Hong Kong is home to over 7,5 million people. Even though Hong Kong has an area of about 1100km2, not all can be used for urban development as much of the land is restricted. The population density in Hong Kong is at 6777/km2, which means that the area is one of the most populated in the world.
With a city this populated and highly restricted when it comes to urban development, it will result in lack of space for the population. The population is growing faster than the development of housing. Another issue is the price of housing in the city. In 2020 Hong Kong was ranked the most expensive city to purchase property and one of the most expensive cities to rent a home. This means that people who have a low income in Hong Kong, will and are struggling to find housing.
Because of the growing need for cheap housing, new offers have started to flourish. There is now a growing number of subdivided flats and something called cage homes in Hong Kong. There are also people in Hong Kong that live in capsules that are used in short term hotels or hostels.
When I moved to Hong Kong, I didn't know about the cage homes and definitely didn't know how common it is in Hong Kong. As time went on I started to wonder where everyone could fit into the city, where everyone found space to live. I therefore started to research about living in Hong Kong and found out how people actually live. I then started to understand more about the society and how divided it is.
I wanted to share some good videos with you. These videos are very informative about the living situation of many people in Hong Kong. Even if you are a local or not, the videos are worth watching.
Hong Kong: Life in Cages (Global Documentary) | Real Stories
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj7KtWhGrAE
How Hong Kong is home to the crazy rich and the mega poor
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUHDAfD0Z-Q
Inside Hong Kong’s cage homes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLrFyjGZ9NU
Hong Kong’s residents living in 'coffin' homes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jr9XRmWNpfw
The heartbreaking reality of living in a crowed place! | Hong Kong: World's Busiest Cities - BBC
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xQKogpt0Cg
