How Much Does Bookkeeping Cost in Hong Kong?

Three options, three very different cost profiles. Here is what each one actually costs — and who each one is right for.

Most Hong Kong businesses underestimate what they're spending on bookkeeping, because the full cost includes more than just the salary or fee. This guide covers the real numbers.

DIY / spreadsheets

No direct cost — but not free. A founder spending 15 hours a month on bookkeeping at HKD 400/hour is effectively paying HKD 6,000/month in opportunity cost, and getting amateur-quality output in return.

DIY works for pre-revenue businesses with fewer than 30 transactions a month. Past that point, errors compound silently. By the time you need investor-ready financials or face your first IRD audit, the catch-up cost typically runs HKD 15,000–50,000.

Right for: Very early stage, minimal transactions, founder has accounting experience.

Full-time in-house hire

Once you add salary, employer MPF (5%, capped at HKD 1,500/month), medical insurance, annual leave, software, and a recruitment fee, a junior bookkeeper costs HKD 23,500–34,000/month all-in. A senior accountant runs HKD 35,000–53,500/month.

That does not include office space, equipment, or the 3-month probation period where productivity is lower. The average Hong Kong bookkeeper also changes roles every 18–24 months — so plan for recurring recruitment cost.

Right for: Businesses with 500+ transactions/month, multiple entities, or a genuine need for a finance professional on-site daily.

Outsourced bookkeeping

The market range is HKD 2,000–20,000/month. At the lower end you get data entry; at the higher end, a professional managing your full finance function — reconciliation, monthly management accounts, IRD compliance, and advisory.

The key question when evaluating any provider: who actually does the work, and are compliance services (MPF, profits tax prep, employer returns) included or charged separately?

Right for: Most growing businesses with 50–500 transactions/month that want clean books and monthly reporting without the headcount commitment.

The simple rule

If you have fewer than 500 transactions a month, outsourcing almost always wins on both cost and quality. You get a professional finance function for significantly less than the all-in cost of a junior hire — and no management overhead, no recruitment cycles, no cover gaps.

In-house makes sense when your transaction volume or operational complexity genuinely requires a person on-site every day. That threshold is higher than most founders think.