would be by car. Shanghai is too big, and the distance between people is far, which is something that Hong Kong and Singapore do well. My social life in Hong Kong and Singapore is much more active than in Shanghai. Many friends in the comments say that Shanghai's malls are also not very crowded anymore, which indeed makes it more similar to Hong Kong compared to Singapore, Vietnam, Tokyo, and Taipei.

I think it started around 2015 that I rarely went to Xujiahui anymore. I used to live in Xuhui and would often go there for food and entertainment. Occasionally, I would shop there, but the rise of Taobao led to the decline of Shanghai's malls. At that time, the service industry in Shanghai was also terrible, with older ladies looking down on people. As for transportation in Shanghai, it was really a mess, but it is much better than in Ho Chi Minh City, where the traffic is a real joke.

The seventh city is Macau. To be honest, I prefer Macau over Hong Kong. Macau is a place I take my friends to for vacation almost every year. The food is good, the drinks are good, and the entertainment is good; everything is quite nice, and the prices are slightly cheaper than in Hong Kong, mainly in the new urban area. It's a small place, and I have already adapted to it. I never gamble or go to spas; I just eat and shop.

The food in Macau is very similar to Hong Kong before 2021, with not much change in that regard. However, in the past year, it seems that the number of tourists in Macau has decreased, and the popularity is not as strong as before. There are fewer people in the malls, and places that used to be hard to book can now be reserved. However, going out in Macau at midnight can also feel quite lonely.

The eighth city is Thailand. I have only been to Thailand once in the past year, and it was for an event. Thailand has not been on my list for a long time. After living in Southeast Asia, Thailand feels very repetitive. I used to love the beaches, but now they are a mess. Life is quite good, and the cost of living in Thailand is lower than in all the places mentioned above, even lower than in Vietnam. However, Thailand gives me the impression that it has become "oily" and lost its previous simplicity.

Even comparing Bangkok to Hong Kong is not appropriate; Hong Kong is much stronger. From food to transportation to employment, Hong Kong has significant advantages, except in terms of housing, where Thailand is better than Hong Kong. Other than that, there is not much to compare, as Thailand is primarily a tourist country.

From 2024 to 2025, I have visited some purely tourist countries, but they are not worth comparing. This year, I mainly stayed in Singapore and went out much less than before. Overall, I would not consider Hong Kong as a destination for vacation or relaxation anymore. The Hong Kong I loved exists only in my memories, and the same goes for Shanghai. In this regard, Shanghai and Hong Kong are quite similar.

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