Originally Posted by Brown Cow
So exactly were is the benefit to living in Hong Kong. You use up your entire housing allowance, you have to pay US tax after a certain earnings level, and things cost an awful lot compared to the US. The only way it is worthwhile to leave US soil for an ex-pat job is to go as a DEC.........I'm sure that Typhoonpilot won't even refute this.
BC
Housing allowance is meant to be spend on housing, so I do not see a problem about using your entire housing allowance for that purpose.
As for things cost an awful lot compared to the US? Have you ever lived in Hong Kong? I personally have lived in both Hong Kong and the US (Los Angeles) and it is my own experience that majority of things are cheaper in Hong Kong (food, cloths, electronics, going out to resturant, entertainment [ie: movie ticket is between HKD45 to 60 which is equalivant to USD6 to 8, the last I remember in LA, it cost about USD11 to watch a movie at the Arclight Cinema in LAX]). Although I do agree that housing and transportation is more expensive, in Hong Kong if you take a Metro (MTR), you paid according to the distance travel, none of those one fare for your whole journey kind of deals that you get in North America. But this simply means that your short trip within the city is not subsidizing others who is travelling a longer distance. Also, if you find an apporiate place to live that suits your life styles, then your transportation cost will be very small. So I do not see how things costs aweful lot in Hong Kong.
As for leaving US for a job in Cathay, for someone who is established and have been working for a US carrier for sometime, it is definitely not worth it to move to Hong Kong. Also, Cathay doesn't take direct entry captain, Captain in Cathay is only promoted from FO within the company. But for someone who just started their career in a regional carrier, then it is more then worth it to consider Cathay and Hong Kong as a jumping board. The last I heard from a buddy of mine who is working as a Captain in Chautauqua Airlines (one of those regionals that fly for US Airways, American, etc) got paid about USD72,000 a year. So moving to Hong Kong as an direct entry first officer is more then worth it in terms of salary. As for moving to Hong Kong as an direct entry SO, maybe it is more suitable for someone who is working as an FO in a US regional airlines. That way you won't get a decrease in salary. Ultimately, the decision is yours.