One of my best friends thinks I'm rich and while I may have more than she does, I she was earning more than me for a lot longer (I make more than her now) but she spent her money on $6K vacations. 

It only makes sense to invest remote if you have a large economic delta between where you live and the income you earn and the market you invest.

It's not net negative if you are living for less than you would pay for rent...and PS, you wouldn't be earning appreciation or any cash flow on that either.

By prioritizing fundamentals over chasing ROI benchmarks, he’s now sitting on an asset that’s appreciated 30% and maintained strong cash flow.Personally, I once miscalculated reserves on a triplex I bought early in my career.

To beat 5.25% mortgage rate....the corresponding, offsetting stock market return would be at least double that...To answer your question requires (1) knowing what risk adjusted return you will be able to earn in the future (2) knowing what interest rates will do in the future.  

How can you make the business more profitable so you earn more?

Yes, Hong Kong certainly is an interesting place, a good place to earn money as well.

It might also be unavoidable to live in a high cost of living area due to my career choices. 

Six weeks into their program, I earned just over $50K. 

It might be a situation where you are digging a manageable hole that you can work and earn your way out of, but be honest with yourself.