Key facts
- Mainland Chinese students are re-evaluating their decision to stay in Hong Kong after graduation.
- High living costs in Hong Kong are a major factor influencing their decisions.
- Cultural fit and the prospect of lower expenses back home are also considerations.
- Some students are choosing to return to mainland China after graduation.
Mainland Chinese students studying in Hong Kong are increasingly rethinking their post-graduation plans due to the high cost of living and perceived cultural differences. Carol Chen, a 22-year-old mathematics and statistics graduate from Baptist University, is one such student. She calculated that renting a room in Hong Kong would consume approximately half of her anticipated starting salary of HK$20,000 (US$2,552) as a junior data analyst. Chen noted that returning to Shanghai would significantly reduce her financial worries, allowing her to focus on daily expenses rather than rent. This sentiment reflects a broader trend among mainland students who are weighing the economic and lifestyle factors of staying in Hong Kong against returning to their home cities.