Help me decide between two apartments

[feedback]

I'm looking at two different apartments in the same complex.

I'm leaning towards this one:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61854288@N ... 088493653/
It's 103 square meters, and all in all it's 3150 a month

The price is a little high though, so I'm also considering this one:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/61854288@N ... 212882144/
It's 83 square meters and 2250 a month.

I will be living alone, except for the occasional weekend- the main reasons for me to go with the bigger one is it's kitchen, and is overall much more nicely furnished, both bedrooms have a bathroom as well. It's also in the newest building in the complex, and faces the sunny side. The other apartment faces north and doesn't get much sun. Other than that, they're pretty similar.

Suggestions?

[Big Kahuna Burger]

shit, if you can afford #1 go for it. orange and black kitchen is badass.

are they both fully furnished?

[feedback]

Yeah, both fully furnished.

To put things in perspective, the first apartment would be 25% of my monthly salary (after tax).

The second apartment would be ~17.5% of my monthly salary.

[Whiskey 7]

feedback I live in an apartment, have done for 8 or so years and love it. I sold a house in the outer suburbs and moved closer to work.
This closer to work for you? Read now, why the move from the previous address?

Everyone to their own I recon, but I'd pick the first obviously if the choiceis to be made from the photos.
Are they are on different levels from the ground as I imagine they are?
I mean the more expensive is higher usually

My question to you is, what would you do with the difference in the cost if you go for the cheap one?
Pay off other bills/credit cards or perhaps invest for the future?

If invest I'd say number 2 and if pay other bills go for number 1.... and live life high on the horse Life is too short

Do you drive? Paying of a car?
** Sorry to ask so many questions but I (and others need to understand the $$ situation to truly give the right advice:D )

But, hang on a minute, you didn't say if there was an agreement as to the minimum period for rental/lease. I'd think 6 months but what are they asking you sign up for?

[feedback]

The apartments are indeed closer to work, I'm living in Beijing now, these apartments are in the HK/Macao southern China area which is where I'll be working starting August.

The first one is higher up than the second one, they are in different buildings and the first one's building is much taller and newer than the second. I imagine it will get a bit hotter in the summer.

I don't know about investing, I would probably just save the extra 1000...

No car also, don't need one.

The apts are paid month to month with a 2 month security deposit. The lease period is 6 months, but I'll be at this job for at least a year or two, hopefully.

Thanks for the advice.

[Whiskey 7]

Yep I've been to HK.... my Aunt still lives there so I have to visit again........

I did think the outdoors looked familiar

OK, no car, great Little else to spend you hard earned dollar on then...

By the way, when I said invest I did mean save, but try and lock it up in some way so you're not tempted

My advice then on the data supplied is number 1 and enjoy.

Positive thinking rules (or may rule) the world

[Don Carlos]

1st all the way if its only 25% of your wages sir...

[axbaby]

Go for the cheapest.
When you hookup with someone special then the money saved will come in handy.
vanity is stupid .. money in the bank is not.
my nice apartment is about 5% of my wages and to upgrade would be a complete waste of money.

[Don Carlos]

Nice appartment will get chicks naked quicker. True story.

[feedback]

You make compelling arguments, sirs. I already found someone special and don't have trouble getting her naked. Still don't know which one.

[Don Carlos]

All depends on how much of a social scene there is in HK I guess...and how high the cost of living is? If you are going to have loads of free cash anyway and things are cheap you may as well have a but more space...but if things are quite expensive then always go cheaper.

[feedback]

My area is very cheap, however Macao and HK (nearby) are quite expensive, so it wouldn't hurt to have an extra 1k a month for spending money.

[phantasmagoria]

the view from #1 looks better but you'd need to do something about that god awful lampshade.

[axbaby]

Nice appartment will get chicks naked quicker. True story.

i live in a place where just being white and is good enough.
feedback probably knows what i'm talking about.

[feedback]

(I know what axbaby is talking about)

[Big Kahuna Burger]

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww yeeeeee

[LawL]

Yeah, both fully furnished.

To put things in perspective, the first apartment would be 25% of my monthly salary (after tax).

The second apartment would be ~17.5% of my monthly salary.

Go the more expensive one. 25% of ones wage is fine to spend on rent.

[seremtan]

whichever one you choose, ditch the hideous furniture and get yourself down to IKEA. also, get some plants in there, and some strong colours

[^misantropia^]

First one but ditch the eye-soring chandeliers.

[LawL]

InteriorDecorator3World.

[^misantropia^]

no homo

[Grandpa Stu]

sounds to me like you can afford either one but the prospect of saving money on the shittier one is causing you some doubt. if that's the case, don't worry about the finances. get the one you "know" you'll be happy with. even if you pick the cheaper one you may find yourself spending more money on plush items to make up for the lack of awesome. at the same time that extra money in the bank can give you peace of mind with a pillow to fall back on to.

personally i'm more of a live in the moment kinda guy so i'd go for the first one. but if you're more of a cautious "wait and see" type of person then go with the second one. first one will be awesome enough to last you a long time. second one will get you by but better allow you tthe option to upgrade later on.

[LawL]

no homo

lol

[Nightshade]

First one. It's bigger, so you won't feel cramped by all the stuff you acquire over the course of living there. Plus, there's more room for corpse storage.

Looks like the first is also on a higher story than the second, something that I'd really go for. Since I'm completely awesome, you want to strive to be as much like me as possible and will therefore pick the first.

[feedback]

I'm leaning towards the second one meow- 1000 rmb a month adds up to 12000 a year which I could do a lot with, do a lot of shopping, have a vacation, etc. I've been in that situation before where I spent half my income on rent, it sucks, so I'm wary about doing that again. Somebody else pointed out that leather is hot in the summer, and cold in the winter, so the couch wouldn't be that great. The kitchen is awesome, though, and Nightshade's endorsement really has me thinking twice.