Hong Kong data centre prices surge as Chinese AI demand spikes

A rapid expansion of artificial‑intelligence applications in mainland China has driven a sharp rise in demand for compute capacity. According to Structure Research, rental rates for power in Hong Kong data centres have jumped about 90 % since early 2026, with roughly 90 % of recent leases taken by Chinese firms such as Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings. Providers including Equinix, SUNeVision Holdings and DayOne Data Centers are seeing record‑high utilisation and are investing heavily to meet the surge.

At the same time, China’s export of AI‑related hardware – servers, computers and components – continues to accelerate, with shipments of such equipment up 45.2 % in the first seven months of the year and overall exports rising 23.9 % in July. The growth occurs amid heightened technology competition with the United States, which has imposed new restrictions and sanctions, prompting Beijing to tighten controls on strategic‑technology exports.

Despite the macro‑level boom, many young Chinese workers face a housing affordability crunch in major cities, often sharing rooms or even beds to cover rent. The contrast highlights how the benefits of the AI‑driven industrial surge are unevenly distributed across the population.