Singapore Salaries

[Matt]

Given that he is looking at teaching roles, I seriously doubt that the company would be paying his rent. I think we can pretty much preclude any chance of him living anywhere Orchard-esque. Most professional expat packages to Singapore don't include housing any more either, other than for pretty senior executive appointments. I never had one when I was there, very few of my friends do either - and they tend to be at the ~marketing manager level these days. Given that he is effectively saying that he wants to live on around SGD3200 per month (1k USD = ~1300 SGD) and live alone...you have got to be thinking one room HDB flat in the heartlands somewhere, a lot of hawker centers, and not too many nights out. It's pretty a damn expensive place to go out drinking man. *posted from Changi Airport after a few wallet-wrenching days in Singapore

*

 

[Elysium]

^^ Good points, and yes it is sadly a very expensive place to drink!

Just had a quick skim of some rental prices and with a budget of SGD3200 per month, if you wanted to live alone quite comfortably financially (say 1.5k rent a month) then realistically you are looking at a small HDB out in the heartlands. I personally wouldn't know if I could handle that as a foreigner new to Singapore, but I suppose some people would have no problems. My family has been in Singapore for the last 16 years as expats, though I've been studying/living overseas for the last 4. Fortunately my father was given a rental allowance when we first moved, but it was a big struggle back then just to find a 3 bedroom apartment within the budget. With the rental increases since then, I would say Singapore is indeed quite an expensive place to live comfortably especially when you're relatively young, but saying that if you are not TOO fussy on accomodation it is possible. I will definitely look to return to work there at some point, I love the place

 

[aleksandr]

Sadly, the property market here is slightly crazy - has always been and always will be. SGD3200 a month all told for living expenses won't get you far, unless you are okay with government housing, public transport and eating with the locals.

 

[Pantisocrat]

Eason have you considered the middle east? Like Jordan or Quatar? Singapore is like Guatanamo with tall buildings. I've got an offer there through a trading firm but I said no. It's also quite humid=sartorial nightmare. The Queen's English is desirable but you give the Brits too much credit. At the end of the day, NYC and Chicago are where most Singaporeans would like to be.

 

[Eason]

Originally Posted by Pantisocrat

Eason have you considered the middle east? Like Jordan or Quatar? Singapore is like Guatanamo with tall buildings. I've got an offer there through a trading firm but I said no. It's also quite humid=sartorial nightmare. The Queen's English is desirable but you give the Brits too much credit. At the end of the day, NYC and Chicago are where most Singaporeans would like to be.
I've heard if I worked for a year or so in SA I could come back with like 20k savings easy. Still, there is nothing that could ever make me want to work/live in the ME. I just hate stuck-up brats, religious idiots, and crazy governments. I'd probably want to strap on a suicide vest within a month, I need to find a more mentally/socially healthy environment. I really wish something great would come up soon, I have about 2 more months before I need to have a job locked in and begin applying for visas. :/ edit: just applied for a job as sport science lecturer with the SG ITE. It fits me perfectly, so let's hope their HR thinks so too!

 

[Matt]

Originally Posted by aleksandr

unless you are okay with government housing, public transport and eating with the locals.
none of which are bad things. Most Singaporean HDB apartments are perfectly decent to live in, it's not like a ghetto-ass housing estate....hell like 90 percent of Singaporeans live in them very comfortably. They are quite spacious inside, and since Singaporeans are so damn house proud, typically quite well appointed. They're probably every bit as nice as what he currently lives in in China. They are not particularly pretty from the outside, and you forego all the condo stuff that most expats there have (and seldom use...seriously, I used my pool like twice, my gym occasionally, and never set foot on the putting green or tennis court). Singapore's public transport system is damn cheap and covers the island extremely well - I can't say I've ever been anywhere with a better system. And Singaporean local food is awesome and very cheap. One of the best local-food-eating cities in Asia IMHO. His staples would be well covered on that salary, it's just the social life beyond the staples that would really suffer. One night out and you could pretty easily blow the whole month....

 

[Eason]

Want to get me a good job in Saigon?

 

[Matt]

not hard - actually I think Rach was looking at Saigon options a while back too (although the place that approached him was out in the provinces...not recommended) but I thought you said upthread that you were focussed on doing your grad school while you were there or something...

 

[Eason]

Yeah :s I just don't want to go back to ******* portland for grad school. :'(

 

[Eason]

Just got a (video) job interview with Singapore Korean International School next Tuesday

So I forget... I am or I'm not supposed to make jokes about molesting highschoolers?

 

[acidboy]

Originally Posted by Eason

Just got a (video) job interview with Singapore Korean International School next Tuesday

So I forget... I am or I'm not supposed to make jokes about molesting highschoolers?

you should, and tell them should there be an incidence of ********, its heterosexual in nature so its not illegal.

 

[medtech_expat]

Having lived in s'pore '00-'03, your initial offer won't get you very far. Not only has the cost of living dramatically increased since then, but the conversions to USD or GBP are useless as the SGD has steadily gained ground against those currencies. If your primary goal is to get the grad degree, just suck it up and do it. Just be sure to double or even triple up on an apartment and that should give you more breathing room with the budget. Your quality of life would be significantly higher in Thailand or Indonesia, IMO. Tons of international schools...

 

[Eason]

Got the offer from the international school! Hell of a selection process, had a suprise lesson to prepare for in 30 minutes, then an essay submission to rock the hell out of. BAM.

 

[SpallaCamiccia]

I wanted to travel there as I thought it was a cheaper place.

I watched a report on tv and realiced that the cheapo ones are the spaniards.

 

[ThatGuy]

Originally Posted by Easterntides

I leaved in Singapore for a year in 2008 - with 4-4.5K a month you'll be broke.

Inclusive of accommodation and living, I needed $10K SGD to get through life in Singapore. It's very expensive... especially if you're a drinker. Food is either dirt cheap, or expensive. Fast foods play in the middle ground.