Cathay Pacific salary and the Hong Kong rent problem, how crew manage

Six years at Cathay. The pay is decent by Asian standards, with flying allowances and layover allowances on top of basic, but Hong Kong rent is the problem everyone hits. Most junior crew share flats in Tung Chung near the airport or across in the New Territories. Foreign hires get an allowance element. Saving becomes realistic once you are past the junior grade and flying long haul regularly. The layovers, especially Europe and Australia, are the perk that keeps people.