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Hong Kong on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes: if you can accept a small room, Hong Kong can be done on a budget, because food and transport are cheap and many of the best views are free. A realistic minimum is about HK$700 (about €80) a day per person sharing a room (about HK$350 bed, HK$200 food, HK$100 sights, HK$50 transport).
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | HK$350 | HK$800 | HK$2,000 |
| Food & drink | HK$200 | HK$450 | HK$1,000 |
| Sights & tickets | HK$100 | HK$300 | HK$600 |
| Local transport | HK$50 | HK$100 | HK$300 |
| Per person, per day | HK$700 | HK$1,650 | HK$3,900 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Hong Kong day-cost table.
Free things to do
- The Lugard Road loop at Victoria Peak, for the classic harbour view
- The Symphony of Lights show from the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront at 20:00
- Tai Kwun, the restored Central Police Station arts centre
- Man Mo Temple in Sheung Wan and Wong Tai Sin Temple in Kowloon
- The Dragon's Back hike to Big Wave Bay
- Chi Lin Nunnery and Nan Lian Garden in Diamond Hill
Cheap eats
- Milk tea and pineapple bun at a cha chaan teng: HK$20–35 each
- Wonton noodles: HK$40–70 a bowl
- Roast meat over rice: HK$45–80
- Curry fish balls and street skewers: HK$15–25 a skewer
- Egg waffle: HK$20–35
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in guesthouses and hostels in Tsim Sha Tsui (including Chungking Mansions and Mirador Mansion), Mong Kok, Yau Ma Tei, Jordan and Causeway Bay. Dorm beds cost roughly HK$200–400 and tiny private rooms in guesthouses roughly HK$400–700. Read recent reviews: rooms are very small and quality varies.
Getting around cheaply
Get an Octopus card or the Octopus mobile app and use the MTR, buses, the 'ding ding' trams (about HK$3 any distance) and the Star Ferry. From the airport, the A-route buses (for example A21 to Tsim Sha Tsui and Mong Kok) cost roughly HK$35–45, against about HK$115 for the faster Airport Express.
A sample budget day
- Morning: cha chaan teng breakfast of milk tea and a bun (about HK$40), the Mid-Levels Escalator and Man Mo Temple (free)
- Lunch: wonton noodles in Central or Sheung Wan (about HK$50–70)
- Afternoon: bus 15 up to the Peak (fare a little over HK$10) and the Lugard Road loop (free), then the tram along the island (about HK$3)
- Evening: Star Ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui (a few HK$), Symphony of Lights (free), roast meat on rice and street snacks at Temple Street (about HK$100)
- Total: about HK$250–300 plus your bed (a dorm or shared guesthouse room brings it to about HK$600–700)
More ways to save
- Use cooked-food centres above the municipal markets, such as Bowrington Road in Wan Chai, for cheap hot meals.
- Drink tea at Cantonese restaurants instead of bottled drinks, and expect a small tea charge per person.
- Take the slower ferries to Lantau, Lamma or Cheung Chau instead of tours; they are cheap with Octopus.
- Go to the Big Buddha by MTR and bus 23 from Tung Chung if the cable car queue or price is too high.
- Shop for snacks and drinks at convenience stores (7-Eleven, Circle K), which are on every corner.
- Avoid exchange booths with poor rates; use ATMs or compare rates in Tsim Sha Tsui before changing cash.
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Common questions
Can you visit Hong Kong on a budget?
Yes, if you accept a small room. Cheap food, the Octopus card and free views (Lugard Road, the Star Ferry, the Symphony of Lights) keep a day to about HK$600–700.
What is the cheapest way from the airport to the city?
The A-route airport buses, roughly HK$35–45, take about an hour. The Airport Express costs about HK$115 and reaches Central in about 24 minutes.
Where should budget travellers stay in Hong Kong?
Guesthouses and hostels in Tsim Sha Tsui, Jordan, Yau Ma Tei, Mong Kok and Causeway Bay, with dorm beds at roughly HK$200–400.