Expatriates will find that Hong Kong still has a lot to offer

I refer to the article (“Forget Hong Kong, Taiwan is the new expat hotspot”, September 3).

In the Expat Insider survey Hong Kong’s overall ranking has dropped from 26th to 44th place. It found that expatriates preferred Taiwan for living and working. It was a new entry in the survey last year, and topped the poll this year.

Expats have been put off Hong Kong by the high cost of living partly caused by property prices and rents.

There is no doubt the living here is a lot more expensive than it would be in Taiwan. But as a local resident I think our city provides so much that is not available in Taiwan. Outside Taipei, especially in rural areas, while it may be cheap, especially rents, the infrastructure is not well developed.

Many expatriates want a convenient transport system and good-quality residential and retail districts.

The kind of convenient lifestyle that most expatriates would expect, especially a transport network that takes where you want quickly and efficiently, would only be available in Taiwan’s major cities.