Moving to Hong Kong? Expat Guide to Utilities, Internet and Setting Up Your New Home

Moving to Hong Kong comes with plenty to organise before life starts to feel settled. Finding a flat may seem like the hard part, but once the lease is signed, a new checklist begins.

How do you set up utilities in Hong Kong? Which internet provider should you choose? What essentials do most expats forget? What can be arranged before you even arrive?

If you are relocating for work, moving with family or arriving in Hong Kong for the first time, this guide walks through the practical steps to get your new home up and running, and feeling like home sooner.

At The Editors Company, we often support clients during exactly this stage, helping transform empty rentals into move-in-ready homes, often before they have even landed.

Home styled by The Editors Company

Moving to Hong Kong? Start with these five things first

If you have just signed a lease, prioritise these before thinking about tackling homeware:

1. Transfer utilities into your name
2. Book broadband installation early
3. Confirm lift or staircase size in the building
4. Order essential household basics for your first 72 hours
5. Solve storage and humidity needs early

A good rule is to focus on function before furnishings. Getting the practical layer right often helps a new Hong Kong home feel settled much faster.

What to do after signing a lease in Hong Kong

One of the most common questions after securing a flat is simply: what should I do first?

Transfer utilities

Confirm whether the electricity, water and gas accounts need to be transferred into your name. Electricity, gas and water may already be active, but accounts often still need to be assigned to you. Depending on where you live, electricity is generally provided by CLP Power or HK Electric. You will typically need:

• Tenancy agreement
• Passport or HKID
• Proof of address
• Bank details if setting up autopay

If your home uses piped gas, Towngas is typically the provider. It is worth checking whether your hob or hot water relies on gas, and whether an existing account needs transferring.

How long does utility setup take?

If accounts are simply being transferred, the process can often take a few days. In some cases, it can take up to two weeks, so it is worth starting before move-in day, where possible.

Tip: Arrange billing and autopay early. It is one less administrative task to worry about once you are in.

Book home internet

If you work remotely, have children studying online or simply want life to function quickly, Wi-Fi should be near the top of your list. Popular broadband providers in Hong Kong include:

• HKBN
• Netvigator
• SmarTone
• HKT
• 3HK

Some buildings have infrastructure limitations or preferred providers, which can affect what speeds or packages are available. Before you book, check:

• Fibre availability in your building
• Installation lead times
• Whether the previous tenant already had a line active
• Router placement in the flat

In compact Hong Kong apartments, dead zones can be surprisingly common, especially in older layouts. If you are working from home, think about connectivity where your desk will actually sit, not just where the router lands.

Home styled by The Editors Company

Confirm the building lift and staircase dimensions

This is one of the details many newcomers do not anticipate. Some Hong Kong apartments are walk-ups, and while others have elevators, both can be tight fits. 

This is an issue because getting things like dining tables, sofas or mattresses delivered can be tricky. It´s important to get a sense of:

• Is your apartment a walk-up or has an elevator?
• What is the height and width of the elevator or staircase?
• Is there a service elevator that can be used?

This can affect home goods deliveries and move-in timing more than people expect.

Order immediate essentials

Think less decorative shopping, more of what helps you live comfortably from day one. Useful first orders often include:

• Basic bedding if the flat is unfurnished or you are arriving before shipments
• A kettle, coffee setup or simple cookware for the first few mornings
• Toiletries and cleaning basics so you are not scrambling after move-in
• A drying rack or laundry essentials, especially if there is no dryer
• Power strips and universal adaptors for chargers and electronics
• A few practical storage pieces like hangers, drawer organisers or shoe racks

For families, you may also want to prioritise:

• Children’s sleep essentials
• A folding high chair or compact dining setup
• Basic home safety items if moving with younger children

A good rule: order what helps you sleep, wash, work and eat comfortably in the first 72 hours.

What do you need in your first week in a Hong Kong apartment?

Aim to have these sorted:

• Utilities are active, and auto-billing is set up
• Wi-Fi installed and tested
• Appliances like air conditioning and extractor fans are checked
• Not house specific but, if can be useful to have everyday payment and transport basics sorted, including an Octopus card for errands and getting around

Settling into a Hong Kong apartment often comes down to solving the practical layer first.

Home styled by The Editors Company

What newcomers often underestimate about Hong Kong homes

This is often where relocations get more complicated than expected. At The Editors Company, we often see newcomers focus first on sourcing big furnishings fast and cheap. Usually, the bigger wins come from solving how the home actually functions.

1. Humidity changes what matters

Many newcomers underestimate how humid Hong Kong can get. Between summer and the rainy season, moisture management becomes part of everyday life. A dehumidifier can feel more essential than decorative purchases, and it is useful even outside peak summer months.

It helps with:

• Laundry drying
• Wardrobes
• Bedding comfort
• General moisture management

This is one of those purchases people often wish they had made sooner.

2. Storage should come before styling

In Hong Kong, storage is a big deal. Many apartments do not have enough built-in closets, shelving, or cabinets, so practical storage becomes part of making the home livable.

Prioritise:

• Shoe storage
• Entryway organisation
• Under-bed storage
• Bathroom storage
• Flexible shelving

Homes often feel settled faster when storage is solved early rather than layered in later.

3. Lighting does more than people expect

Many rentals in Hong Kong come with basic overhead lighting only. Supplemental lamps can dramatically change:

• Ambience
• Functionality
• Comfort

This is often one of the simplest ways to make a rental feel warmer and more personal. Interior styling tip: aim for three ambient light sources in the main rooms, whether that is table lamps, standing lamps or other softer lighting options.

4. Flow matters more than square footage

In Hong Kong, even a reasonably sized apartment can feel cramped if the layout flow is off. Before buying furnishings, think about:

• Can you move easily through shared spaces?
• Does the living room need to work as a dining or work zone too?
• Are you blocking natural light with oversized pieces?
• Is there room for guests, children, pets or everyday routines?

Often, the issue is not a lack of space, but how the space is organised.

Home styled by The Editors Company

5. Compact pieces usually work better

The space, or lack of it, may surprise you when you get to Hong Kong. Rather than forcing oversized statement pieces into a home, it often works better to prioritise pieces that earn their keep.

Consider:

• Foldable dining tables
• Slim consoles
• Storage benches
• Multifunctional pieces

In small spaces, smart often beats more.

6. Rental-friendly upgrades can make a big difference

Without renovating, simple upgrades can transform a rental. Examples include:

• Layered lighting instead of relying only on overhead fixtures
• Rugs to define open-plan spaces
• Better curtains or window treatments
• Rental-friendly shelving
• Art and mirrors to shift scale and brightness

This is often the point where a generic rental starts to feel personal.

Interior stylist tip for new Hong Kong rentals

At The Editors Company, we often suggest solving a new home in this order:

1. Layout flow
2. Storage
3. Lighting
4. Soft furnishings
5. Decorative layering

That order tends to prevent rushed purchases and usually leads to a home that feels more considered from the start.

Home styled by The Editors Company

How much does it cost to set up a Hong Kong apartment?

Costs vary widely depending on the apartment, your standards and whether you are furnishing from scratch, but beyond rent, many expats often budget for two layers of spending.

Immediate setup costs

Typically includes:

• Utility or connection fees
• Broadband setup
• Dehumidifier or climate essentials
• Starter household items
• Practical storage pieces

Comfort-layer spending

Then often comes:

• Lighting upgrades
• Soft furnishings
• Storage solutions
• Rugs and curtains
• Organisation pieces
• Larger furnishings like a sofa, bed frame, mattress or dining table

This is often the point where people decide whether to piece things together gradually or use turnkey support to streamline decisions.

For expats relocating on tight timelines, turnkey support can help simplify sourcing, layout planning and delivery coordination, while avoiding rushed purchases that do not suit the space. At The Editors Company, we often help clients make those early decisions more efficiently, especially when setting up a home from afar.

How long does it take to set up a new home in Hong Kong?

A rough timeline many expats experience looks like this:

• Utilities transfer: a few days to two weeks
• Internet installation: often several days to two weeks
• Basic move-in essentials: first 72 hours
• Functional home setup: first two weeks
• Fully settled home: often 60 to 100 days

That is why getting the sequence right matters. It can shorten the gap between collecting keys and actually feeling at home.

Home styled by The Editors Company

Moving to Hong Kong remotely? What you can set up before arriving

A surprising amount can often be arranged before you land. Many relocating professionals now pre-plan:

• Internet appointments
• Delivery of basics
• Room layouts
• Furnishing selections
• Move-in-ready setup support

A practical approach many expats use is to break things into two phases.

Phase 1: Make the home functional

Prioritise:

• Bed setup
• Dining basics
• Lighting
• Storage

Phase 2: Layer in personality

Then add:

• Art
• Textiles
• Accent pieces

This phased approach often prevents rushed purchases and helps the home feel usable quickly, even if every decorative detail is not in place yet.

Should you ship furnishings or buy locally when moving to Hong Kong?

This is one of the most practical relocation questions, and the answer is usually a mix.

Often worth shipping

• Sentimental décor
• Artwork
• Favourite smaller pieces

Often easier to buy locally

• Larger furnishings
• Lamps
• Storage
• Rugs
• Apartment-specific pieces

This hybrid approach often avoids paying to move items that may not suit the realities of Hong Kong living.

Home styled by The Editors Company

When a turnkey home setup tends to make sense

For many expats, the challenge is not taste. It is bandwidth. Managing sourcing, layouts, deliveries and move-in logistics while starting a new job or relocating a family can become a second project very quickly.

Turnkey support tends to make sense if:

• You are relocating on a tight timeline
• You want a move-in-ready home from day one
• You are moving before arriving in person
• You want help blending shipped belongings with local sourcing
• You want rental-friendly solutions without renovating

At The Editors Company, we often help relocating clients:

• Furnish before arrival
• Blend shipped belongings with local sourcing
• Solve compact-space layouts
• Create rental-friendly homes that feel built-in
• Reduce the time between collecting keys and feeling settled

At The Editors Company, we often help relocating clients furnish before arrival, curate pieces from a wide range of brands, solve compact-space layouts and coordinate much of the sourcing and logistics on their behalf, helping reduce the time between collecting keys and feeling settled. Often without renovation.

Hong Kong move-in checklist for expats

Before move-in

• Transfer utilities
• Book broadband
• Check building move-in procedures
• Arrange cleaning if needed
• Measure rooms before buying furnishings
• Prioritise essentials first

First week

• Test appliances and air conditioning
• Set up autopay
• Buy dehumidifying essentials
• Solve storage pain points
• Improve lighting
• Focus on function before layering in décor

First month

• Fine-tune homeware placement
• Fill any storage gaps
• Add soft furnishings and artwork
• Improve ambience room by room
• Upgrade what is not working in daily life

Home styled by The Editors Company

Frequently asked questions

How do you set up utilities in Hong Kong?

Usually by transferring electricity, gas and water accounts using your tenancy agreement, ID and proof of address.

What is the best internet provider in Hong Kong?

It often depends on the building, though HKBN and Netvigator are common starting points for many expats.

How long does internet installation take in Hong Kong?

Lead times vary, which is why booking early helps.

What do expats often forget when moving to Hong Kong?

Humidity management, storage planning, lighting and building logistics are often underestimated.

Can you furnish a flat before arriving in Hong Kong?

Yes. Many people do, particularly through remote planning or turnkey support. The Editors Company offers turnkey support for people relocating to Hong Kong, and need a hand with setting up a fully furnished home before they arrive.

What should I buy first for a Hong Kong apartment?

Start with storage, climate essentials, lighting and everyday functional basics.

Should I ship furnishings or buy locally?

Usually, a mix works best. Ship meaningful, smaller pieces and source larger, apartment-specific items locally.

Is turnkey furnishing worth it for expats?

For many professionals relocating on tight timelines, it can significantly reduce stress and shorten settling-in time.

At The Editors Company, we often help relocating clients furnish before arrival by curating pieces suited to Hong Kong homes, blending shipped belongings with local sourcing, and handling much of the logistics so you arrive to a home that feels functional and move-in ready, without needing to renovate.

Home styled by The Editors Company

Want help settling into your new Hong Kong home?

Moving to Hong Kong is not only about finding an apartment. It is about getting life running smoothly once you have one. Utilities matter. Internet matters. Practical decisions matter.

But often the biggest difference comes from how quickly a space becomes functional, comfortable and ready to live in. That is what helps a new city feel like home faster.

And that is often where thoughtful setup, and sometimes turnkey support from The Editors Company, can make all the difference.