agree, a half-decent (way below Japanese standards) flat of around 1,000 sqft sets you back around 5000 usd per month in rent alone. You do not need a car in HK at all, its a major pain to drive in HK which is why most any show-off and newly rich as well as mainland Chinese kleptomaniac bureaucrat is driven by a chauffeur. Eating out costs as much as eating out in NYC or London or Tokyo. So, sure, living expenses in HK are higher than somewhere in Omaha, Nebraska, but if you live in NYC and trade successfully and can chose to work there or in HK then I would not think twice and immediately choose HK for couple years. The capital gains tax difference is 20-30% depending on asset class.
Many low tax countries have relatively high costs of living. Monaco, Hong Kong, Singapore all will put you back $10k plus a month if you want to drive a decent car, have a modern 1,500 sqft flat in a decent area, go out a couple times a month. If you're considering becoming an expat for tax reasons you need to be paying 6 digits in taxes annually from trading first to make it economically feasible, otherwise stay where you are.
