24 per cent of Hong Kong minimum wage needed for basic groceries, 81 per cent in the Philippines
- A survey ranks countries on the proportion of the minimum wage needed to buy food essentials
- The best are the UK, Ireland and Australia, at 7 per cent; the worst are the Philippines, at 81 per cent, and Nigeria, at 194 per cent
Workers on Hong Kong’s minimum wage must spend a significant proportion of the money they earn on basic food items every month.
The study found that in Hong Kong, expenditure on basic food products consumes 24 per cent of the minimum wage (HK$6,900 per month, or US$882, based on a 50-hour week), placing the city 27th on a list of 52 countries and territories.
The study examined prices of eight universal food groups – bread, milk, rice, eggs, cheese, meat, fruit and vegetables. Picodi said that, while the list is short and frugal, the products meet the nutritional needs of an adult.
In Hong Kong, for a basket filled with basic items from the list, you will have to pay around HK$1,657.
The food basket used for the survey is based on average prices compiled by survey website numbeo.com. It did not take into consideration the prices of goods at the city’s wet markets.