DDay -25

Observation #7: Hong Kong boasts the world's freest economy and when you do business as a vendor or a consumer here, you are experiencing capitalism in its purest form. Pricing regulations are so lax that the prices are tiered and set to market conditions like the stock market. They can change daily or even hourly. I bought an iphone Stylus at the market for $25 ($3 USD) but when I went back for another one the next day, I got it for $22. 

Everything is negotiable and I mean everything and there are a lot of variables that can affect the bottom line. The biggest factor is perceived wealth. Need a curtain fitting for your apt? As soon as the vendor sees that fancy expat building you're living in, the price will jump at least 50% percent. If he discovers that the curtain is for the helper's room and she's paying for it, the price will decrease by 50%. Locals pay somewhere in between but it's really hard to know how much anything costs. Price discrimination is rampant and I assume legal since no one does anything about it. It's not fair but that's the way it is. If I take my quilt to the dry cleaner, I pay $150 HKD. If my helper takes it in, she only pays $100. 

At Wanchai market, I will be charged $10 for bok choy, a local will be charged $5 and a helper will be charged $1. The price of cars, rent, hotel rooms, clothing, even groceries and pretty much everything else will vary based on your tier. Expats get the highest price until they figure out that it's best to let their helper do all the shopping. Even the freest economy has a loophole. : )