Centaline Property: Hong Kong private residential rents rise for 4 consecutive years; Centa-City Rental Index (CRI) up 27.63% cumulatively

Yang Mingyi, Senior Associate Director of the Research Department at Centaline Property, pointed out that under the support of rigid demand, private residential rents have continued to rise, with the Centa-City Rental Index (CRI) having broken its peak for 7 consecutive months. In the first 8 months of 2026, the CRI rose 6.94%; in 2025, it rose 5.21%; in 2024, it rose 5.64%; and in 2023, it rose 7.37%, for a cumulative increase of 27.63% over the past 4 years. Among them, Hong Kong Island and Kowloon urban areas outperformed the broader market, with cumulative increases of 28.39% and 32.16% respectively over the 4 years. The New Territories East and New Territories West regions saw increases of less than 25%, rising 24.57% and 22.31% respectively, slightly lagging behind. Among the 121 CRI Mass large-scale constituent housing estates, 19 (15.7%) recorded cumulative rent increases of over 30% in the past 4 years, with 16 of them rising for 4 consecutive years. Among the estates with rent increases of over 30%, Kowloon had 10 (accounting for 31.3% of the total estates in the same district), Hong Kong Island had 5 (19.2%), New Territories East had 1 (3.4%), and New Territories West had 3 (8.8%). Housing estates in Hong Kong Island and Kowloon urban areas led the New Territories in rental performance. Housing estates in Kowloon East showed strong rental performance. Whampoa Garden in Hung Hom, Le Prime of LOHAS Park Phase 1, LOHAS Park Phase 2, Ocean Shores, Tseung Kwan O Center/Tseung Kwan O Plaza, Serenity Place, Laguna City in Kwun Tong, and The Latitude in Wong Tai Sin all recorded rent increases of over 30%, ranging from 30.13% to 39.33%. As Hung Hom is near the Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Tseung Kwan O is also close to the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, they attract many students to rent, driving up rents in the housing estates in the district. In Kowloon West, only Banyan Garden and Libert in Cheung Sha Wan recorded relatively large rent increases, rising 32.89% and 32.55%. In the northeastern corner of Hong Kong Island, Taikoo Shing, Kornhill Garden, and Island Resort in Shau Kei Wan recorded notable rent increases, rising between 30.24% and 36.09%. Rents at Academic Terrace in Western District and South Horizons in Aberdeen also rose over 30%, with the Western District clearly benefiting from its proximity to the University of Hong Kong. Housing estates in the two New Territories regions performed relatively weaker. In New Territories East, only Festival City in Sha Tin recorded a relatively large rent increase, rising 37.85%. In New Territories West, Greenview Villa and Belvedere Garden in Tsuen Wan, and Sun Yuen Long Centre in Yuen Long, rose between 32.14% and 33.51%. Another 14 housing estates recorded rent increases of less than 10% in the past 4 years, clearly lagging behind, mainly concentrated in New Territories West. Housing estates in Tuen Mun, New Territories West, performed poorly, with Jubilee Garden even falling 9.12%, the worst among large-scale constituent housing estates, while rents at Hong Kong Gold Coast, Tai Hing Gardens, Miami Beach Towers, New Tuen Mun Centre, and Sea Crest Garden in the district rose only between 5.65% and 9.44%. Rents at Lido Garden and Bellagio in Tsuen Wan, New Territories West, rose only 3.68% and 8.27%. In New Territories East, Villa Athena in Ma On Shan also saw rents fall 0.15%, while Royal Ascot in Sha Tin, Belair Gardens, and Regentville/Royal Palms in the North District rose between 4.69% and 8.44%. Hong Kong Island and Kowloon each had 1 housing estate with cumulative rent increases of less than 10%, namely Baguio Villa in Mid-Levels rising 6.41% and Tak Bo Garden in Kwun Tong rising 9.19%. Among the top ten housing estates, urban areas performed better. Whampoa Garden in Kowloon performed the best, with rents rising nearly 40%, reaching 39.33%. Taikoo Shing on Hong Kong Island ranked second with a rise of 36.09%. Caribbean Coast and Kingswood Villas in New Territories West performed moderately, with rent increases below 20%, rising 15.94% and 16.98%.