A Hong Kong couple with a combined monthly income of more than HK$90,000 say they still cannot afford to have a child, citing heavy financial commitments and rising living costs.
The case was highlighted by Sing Tao Headline, a sister publication of The Standard, where a married woman shared details of her household finances on social media, sparking widespread discussion.
According to the post, the woman earns about HK$35,000 to HK$37,000 a month, while her husband earns around HK$56,000. Although they are considered middle class, she said their disposable income is limited after covering essential expenses.
The couple spend about HK$36,000 a month on mortgage payments, more than HK$10,000 on car-related expenses including fuel, maintenance and licensing, and around HK$14,000 on food. Additional costs such as insurance, utilities and management fees further reduce their financial flexibility, leaving them close to breaking even each month.
The woman said raising a child would involve far more than basic necessities such as milk powder and diapers, pointing to long-term expenses including childcare, education, extracurricular activities and medical costs.
She also expressed concern about future financial pressure from caring for elderly family members, noting that her mother alone currently spends about HK$6,000 a month on medical expenses.
The post also highlighted what she described as “timing pressure”, as raising a child could coincide with increasing healthcare needs of ageing parents, placing a double financial burden on the family.
The discussion drew mixed reactions online. Some users questioned the couple’s spending habits, suggesting their expenses were too high, while others said the case reflected the broader challenges of raising children in Hong Kong.
According to a 2022 survey by Hang Seng Bank, raising a child in Hong Kong to the age of 22 costs more than HK$6 million, with average annual expenses of about HK$284,000.
𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓
