Software Engineer Salary: Hong Kong vs New York
Annual median salary comparison (2024). All figures include local currency, USD equivalent, and PPP-adjusted purchasing power.
🇭🇰 Hong Kong
Hong Kong
HK$600K HKD
$78K USD
$111K PPP
VS
USD Difference
-51%
Hong Kong vs New York
🇺🇸 New York
United States
$160K USD
$160K USD
$160K PPP
Higher Purchasing Power
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Hong Kong | New York | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local Currency Salary | HK$600K HKD | $160K USD | — |
| USD Equivalent | $78K | $160K | -51% |
| PPP-Adjusted SalaryWINNER | $111K | $160K 🏆 | -30% |
| 25th Percentile | HK$480K HKD | $128K USD | — |
| Median | HK$600K HKD | $160K USD | — |
| 75th Percentile | HK$750K HKD | $200K USD | — |
| Annual Mean | HK$648K HKD | $173K USD | — |
What Does This Mean?
Hong Kong offers a Software Engineer salary of $78K USD, while New York offers $160K USD — a difference of -51% in raw terms.
After adjusting for purchasing power parity (PPP), Hong Kong's salary is worth $111K in US purchasing power terms, versus $160K for New York. This means New York offers better real purchasing power for this role.
PPP adjustment accounts for differences in local prices — for example, housing costs 3x more in San Francisco than in Warsaw, so a San Francisco salary needs to be much higher to provide an equivalent standard of living.