Where Do Home Buyers Pay Most for Relative Transit Accessibility? Hong Kong, Taipei and Kaohsiung Compared

The three cities of Hong Kong, Taipei and Kaohsiung all feature state-of-the-art transit systems, but transit commuting rates are markedly different, ranging from less than 10 per cent in Kaohsiung to about 90 per cent in Hong Kong. This paper looks at the effect of transit station accessibility on housing prices in these three cities, which are all located on the south-eastern edge of the Greater China region. The key finding is that accessibility impacts stand in an inverse relationship to the size and popularity of the transit system. The results illustrate how intraregional variability in overall transit accessibility declines with increases in the spatial coverage of transit systems. The price premium for housing near transit stations is therefore greatest in Kaohsiung and smallest in Hong Kong, with Taipei exhibiting intermediate levels. Conversely, average land values are highest in Hong Kong and lowest in Kaohsiung.