Thank you so much for watching my video! I'm so glad that many of you thought these points were useful :) 2+ years later, I've made an updated pros & cons that you can watch here: ruclips.net/video/t1SIbDAtMtM/видео.html
I grew up in Singapore. Now I live in San Francisco. The things I miss in Singapore are the cleanliness, convenient, efficient and inexpensive public transportation, public safety and great food.
Born and bred in Singapore too and now live in Melbourne. Fully agree with what you missed. A tradeoff for an experience with the four seasons and open country
@@stevenl4459 Hi Steven, greetings fellow Singaporean! I hope things are better in Melbourne than San Francisco. On the streets here, there are so many homeless, mentally ill, drug users and dealers. There is a lot of crime too. In Singapore, I can walk around without being constantly vigilant, not here. But I have to live with my choice to move here to live my life openly as a gay man which is not possible in Singapore.
@Swizzyinsg SF has changed a lot since I moved here. The streets now are filthy, with lots of homeless, mentally ill, drug users and sellers. It is also not as safe as before. Unlike Singapore, if you leave anything in the car here, the windows will get smashed and belonging stolen.
Nice video but a small correction -- there is a common misperception that chewing of gum is banned here. This is not correct. Sale of chewing gum is banned. You can still chewing you gum but just make sure to dispose it properly.
Technically, not correct as well, you can buy gum from Pharmacies - Dental, Nicotine Gum : ) but don't you love you never had gum on you behind and shoes?
some additional notes on cost of living: the general high housing cost is mitigated by lower health insurance/ no need for owning a car/ food (decent food options-hawker center) Don't forget internet and mobile service. - Also regional travel (lower cost) vs flying domestically in US. So the big gap is not high as initially thought.
While there’s been a few cases of expatriates who had to leave Singapore due to their non compliance with Singapore covid rules like masking up, those are mainly cases where the individuals challenged the authorities when they were told to abide with the rules. They forgot that when you’re in a foreign land, you do have to follow its rules and not act like you’re above its law.
Love this! I have family in Singapore and love these kind of informative videos on tips moving as an expat. Looking at one day moving to Singapore so this is super helpful!
Thank you and so glad to hear it was helpful! I watched so many of those videos to when preparing for my move and wanted to make helpful content for others :)
Please read comments from singaporean.That's the Correct Information and Tips.The do's and don's.No denying car/alcohol and rented house are expensive.If you live just like a local everything will be fine and manageable.Unless you spend lavishly more than what you earn.As you know 90% products here are imported hence they are expensive Compare to your country.HDB is less expensive THAN condo.5 rooms HDB has Bigger space and cheaper than a condo rented cost.
Sg is not used to be now, it’s freaking expensive. Rental is high,cost of living is high. Hawker foods are reasonably priced unless u go for those Michelin stalls which is higher in price due to that designation but it’s ok to try once,lol. Unless u r sent to Sg to work n company provides lodging,that’s a plus else just go n visit Sg for a few days. Foreigners r moving out,one of the reasons, high rental. Paying 60% tax on buying a property. Think twice before moving to Sg to live unless u hv deep pocket.
Cost of living isn't a problem because you'll be earning the salary for it right? Moreover, just be mindful of your spending. Tailor your spending accordingly. Food can be as cheap as less than $5 for a meal versus $200. A part of that is the rental market. Look at off-central locations as well as HDB rental. This will cutdown a lot of your cost. Other than that, the rest of the cons are true. EDIT: Another con is true will be the work/employment permit, but this applies to any country, not just Singapore.
I grew up for 16 years in Singapore before moving to Austin, Texas. I do miss my family, the food and how clean and safe every where is. What I don't miss is how expensive the cost of living is. Home and car prices are insanely expensive. To get the best of both worlds, I live in the US and travel back every year to see family and enjoy the local Singaporean food.
This video explains the pros and cons so well. I've just moved to Florida from Singapore to do my Master's at the University of Florida and I agree with all the points you have laid out. You have to be aware of both before you make a decision to move to any new place. Thanks for this video!
noelah, hawker centres are so crowded, noisy, hot sweaty, and many food are getting very expensive and worst is -- alot of food use very poor quality, unfreshed stale, fake food as hawkers cut costs...
I'm surprised you didn't list weather as one of the cons. It's true weather can be a pro or con, depending on your preference. As a citizen born here, I think Singapore is nice in many ways except, the weather, our size and limited nature for outdoor activities. Oh well, can't change any of those but everything else I think we do try to make it work or make it better. Anyway, I hope you make more friends and enjoy your stay here.
Beautiful city are not for public from all walks of lifestyles- BEAUTIFUL SCENERY NATURE'S that the real Singapore 🇸🇬 do not get miss understood caused trust me Sunday and public holidays are the city likes Shenton way beautiful NO DISASTER..... .frankly the BANK RATES MADE SINGAPORE BEAUTIFUL AND WONDERFUL- let's me define you you shit in Singapore after work you sleeping across causeway with handsome paid salary .......
@@happy_hapa yes, I was surprised you didn't mention the weather. For me the challenge would be the heat with humidity. Plus when it rains it pours! But it's an amazing place just the same.
I agree. I live in Bali which is hot and humid year round. But not to the extent and extremes of SG. Even at night, SG can be unbearably humid, never mind at mid-day. Plus it rains nearly year round too.
One thing to add, even though your work pass is tied to your employer, this should not discourage the average foreigner from switching jobs. The fact that you have been approved to work in Singapore can be a boon to a potential new employer, because it means if they hire you, they should not encounter much trouble with getting your work pass application approved, as opposed to hiring someone who has never worked here before.
What about being a prior resident?I lived in Singapore for 6 years and attended Singapore American School.I wish to return to Singapore to live with my son indefinitely and have a background working for Lexus.
@@georgeanddaddecker7563 I'm not familiar with permanent residence but ideally you should start by getting a new job that is based in Singapore first before even considering applying for permanent residence status (that has to be renewed every 5 years) or citizenship.
If you mentioned high cost of living, you could also mention about income tax which is rather low compared with nearby countries. It kinda balanced out.
@@gammavelorum9551 CPF isn't a tax deduction, silly. The 20% that is deducted doesn't disappear into thin air. Funds in your CPF account are still yours and earn interest above the market rate. You can use your CPF funds to purchase property or pay for medical bills. Besides, foreigners don't have CPF.
Thanks, your content are pretty much covered what I want exploring elements, and nailed down the answer to my key concerning when considering the next move...
Thank you and welcome, I appreciated that you had chosen to stay here share about it. I wandering had you really decided to choose to stay and to compare it first before you made your decision with other Southeast Asia countries cities like Bangkok or Ho Chin Minh city or in Malaysia. I guess most of Asian American would choose to stay here in Singapore as you have mention easy to communicate in English compare to Thailand in Bangkok city or Ho Chin Minh city in Vietnam. To what I know is that most Non-Asian American prefer to choose to stay in Thailand in Bangkok city there instead.
I understand this is mainly aimed at young professionals. That said, for people with kids considering moving to Singapore, one key aspect that is not discussed is the cost of private schools, which are usually the only choice for expats and, for what I understand, can be quite pricey. Some employer cover kids' school tuition, but this is not always the case. Anyway, great video very informative!
I went to international school and just want to say that even if it's pricey, it'll be so worth it for your kids. It shapes your life so much, opens up new connections, experiences, and doors in life. Good luck!!
Expats may choose to live in HDB flats too. However, most Western expats would rather live in Condos. There are s Asian expats from South East Asia who do live in HDBs.
Singapore is more expensive than SF, NYC, Paris, London, Melbourne etc. For a young professional, as long as your income vs cost equation works out, it's a plus on your resume. The city state actually has great nightlife which happens 7 days a week. Unfortunately there is zero outdoor activity unless it's water-related.
Zero outdoor activity? HUH? Outdoor cafes and al fresco eateries are abundant and then there is tennis, basketball, baseball, football, cricket, volleyball, golf, polo, archery, rugby, cycling, skateboarding, rockwall climbing, roller blading, botanic garden, pinicking, beaches, swimming, kayaking, sailing, wakeboarding, fishing and a worldclass national network of hiking trails that cater to all skills levels. Example: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve feels like an entirely other country when you get deep inside of it. I've seen pangolins, mouse deer, snakes, colugos, scorpions, eagles, woodpeckers, swifts, frogs, lizards, civets, monkeys and a wide variety of other flora and fauna. The parks system in Singapore is amazing...and this is coming from a 60 yr old Canadian resident! You need to get out and explore dude.
Singapore is fantastic. I don’t know what it’s like to live there but I visited there several times when I was in the military and I always enjoyed myself. Very safe, clean, and the people were always friendly.
noelah, hawker centres are so crowded, noisy, hot sweaty, and many food are getting very expensive and worst is -- alot of food use very poor quality, unfreshed stale, fake food as hawkers cut costs... , eg the prawns are very small and very stale
Just a quick note... You mentioned Changi Airport in passing as a great travel hub. Absolutely true! Perhaps you could also have mentioned that it is probably the best airport on the planet. Incredibly clean and efficient. Also home base for Singapore Airlines which is also rated as one of the best airlines in the world. Finally, Singapore is strict and take law enforcement very seriously. As a result, homelessness, graffiti, tourist scams, corrupt business practices, and crime in general are almost nonexistent. One of the safest and most efficient places on earth. General cleanliness is off the charts - very atypical for almost all of Southeast Asia. All on all... expensive - but a great travel destination! Your video was excellent and covered all the bases. Well done!!! 👏👏👏
@@a23oj28 Don't be confused... it's simple: THE GOVERNMENT WON'T PUT UP WITH IT! In Singapore, everyone is EXPECTED to work and pull their own weight. Singapore has an excellent educational system with an emphasis on EDUCATION rather than indoctrination. There are also excellent technical schools that provide opportunities for jobs. A key factor is also a zero tolerance toward all drug abuse. Most homelessness is caused by drug addiction and/or mental health issues... both of which are immediately addressed by authorities. No social justice victims... just addicts and crazies which are dealt with swiftly and efficiently. Society does not have to pay the price for social ills such as crime, poverty, drug abuse, and social justice - none of which exists in Singapore in any large numbers. It is an industrious, socially responsible nation that is run by a highly competent, efficient, focused government - and not by morons. Hence, a prosperous, peaceful nation where all citizens are protected and the rules are strictly enforced for the safety of all. It works... it works extremely well. And finally, ask yourself.. . Why isn't homelessness rampant in Beverly Hills? There's your answer.
@@a23oj28 You asked a question... I gave you a truthful answer that you didn't like. You didn't dispute it - you just attempted to insult me. Which comes as no surprise. To clarify: I am a pre-boomer and, yes... I love annoying people like you that can't handle the truth of things. You have been maliciously lied to my friend - probably all your life. I find it interesting that many younger people fall into that category. A day of reckoning is approaching and you will discover (too late) that I am correct. I suppose I will fare a little better than you because in addition to spreading annoying self-evident truths, I am also a FIRM supporter of the 2nd Amendment. I also believe in the 1st, and the 2nd makes that possible. Could that be the reason the people I enjoy annoying want to take it away? Enjoy the Kool Aid for as long as you can.... Civilization is failing and I'm too old to care. You on the other hand... 😳
My mainland Chinese & US investors have bought USD $450 million worth of real estate in SIN just in 2022 alone. They do not even set foot once in these condos, villas and apartments. All of them use secondary passports and family trusts to buy real estate. Until this stops, real estate will be horrible. Hong Kong fines empty apartments. Singapore needs to regulate speculative real estate transactions else the entire market will be owned by Chinese and Blackrock. PE firms will own Singapore in next 10 years. Not good for middle class.
The weather is about the only significant drawback for me otherwise Singapore is a great place. I don't like the continuous high humidity although you get somewhat used to it after a while.
Singapore is the best place for food in Asia, it's world renown for their food. You're One degree North of the equator, so it's very hot. Tons of things to do there. They even have horse racing. And if you get bored with Singapore you can hop across the bridge into Malaysia . Everything is really cheap there. I bought a scroll picture for 5.00 bucks. It's very safe, you can go out at night and not worry about anything. When I was there Porn was band. One thing I didn't see was fishing trips. The casino wasn't there either, they were talking about it. The Hospitals are the best in the world.
noelah, hawker centres are so crowded, noisy, hot sweaty, and many food are getting very expensive and worst is -- alot of food use very poor quality, unfreshed stale, fake food as hawkers cut costs...
@@stevenlim9640 What u talking about? Singapore Turf Club has been in operation for 180 yrs and is still running. However, it will be closed in October this year - permanently, as the gov't has re-gazetted the land for other use. The Turf Club did exit previously in Bukit Timah but moved to Mandai/Kranji area about 30 yrs ago.
Singapore is one of the best place to start your business or basically, to find yourself getting a good amount of income if you choose to work for a company. Chances for foreign talents to get a job in Singapore is significantly higher comparing to the locals as the Ministry of Manpower in Singapore has stated that every companies are required to meet the 4-1 employment criteria (4 foreign talents, 1 local). Even though Singapore does not have a minimum wage, the basic salary for every job is much higher comparing to our neighbours like Brunei, Malaysia & Indonesia. Such jobs like a toilet cleaner can be seen reaching up to $2.2k of basic monthly salary excluding overtime and allowances. Others like an IT engineer in Data Center can roughly hit a minimum $4k monthly basic pay excluding OT & allowance(Diploma holders & below). Other than jobs, daily expenses in Singapore can still be considered as acceptable although many Singaporeans prefer to spend on groceries elsewhere like in Johor or Batam. But not the extend as choosing Singapore as a place to live, education & work may only be temporary as Singapore is never the place for retirement. Thousands of local Singaporeans has chose to move abroad for retirement, even citizens aged 25-40 has already move away from Singapore for better living lifestyle and work life balance. In other words, getting out from depression and stressful life in Singapore. Even at the age 70, there are many who still need to work to find ends meet. As for myself, a local Singaporean who has live for the past 33 years here in Singapore and has also chose early retirement and already moved away for good, Singapore is a place to make money, never for retirement.
@@blockawocka4026 Great question as two of my cousins are working as civil engineers. Realistically, most civil engineers in Singapore do not earn anything more than $85k a year. Even in UAE(the country that pays the highest in engineering and computer science Industry) pays roughly $90k-$130k annually. In Singapore for civil engineers, the salary is between $35k-$56k(for junior level) and $66k-$82k(for senior level) but you can give it a shot as most civil engineers here in Singapore are mostly foreign talents..
Unless the cost of living is more than comfortable with an average salary & a balance work life culture, one should never assume &/or presume that earning a lower professional engineer salary & living elsewhere is less attractive than in SG.
Grew up in Malaysia and Singapore and loved the food and living there. Moved back to the US. Would visit over time but then took a 15 year break. Just went back and both places have changed. As for Singapore I have to say nope I would not want to live there. While good food and safety. 1) To damn hot and humid, 2) It's been influenced by outside countries. 3) Damn prices for stuff is too damn high. 4) Once you go around and done everything I found I got board. Don't get me wrong it's a great country/city and I would tell everyone to go visit but to live there I'd pass, but I can see why a lot of people retire there. Oh I live in California just so you have a point of reference.
I am looking right now to move, but the salary I get in US and the cost of living are the key factors. 3000 US dollars for 2 bed room, is way expensive for some one to move from Texas. Dual tax is another one you loose money. If I move to Singapore at the same level the pay is normalized and you have to take pay cut. The only thing that benefits going there will be if your company repatriates and not relocate
Hope that u get to widen your social circle to include some Singaporeans as well. Very often expats here are rather isolated in their own network and hence don’t really get to see the real Singapore
Most expats live within their expats circle, live the expats lives, eat the expats food and drinks. They will definitely have those "expats' complains". If you live, eat like this, it will be the same in any cities around the world.
Very interesting review. No matter where you live, the main thing is money. Money speaks for everything. Have you been to Singapore neighboring country, Malaysia? The closest is Johor Bahru. Enjoy street food and restaurants at cheaper prices. And delicious too. Also try go to Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia with the trademark of Petronas Twin Tower and continue journey to Penang where many travelers consider it a paradise for Street food. Spend a little time and you won't feel disappointed and have fund. Penang, as well as the historic city of Malacca. Cost of living is almost 3 times cheaper from Singapore. You can get information from vloggers who have been to Malaysia.
3 times cheaper? Starbucks latte is MYR17 vs SGD9, Big Mac meal is MYR14 vs SGD7 and iPhone is practically the same price after conversion. Do they look like 3 times cheaper to you? But what is true is that pay in Singapore is about 9 times in Malaysia after conversion.
If you think living in Asia but feeling like in London, Tokyo, New York or Singapore, , that's is your problem. Did I say any of imported items? Or you're just jealous? Further more, Starbucks SG9x3 = RM27 is more cheaper than RM17? , Big Mac Sg7x3 = RM21 is cheaper than RM14. Something wrong with your math and calculation. 9 times pay compare to Malaysia, what a joke. Don't think we live in a cave. You might. For business Malaysia has more purchasing power than Singapore.
@@mahadhirmohamad nothing wrong with my literacy and calculation. Firstly, on your literacy, "think" not "thing". Go on and blame it on autocorrect. G and K are separated by two other letters. Still on your literacy problem, did I say Malaysia is more expensive? Did you not understand that I am disputing your point that Malaysia is not 3 times cheaper? Secondly, your arithmetic skill, so is RM17 three times cheaper than RM27? Finally, on your general knowledge. Don't you know that Big Mac is one of the most localised international products using mostly local ingredients, vs your claim it is an "imported item" , that is why it is used as an indicator of purchasing power in economics report, called Purchasing Power Parity. So... Is RM14 three times cheaper than RM21? My bad, my calculation indeed got something wrong. Singaporean fresh grad average pay of SGD4.2k is only 6.5 times of Malaysian fresh grad average pay of RM2.4k. I just used whatever salaries popped out from Google the other day. Apologies for the extra jealousy caused. Yes, we are living in Asian. So does it mean that we are banned from consuming internationally? Do you really think that the sky should only be the size of the diameter of your well?
@@uwet.8826 Why buy a Big Mac when you can get a special Ramly Burger with patty, egg and cheese for only RM8? Why drink Starbucks when you can get a similar drink for RM8-RM9 in a similar location and atmosphere? It's just because of your taste for the brand not because of the taste. Did you also compare the price of a 1000 square foot condominium? How much is the price of a 5-star hotel room per night? Or rent a studio or 3-room apartment in the middle of the city? Malaysia is 4 to 5 times cheaper than Singapore. Vlogger in a video informed that he only spends USD1k a month to vacation in Kuala Lumpur compared USD3k to Usd4k a month when in Singapore.
I trust that it's not too late, I would love to see Cafe hopping content. I am interested to see what kind of cafes Singapore has. My dream is to me tomorrow and open up my dream Cafe
Singapore is cheap if you live like a local... Transport, food are cheap. Rentals of hdb remains very affordable as long as you share the apartment... There is lots of income left to enjoy life.
Thank you for sharing! Do you mind providing some clarity on what career you took that led you to this opportunity? I visited Singapore a few months back and have been considering a move to Asia for awhile now so would love some insight from a fellow Asian American who made the leap
Your video gives a very snapshot of whats its like to live in Singapore. Singapore is great place to live and work but there are many shortcomings living there which your video does not cover. Its a great place for expats who are there just temporarily for work. But is it a place to settle in permanently? Many factors make people leave the place. I can cite a few here. 1) High cost like you said. Owning a car is like 5 times what you pay in America and the car only lasts 10 years. 2) You can have a house in America with a backyard and front yard and maybe with a pool, but in Singapore you will live in a tiny apartment which will cost an arm and a leg if you buy it. Plus most of the real estate there is on a 99 year lease.....which means you pay a bomb for it, but it depreciates to nothing at the end of the lease. 3) Education is very competitive and you will subject your kids to immense rote learning pressure and exam hell 4) Rules, rules and more rules....many of the rules there regarding safety are great, but there are also rules that make little sense. I won't cover them here. 5) Huge rich/poor divide. 6) Lack of diversity in govt. It is a one party rule state. It has done well for the country but many policies are implemented without much challenge because of the weak opposition. SG has one of the highest Gini co-efficients, or income inequality in the world. I guess if you are rich, you won't complain. 7) The weather. It is hot hot hot, all year around. 8) Small like you said, and lack of natural beauty, and crowded with people. I love in America where there is so much space. 9) Finally, SG for all its modernity, it is just really a concrete jungle as you kinda alluded to. There is hardly anything natural there. So yes, great place to come to work for a specific period of time, but to live until one dies, I don't think so.
why would you want to own a car when you are living in a city where public transport runs from 5.30am till midnight and is never more than 3-5 minutes from your home? also, you can call a few cheap Cab anytime of the day if you need private transport. when in Singapore, think like a Singaporean and you will find that cost of living is actually very low.
Thank you for the video, really helpful. I am looking to move to Singapore next year. Any recommendation on how to find an apartment, for example websites that you recommend to search on?
If you dont mind, where did you live in the US? I lived in LA and looked around the west coast of the US, when it comes to safety issues, I 100% support your idea. But I am not sure about East coast.
Working culture is very intense here as bosses here are not chill as the west and usually they’re more calculative. But then another drawback is that it doesn’t even encourage any groundbreaking creativity which (if you’re not their favourite pet), they’ll shoot down and condemn it right away
Do you know why the Singapore government ban chewing-gum because the government are fed up of spending millions of dollars to clean the sidewalk and bus seats support...
I like that you mentioned about the nature and hike part. As a Singaporean I have hiked the trails of Singapore hundreds of time. I feel expats are so welcoming and friendly compared to the locals for some reason😅. Th work culture is really intense and this is coming from a workaholic like me. I want to move to the US in the future. I just love it there majority are so welcoming. They know how to enjoy life too.
@@Splashhhh In uni but claim to have been there thrice this year and lived there for 6mths. Sounds like a kid still living off your parents. Wait until you grow up and your view of the US might change lol
One can chew gum but illegal to sell them. If one is prone to explore other cultures and looking for adventures, it is just 2 to 3 hours away by flight. Ride an elephant in Thailand, climb the highest peak in Sabah, surf in Bali, shoot an AK-47 assault rifle and toss a grenade in a range in Cambodia, etc
Something I’m having trouble finding information on is the use of chemicals and fragrance in Singapore. In the United States toxic air fresheners and cleaners are everywhere and many people wear heavily fragranced products that make some people sick. Is there anyone who can weigh in on this who lives in Singapore?
Thanks for the video, I thought about moving to Singapore with a job at hand, but I'm starting to realize it's very difficult, not to mention rental prices HDB stuff, and work life balance. I sincerely thought Singapore would have been a country that would have abandoned the OT "work churn" mentality, but I see it's still got ways to go.
recently, is in the news, two 5room HDB units are sold for sgd1.42million and sgd1.37million AND two coffeeshops are each sold for more than sgd40million... this stirs up again many singaporeans and again more people shouting for higher sale prices and higher rentals...
There's always pros/cons to any city around the world, but I personally think the pros in SG outweighs the cons..... You can also look into renting HDB units from the locals, it's harder to find but they're out there and usually cheaper than renting private condos, the hardest part for me when I arrived there was getting to the humidity.....and yes the great food options everywhere you go and I loved the hawker centers........overall I loved living there.....good luck!
During the pandemic period 2020-2022, you'll realize very quickly the disadvantage of staying in a crowded small island vs the large expanse of the US.
Fellow American expat moving to Singapore next month; can’t wait! Any recommendations on areas to live? I’m looking at Orchard/Novena areas now. Need to be close to the North/South MRT line for work.
Welcome to Singapore! Hope you have a smooth move. Orchard is a popular place to live as there are a lot of condo options but if you don't like malls it may not be for you. Novena is nice, it's quieter but still pretty central to CBD!
Not much here on careers. SG is mostly administrative. If you want to work in a start up or in tech, or a creative industry, SG doesn't offer much. It's mainly a bank.
That's simply not true at all! There is a huge start-up culture in Singapore including security, fintech, media, biotech, healthcare, logistics and on and on. And calling Singapore "mainly a bank" is a badly ill-informed comment. It's the world's biggest seaport (in volume), for starters, and has one of the most sophisticated logistics network linked to the port, airport (which #1 in the world) and land transports. Oil & gas and chemical production are also massive in Singapore with major refineries and processing ports for fuels. Biotech and pharma R&D is huge in Singapore as well as healthcare/medical research and technology. Advanced electronics manufacturing and IT technology, data centres, hosting, global data networking, network security and AI development are also huge. High-end manufacturing in storage/wafer/chip are big also. And on and on in many other sectors... Yes, it is one of 5 or 6 major banking centres in the world - true - but that is certainly not core of Singapore's economy.
@@williambremner9022 Singapore is still mainly a bank. The IPO market in 2023 was about SGD 30M. This takes a few minutes in the USA. Essentially negligible. Other than banking there are opportunities working as a civil servant / PAP. The problem with the economy in SG is it is run through the state so ultimately the government will copy your ideas and do it with their buddies. Singapore ranks top 3 for cronycapitalism last time I checked. Anticompetitive and lacking in innovation. The businesses which Singapore has competing internationally py bribes to win consessions. There are almost no innovative products which come from Singapore. Likewise, Singapore does not produce many businesses which can compete internationally outside of banking. You are correct the port is very busy and the deep dig gas rigs are done well.
I'm sorry if this was already answered but how did you find a reasonably priced place to live? I am trying to find a 1-2bed in a relatively central location with 700+sqft. for around S$2500-3000 and its hard lol
Very nice and informative video. I want to visit Singapore to experience the food and history there. I don't think I would want to live and work there.
The pros and cons of moving to Singapore . The pros is more business management potential vacancy and convenience for shopping and the distance and the cleanliness . cons which is owning a private car is considered as luxury rather a basic needs because of the Singapore Certificate of Entitlement system.
@@FrankWu Singapore's public transport system is so good that it makes having a car useless. There is a cab stand, bus stop and mrt and let station nearby
No way I will Ever get used to the weather🥵! Street or hawker center food is cheap but everything else cost $, including a glass of water or ice! Just imagine trying to survive in this climate with no good supply of ice water or ice! No big gulp or AYCD soda fountains here☹️
Hi, i'm new to your channel! Can i ask what job industry you're in and what job that may be? I'm considering after finishing college in the U.S to live in Singapore if such a job opening is available in the tech industry.
It's the ONLY way to eat local food! Aircon foodcourt hawker food tastes lousy because everything gets cold fast. Best hawker flavour and wok hey comes from open air hawker centres 100%. A little sweating to enjoy great food is worth it!
Thank you so much for watching my video! I'm so glad that many of you thought these points were useful :)
2+ years later, I've made an updated pros & cons that you can watch here: ruclips.net/video/t1SIbDAtMtM/видео.html
I grew up in Singapore. Now I live in San Francisco. The things I miss in Singapore are the cleanliness, convenient, efficient and inexpensive public transportation, public safety and great food.
Born and bred in Singapore too and now live in Melbourne. Fully agree with what you missed. A tradeoff for an experience with the four seasons and open country
@@stevenl4459 Hi Steven, greetings fellow Singaporean! I hope things are better in Melbourne than San Francisco. On the streets here, there are so many homeless, mentally ill, drug users and dealers. There is a lot of crime too. In Singapore, I can walk around without being constantly vigilant, not here. But I have to live with my choice to move here to live my life openly as a gay man which is not possible in Singapore.
SF is my favvv cityyyy😮😊😊❤
@Swizzyinsg SF has changed a lot since I moved here. The streets now are filthy, with lots of homeless, mentally ill, drug users and sellers. It is also not as safe as before. Unlike Singapore, if you leave anything in the car here, the windows will get smashed and belonging stolen.
@@GKP999 ohhh thats so sad to hear🙁🙁🙁
Nice video but a small correction -- there is a common misperception that chewing of gum is banned here. This is not correct. Sale of chewing gum is banned. You can still chewing you gum but just make sure to dispose it properly.
Technically, not correct as well, you can buy gum from Pharmacies - Dental, Nicotine Gum : ) but don't you love you never had gum on you behind and shoes?
Can buy gums from neighbouring countries.
@@chenkhoon that's illegal, if caught you be fined. Don't recommend work permit holders break the laws in Singapore as it may affect re-entry permit
@@tongkahkeat9689 I brought a few from Malaysia. they asked if it's for self consumption. I said yes and they let me go🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️
@@bchpls24very good, they even have you the legit reason.
some additional notes on cost of living: the general high housing cost is mitigated by lower health insurance/ no need for owning a car/ food (decent food options-hawker center) Don't forget internet and mobile service. - Also regional travel (lower cost) vs flying domestically in US. So the big gap is not high as initially thought.
While there’s been a few cases of expatriates who had to leave Singapore due to their non compliance with Singapore covid rules like masking up, those are mainly cases where the individuals challenged the authorities when they were told to abide with the rules. They forgot that when you’re in a foreign land, you do have to follow its rules and not act like you’re above its law.
Mostly Britons, perhaps still believing they have extraterritoriality.
Perhaps the rules were being unfairly applied
If only it is not the word "perhaps" U use but "DEFINITELY" to indicate a 100% Confident Affirmation!
Yes if they are not able to follow , best that they and their entire families pack and go! not a lost to Singapore
Singaporeans are a thick headed proud lot who love to tell people off for minor things. Good food there, horrible people everywhere. Haha
Love this! I have family in Singapore and love these kind of informative videos on tips moving as an expat. Looking at one day moving to Singapore so this is super helpful!
Thank you and so glad to hear it was helpful! I watched so many of those videos to when preparing for my move and wanted to make helpful content for others :)
Very informative. I have visited Singapore on 6 occasions and it never ceases to amaze me. Thanks for the video.
Thank you! Hope you can visit again soon :)
As someone who is considering moving to Singapore this was SUPER helpful! Thank you so much!!
Please read comments from singaporean.That's the Correct Information and Tips.The do's and don's.No denying car/alcohol and rented house are expensive.If you live just like a local everything will be fine and manageable.Unless you spend lavishly more than what you earn.As you know 90% products here are imported hence they are expensive Compare to your country.HDB is less expensive THAN condo.5 rooms HDB has Bigger space and cheaper than a condo rented cost.
Sg is not used to be now, it’s freaking expensive. Rental is high,cost of living is high. Hawker foods are reasonably priced unless u go for those Michelin stalls which is higher in price due to that designation but it’s ok to try once,lol. Unless u r sent to Sg to work n company provides lodging,that’s a plus else just go n visit Sg for a few days. Foreigners r moving out,one of the reasons, high rental. Paying 60% tax on buying a property. Think twice before moving to Sg to live unless u hv deep pocket.
Singapore is not as good as what you think. Heat is intense, housing is ex. Think twice
Yup
Cost of living isn't a problem because you'll be earning the salary for it right? Moreover, just be mindful of your spending. Tailor your spending accordingly. Food can be as cheap as less than $5 for a meal versus $200. A part of that is the rental market. Look at off-central locations as well as HDB rental. This will cutdown a lot of your cost. Other than that, the rest of the cons are true.
EDIT: Another con is true will be the work/employment permit, but this applies to any country, not just Singapore.
I grew up for 16 years in Singapore before moving to Austin, Texas. I do miss my family, the food and how clean and safe every where is. What I don't miss is how expensive the cost of living is. Home and car prices are insanely expensive. To get the best of both worlds, I live in the US and travel back every year to see family and enjoy the local Singaporean food.
Hi, I live in Texas as well and it's very expensive here with home & car prices too. I plan to visit Singapore next year to gain insight there.
This video explains the pros and cons so well. I've just moved to Florida from Singapore to do my Master's at the University of Florida and I agree with all the points you have laid out. You have to be aware of both before you make a decision to move to any new place. Thanks for this video!
Thank you so much!
Hi your English is really friendly for someone who learning english. Love your channel❤
Aww thank you so much!
You are very informative! No nonsense, only honest & clear review, GREAT! Like it:)
Thank you so much!
The hawker centers seem so convenient and delicious ... I want to move to Singapore
You should!
noelah, hawker centres are so crowded, noisy, hot sweaty, and many food are getting very expensive and worst is -- alot of food use very poor quality, unfreshed stale, fake food as hawkers cut costs...
I'm surprised you didn't list weather as one of the cons. It's true weather can be a pro or con, depending on your preference. As a citizen born here, I think Singapore is nice in many ways except, the weather, our size and limited nature for outdoor activities. Oh well, can't change any of those but everything else I think we do try to make it work or make it better.
Anyway, I hope you make more friends and enjoy your stay here.
Thank you so much! 😊
Beautiful city are not for public from all walks of lifestyles- BEAUTIFUL SCENERY NATURE'S that the real Singapore 🇸🇬 do not get miss understood caused trust me Sunday and public holidays are the city likes Shenton way beautiful NO DISASTER.....
.frankly the BANK RATES MADE SINGAPORE BEAUTIFUL AND WONDERFUL- let's me define you you shit in Singapore after work you sleeping across causeway with handsome paid salary .......
@@happy_hapa yes, I was surprised you didn't mention the weather. For me the challenge would be the heat with humidity. Plus when it rains it pours! But it's an amazing place just the same.
I agree. I live in Bali which is hot and humid year round. But not to the extent and extremes of SG. Even at night, SG can be unbearably humid, never mind at mid-day. Plus it rains nearly year round too.
One thing to add, even though your work pass is tied to your employer, this should not discourage the average foreigner from switching jobs. The fact that you have been approved to work in Singapore can be a boon to a potential new employer, because it means if they hire you, they should not encounter much trouble with getting your work pass application approved, as opposed to hiring someone who has never worked here before.
What about being a prior resident?I lived in Singapore for 6 years and attended Singapore American School.I wish to return to Singapore to live with my son indefinitely and have a background working for Lexus.
@@georgeanddaddecker7563 I'm not familiar with permanent residence but ideally you should start by getting a new job that is based in Singapore first before even considering applying for permanent residence status (that has to be renewed every 5 years) or citizenship.
One of the few youtuber's that emphasises quality content instead of representing herself excessively and the associated validation/ attention seeking
Yes! About the location and life there, not about me and my personal woes/wins. How refreshing!
Singapore is such a nice destination, would luv 2 live there.
Great video! I can’t wait to move to Singapore! ✈️
Me too 🥹
I moved here too😊
If you mentioned high cost of living, you could also mention about income tax which is rather low compared with nearby countries. It kinda balanced out.
yeah when u add in cpf it doesnt. imagine this, ur getting 80% of ur salary. deducting everything else it doesnt add up
@@gammavelorum9551 CPF isn't a tax deduction, silly. The 20% that is deducted doesn't disappear into thin air. Funds in your CPF account are still yours and earn interest above the market rate. You can use your CPF funds to purchase property or pay for medical bills. Besides, foreigners don't have CPF.
@@aero.l so what happens when u decide to migrate.
@@gammavelorum9551 You can withdraw your CPF balances if you decide to give up your citizenship and migrate.
@@aero.l and if u dont give up ur citizenship but move overseas for work and never return?
All of your pros are reasons I want to move to Singapore. Fingerscrossed I can find a job that supports my move. One day!
Best of luck with your job search!
Thanks, your content are pretty much covered what I want exploring elements, and nailed down the answer to my key concerning when considering the next move...
This was great, happy you’re having a good time in Singapore
Very useful and informative video. You explained the pros and cons well.
Thank you! I'm going to make a follow up soon since it's been almost 2 years since this was posted
You communicate very well, thank you for the video. I'm sure you will go far with your business ventures
Thank you and welcome, I appreciated that you had chosen to stay here share about it. I wandering had you really decided to choose to stay and to compare it first before you made your decision with other Southeast Asia countries cities like Bangkok or Ho Chin Minh city or in Malaysia. I guess most of Asian American would choose to stay here in Singapore as you have mention easy to communicate in English compare to Thailand in Bangkok city or Ho Chin Minh city in Vietnam. To what I know is that most Non-Asian American prefer to choose to stay in Thailand in Bangkok city there instead.
Slight correction there. Bali is not a country (3:10). Bali is an Island & Province in Indonesia.
nice I wanna move to singapore too! Wait a min... I am already in Singapore. Darn!
I understand this is mainly aimed at young professionals. That said, for people with kids considering moving to Singapore, one key aspect that is not discussed is the cost of private schools, which are usually the only choice for expats and, for what I understand, can be quite pricey. Some employer cover kids' school tuition, but this is not always the case. Anyway, great video very informative!
Only choice for expats? How about local schools?
I went to international school and just want to say that even if it's pricey, it'll be so worth it for your kids. It shapes your life so much, opens up new connections, experiences, and doors in life. Good luck!!
Expats may choose to live in HDB flats too. However, most Western expats would rather live in Condos. There are s Asian expats from South East Asia who do live in HDBs.
I know a few Japanese expats stay in HDB
Singapore is more expensive than SF, NYC, Paris, London, Melbourne etc. For a young professional, as long as your income vs cost equation works out, it's a plus on your resume.
The city state actually has great nightlife which happens 7 days a week. Unfortunately there is zero outdoor activity unless it's water-related.
Zero outdoor activity? HUH? Outdoor cafes and al fresco eateries are abundant and then there is tennis, basketball, baseball, football, cricket, volleyball, golf, polo, archery, rugby, cycling, skateboarding, rockwall climbing, roller blading, botanic garden, pinicking, beaches, swimming, kayaking, sailing, wakeboarding, fishing and a worldclass national network of hiking trails that cater to all skills levels. Example: Bukit Timah Nature Reserve feels like an entirely other country when you get deep inside of it. I've seen pangolins, mouse deer, snakes, colugos, scorpions, eagles, woodpeckers, swifts, frogs, lizards, civets, monkeys and a wide variety of other flora and fauna. The parks system in Singapore is amazing...and this is coming from a 60 yr old Canadian resident! You need to get out and explore dude.
Singapore is fantastic. I don’t know what it’s like to live there but I visited there several times when I was in the military and I always enjoyed myself. Very safe, clean, and the people were always friendly.
Great video and sharing. Agree with all your views about Singapore.
I saw your smile when you started to talk about food 😋
I'm getting more persuaded that I need to visit SG soon. The food culture looks really enticing.
You definitely should! The food scene is like no other 😊
@@happy_hapa Thanks! I look forward to more of your content.
noelah, hawker centres are so crowded, noisy, hot sweaty, and many food are getting very expensive and worst is -- alot of food use very poor quality, unfreshed stale, fake food as hawkers cut costs... , eg the prawns are very small and very stale
Me 2.❤
Perfect little video.
I mean seriously ..
thank you
Just a quick note...
You mentioned Changi Airport in passing as a great travel hub. Absolutely true!
Perhaps you could also have mentioned that it is probably the best airport on the planet. Incredibly clean and efficient. Also home base for Singapore Airlines which is also rated as one of the best airlines in the world.
Finally, Singapore is strict and take law enforcement very seriously. As a result, homelessness, graffiti, tourist scams, corrupt business practices, and crime in general are almost nonexistent. One of the safest and most efficient places on earth. General cleanliness is off the charts - very atypical for almost all of Southeast Asia.
All on all... expensive - but a great travel destination!
Your video was excellent and covered all the bases.
Well done!!! 👏👏👏
I'm confused how there is no homeless people if rent is so high
@@a23oj28
Don't be confused... it's simple: THE GOVERNMENT WON'T PUT UP WITH IT!
In Singapore, everyone is EXPECTED to work and pull their own weight. Singapore has an excellent educational system with an emphasis on EDUCATION rather than indoctrination. There are also excellent technical schools that provide opportunities for jobs.
A key factor is also a zero tolerance toward all drug abuse.
Most homelessness is caused by drug addiction and/or mental health issues... both of which are immediately addressed by authorities.
No social justice victims... just addicts and crazies which are dealt with swiftly and efficiently.
Society does not have to pay the price for social ills such as crime, poverty, drug abuse, and social justice - none of which exists in Singapore in any large numbers.
It is an industrious, socially responsible nation that is run by a highly competent, efficient, focused government - and not by morons.
Hence, a prosperous, peaceful nation where all citizens are protected and the rules are strictly enforced for the safety of all. It works... it works extremely well.
And finally, ask yourself.. .
Why isn't homelessness rampant in Beverly Hills?
There's your answer.
@@jimw.4161 Bruh u sound like the most annoying boomer im sorry for u
@@a23oj28
You asked a question...
I gave you a truthful answer that you didn't like.
You didn't dispute it - you just attempted to insult me.
Which comes as no surprise.
To clarify: I am a pre-boomer and, yes... I love annoying people like you that can't handle the truth of things.
You have been maliciously lied to my friend - probably all your life.
I find it interesting that many younger people fall into that category.
A day of reckoning is approaching and you will discover (too late) that I am correct.
I suppose I will fare a little better than you because in addition to spreading annoying self-evident truths, I am also a FIRM supporter of the 2nd Amendment.
I also believe in the 1st, and the 2nd makes that possible.
Could that be the reason the people I enjoy annoying want to take it away?
Enjoy the Kool Aid for as long as you can....
Civilization is failing and I'm too old to care.
You on the other hand... 😳
@@jimw.4161 okay Jim lmao
My mainland Chinese & US investors have bought USD $450 million worth of real estate in SIN just in 2022 alone. They do not even set foot once in these condos, villas and apartments. All of them use secondary passports and family trusts to buy real estate. Until this stops, real estate will be horrible. Hong Kong fines empty apartments. Singapore needs to regulate speculative real estate transactions else the entire market will be owned by Chinese and Blackrock. PE firms will own Singapore in next 10 years. Not good for middle class.
The weather is about the only significant drawback for me otherwise Singapore is a great place. I don't like the continuous high humidity although you get somewhat used to it after a while.
Singapore is the best place for food in Asia, it's world renown for their food. You're One degree North of the equator, so it's very hot. Tons of things to do there. They even have horse racing. And if you get bored with Singapore you can hop across the bridge into Malaysia . Everything is really cheap there. I bought a scroll picture for 5.00 bucks. It's very safe, you can go out at night and not worry about anything. When I was there Porn was band. One thing I didn't see was fishing trips. The casino wasn't there either, they were talking about it. The Hospitals are the best in the world.
noelah, hawker centres are so crowded, noisy, hot sweaty, and many food are getting very expensive and worst is -- alot of food use very poor quality, unfreshed stale, fake food as hawkers cut costs...
horse racing closed down long time ago, it is empty abandoned for long long time.
Google! There are boats charter fishing trip.
@@stevenlim9640 What u talking about? Singapore Turf Club has been in operation for 180 yrs and is still running. However, it will be closed in October this year - permanently, as the gov't has re-gazetted the land for other use. The Turf Club did exit previously in Bukit Timah but moved to Mandai/Kranji area about 30 yrs ago.
Thank you for your video. I noticed you said Bali instead of Indonesia when you listed a few nearby countries to Singapore 🤔
Singapore is one of the best place to start your business or basically, to find yourself getting a good amount of income if you choose to work for a company.
Chances for foreign talents to get a job in Singapore is significantly higher comparing to the locals as the Ministry of Manpower in Singapore has stated that every companies are required to meet the 4-1 employment criteria (4 foreign talents, 1 local).
Even though Singapore does not have a minimum wage, the basic salary for every job is much higher comparing to our neighbours like Brunei, Malaysia & Indonesia. Such jobs like a toilet cleaner can be seen reaching up to $2.2k of basic monthly salary excluding overtime and allowances. Others like an IT engineer in Data Center can roughly hit a minimum $4k monthly basic pay excluding OT & allowance(Diploma holders & below).
Other than jobs, daily expenses in Singapore can still be considered as acceptable although many Singaporeans prefer to spend on groceries elsewhere like in Johor or Batam.
But not the extend as choosing Singapore as a place to live, education & work may only be temporary as Singapore is never the place for retirement. Thousands of local Singaporeans has chose to move abroad for retirement, even citizens aged 25-40 has already move away from Singapore for better living lifestyle and work life balance. In other words, getting out from depression and stressful life in Singapore. Even at the age 70, there are many who still need to work to find ends meet.
As for myself, a local Singaporean who has live for the past 33 years here in Singapore and has also chose early retirement and already moved away for good, Singapore is a place to make money, never for retirement.
Hi,
Can a civil engineer earn more than 100k a year in Singapour with few years of experience in Europe?
Thanks
@@blockawocka4026
Great question as two of my cousins are working as civil engineers.
Realistically, most civil engineers in Singapore do not earn anything more than $85k a year. Even in UAE(the country that pays the highest in engineering and computer science Industry) pays roughly $90k-$130k annually. In Singapore for civil engineers, the salary is between $35k-$56k(for junior level) and $66k-$82k(for senior level) but you can give it a shot as most civil engineers here in Singapore are mostly foreign talents..
@@Red_John. ok!
Thank you very much
Unless the cost of living is more than comfortable with an average salary & a balance work life culture, one should never assume &/or presume that earning a lower professional engineer salary & living elsewhere is less attractive than in SG.
Grew up in Malaysia and Singapore and loved the food and living there. Moved back to the US. Would visit over time but then took a 15 year break. Just went back and both places have changed. As for Singapore I have to say nope I would not want to live there. While good food and safety. 1) To damn hot and humid, 2) It's been influenced by outside countries. 3) Damn prices for stuff is too damn high. 4) Once you go around and done everything I found I got board. Don't get me wrong it's a great country/city and I would tell everyone to go visit but to live there I'd pass, but I can see why a lot of people retire there. Oh I live in California just so you have a point of reference.
I am looking right now to move, but the salary I get in US and the cost of living are the key factors. 3000 US dollars for 2 bed room, is way expensive for some one to move from Texas. Dual tax is another one you loose money. If I move to Singapore at the same level the pay is normalized and you have to take pay cut. The only thing that benefits going there will be if your company repatriates and not relocate
Hope that u get to widen your social circle to include some Singaporeans as well. Very often expats here are rather isolated in their own network and hence don’t really get to see the real Singapore
It really benefits if you mix with local where u can find cheaper foods n places to hang out too.
Most expats live within their expats circle, live the expats lives, eat the expats food and drinks. They will definitely have those "expats' complains". If you live, eat like this, it will be the same in any cities around the world.
Very interesting review. No matter where you live, the main thing is money. Money speaks for everything. Have you been to Singapore neighboring country, Malaysia? The closest is Johor Bahru. Enjoy street food and restaurants at cheaper prices. And delicious too. Also try go to Kuala Lumpur, the capital city of Malaysia with the trademark of Petronas Twin Tower and continue journey to Penang where many travelers consider it a paradise for Street food. Spend a little time and you won't feel disappointed and have fund. Penang, as well as the historic city of Malacca. Cost of living is almost 3 times cheaper from Singapore. You can get information from vloggers who have been to Malaysia.
Thank you! I recently went to JB and hope to visit KL and Penang next year 😊
3 times cheaper? Starbucks latte is MYR17 vs SGD9, Big Mac meal is MYR14 vs SGD7 and iPhone is practically the same price after conversion. Do they look like 3 times cheaper to you? But what is true is that pay in Singapore is about 9 times in Malaysia after conversion.
If you think living in Asia but feeling like in London, Tokyo, New York or Singapore, , that's is your problem. Did I say any of imported items? Or you're just jealous? Further more, Starbucks SG9x3 = RM27 is more cheaper than RM17? , Big Mac Sg7x3 = RM21 is cheaper than RM14. Something wrong with your math and calculation. 9 times pay compare to Malaysia, what a joke. Don't think we live in a cave. You might. For business Malaysia has more purchasing power than Singapore.
@@mahadhirmohamad nothing wrong with my literacy and calculation.
Firstly, on your literacy, "think" not "thing". Go on and blame it on autocorrect. G and K are separated by two other letters. Still on your literacy problem, did I say Malaysia is more expensive? Did you not understand that I am disputing your point that Malaysia is not 3 times cheaper?
Secondly, your arithmetic skill, so is RM17 three times cheaper than RM27?
Finally, on your general knowledge. Don't you know that Big Mac is one of the most localised international products using mostly local ingredients, vs your claim it is an "imported item" , that is why it is used as an indicator of purchasing power in economics report, called Purchasing Power Parity. So... Is RM14 three times cheaper than RM21?
My bad, my calculation indeed got something wrong. Singaporean fresh grad average pay of SGD4.2k is only 6.5 times of Malaysian fresh grad average pay of RM2.4k. I just used whatever salaries popped out from Google the other day. Apologies for the extra jealousy caused.
Yes, we are living in Asian. So does it mean that we are banned from consuming internationally? Do you really think that the sky should only be the size of the diameter of your well?
@@uwet.8826 Why buy a Big Mac when you can get a special Ramly Burger with patty, egg and cheese for only RM8? Why drink Starbucks when you can get a similar drink for RM8-RM9 in a similar location and atmosphere? It's just because of your taste for the brand not because of the taste. Did you also compare the price of a 1000 square foot condominium? How much is the price of a 5-star hotel room per night? Or rent a studio or 3-room apartment in the middle of the city? Malaysia is 4 to 5 times cheaper than Singapore. Vlogger in a video informed that he only spends USD1k a month to vacation in Kuala Lumpur compared USD3k to Usd4k a month when in Singapore.
I trust that it's not too late, I would love to see Cafe hopping content. I am interested to see what kind of cafes Singapore has. My dream is to me tomorrow and open up my dream Cafe
Very informative video thank you!❤
Singapore is cheap if you live like a local... Transport, food are cheap. Rentals of hdb remains very affordable as long as you share the apartment... There is lots of income left to enjoy life.
Thanks for doing this video.
Thank you for sharing! Do you mind providing some clarity on what career you took that led you to this opportunity? I visited Singapore a few months back and have been considering a move to Asia for awhile now so would love some insight from a fellow Asian American who made the leap
The shophouses in Blair Road so gorgeous ❤
SG is near perfect. I don't like the stress plus no more job security.
Also, cars are damn expensive.
Yes. Very safe
Bangkok and Manila are way cheaper to live...Rent...Food...Medical...transportation...etc.
Very well done.. and a great list. I am most envious of the food! PS: you forgot to mention weather :-)
I guess weather could be a pro or a con depending on whether you like the heat!
Well documented. Thanks
Hey Hapa, what are some meetup or facebook groups that you've found particularly valuable in regards to making meaningful connections in Sinapore?
Thnx this was a cool video! The nightlife woudl be nice to see!
Your video gives a very snapshot of whats its like to live in Singapore. Singapore is great place to live and work but there are many shortcomings living there which your video does not cover. Its a great place for expats who are there just temporarily for work. But is it a place to settle in permanently? Many factors make people leave the place. I can cite a few here. 1) High cost like you said. Owning a car is like 5 times what you pay in America and the car only lasts 10 years. 2) You can have a house in America with a backyard and front yard and maybe with a pool, but in Singapore you will live in a tiny apartment which will cost an arm and a leg if you buy it. Plus most of the real estate there is on a 99 year lease.....which means you pay a bomb for it, but it depreciates to nothing at the end of the lease. 3) Education is very competitive and you will subject your kids to immense rote learning pressure and exam hell 4) Rules, rules and more rules....many of the rules there regarding safety are great, but there are also rules that make little sense. I won't cover them here. 5) Huge rich/poor divide. 6) Lack of diversity in govt. It is a one party rule state. It has done well for the country but many policies are implemented without much challenge because of the weak opposition. SG has one of the highest Gini co-efficients, or income inequality in the world. I guess if you are rich, you won't complain. 7) The weather. It is hot hot hot, all year around. 8) Small like you said, and lack of natural beauty, and crowded with people. I love in America where there is so much space. 9) Finally, SG for all its modernity, it is just really a concrete jungle as you kinda alluded to. There is hardly anything natural there. So yes, great place to come to work for a specific period of time, but to live until one dies, I don't think so.
why would you want to own a car when you are living in a city where public transport runs from 5.30am till midnight and is never more than 3-5 minutes from your home? also, you can call a few cheap Cab anytime of the day if you need private transport. when in Singapore, think like a Singaporean and you will find that cost of living is actually very low.
Great vid, sister. Thank you
Thank you for the video, really helpful. I am looking to move to Singapore next year. Any recommendation on how to find an apartment, for example websites that you recommend to search on?
We moved from Singapore to New York after living there for 14 years. I don't know how we lived there for so long in such a hot weather 😅
Chao ceca👎
If you dont mind, where did you live in the US? I lived in LA and looked around the west coast of the US, when it comes to safety issues, I 100% support your idea. But I am not sure about East coast.
Working culture is very intense here as bosses here are not chill as the west and usually they’re more calculative. But then another drawback is that it doesn’t even encourage any groundbreaking creativity which (if you’re not their favourite pet), they’ll shoot down and condemn it right away
Their favourite pet is chao ceca!
Do you know why the Singapore government ban chewing-gum because the government are fed up of spending millions of dollars to clean the sidewalk and bus seats support...
Great video! God bless!
Thank you!
Expat can live In HDB which is public housing properties
❤love it!!!
谢谢 💛
please, please suggest me whether I come Singapore and find a job or confirm a job before visiting Singapore?
Hi and thanks for the video,I’ve found it nice and useful.
How much you should get per month to live a decent life ?
Any updates on your experience up till now?
Just uploaded an updated video! ruclips.net/video/t1SIbDAtMtM/видео.html
Oh yes, I heard about the rentals being too high. Good and informative video.
I like that you mentioned about the nature and hike part. As a Singaporean I have hiked the trails of Singapore hundreds of time. I feel expats are so welcoming and friendly compared to the locals for some reason😅. Th work culture is really intense and this is coming from a workaholic like me. I want to move to the US in the future. I just love it there majority are so welcoming. They know how to enjoy life too.
"Majority are so welcoming"
I guess you have never been to the US before lol
@@aero.l been there thrice this year and lived there for more than 6 months lol okay
@@Splashhhh So why wait until the future. Why not move there this year lol
@@aero.l LMAO I have UNI
@@Splashhhh In uni but claim to have been there thrice this year and lived there for 6mths. Sounds like a kid still living off your parents. Wait until you grow up and your view of the US might change lol
Spent 4 days in Singapore and I would love to live here.
One can chew gum but illegal to sell them. If one is prone to explore other cultures and looking for adventures, it is just 2 to 3 hours away by flight. Ride an elephant in Thailand, climb the highest peak in Sabah, surf in Bali, shoot an AK-47 assault rifle and toss a grenade in a range in Cambodia, etc
Something I’m having trouble finding information on is the use of chemicals and fragrance in Singapore. In the United States toxic air fresheners and cleaners are everywhere and many people wear heavily fragranced products that make some people sick. Is there anyone who can weigh in on this who lives in Singapore?
Govt regulations require all products coming into Singapore like fragrances tend to get inspected by relevant authorities for safety reasons
Rents are sky high currently, expect to spend 30-40% of your salary for an apartment
Thanks for the video, I thought about moving to Singapore with a job at hand, but I'm starting to realize it's very difficult, not to mention rental prices HDB stuff, and work life balance. I sincerely thought Singapore would have been a country that would have abandoned the OT "work churn" mentality, but I see it's still got ways to go.
Great insight
recently, is in the news, two 5room HDB units are sold for sgd1.42million and sgd1.37million AND two coffeeshops are each sold for more than sgd40million... this stirs up again many singaporeans and again more people shouting for higher sale prices and higher rentals...
There's always pros/cons to any city around the world, but I personally think the pros in SG outweighs the cons.....
You can also look into renting HDB units from the locals, it's harder to find but they're out there and usually cheaper than renting private condos, the hardest part for me when I arrived there was getting to the humidity.....and yes the great food options everywhere you go and I loved the hawker centers........overall I loved living there.....good luck!
Thank you!
@@happy_hapa HDB 4 or 5 rooms has BIGGER space than condo.The price is little cheaper than condo.
During the pandemic period 2020-2022, you'll realize very quickly the disadvantage of staying in a crowded small island vs the large expanse of the US.
Absolutely agree 💯%!
Fellow American expat moving to Singapore next month; can’t wait!
Any recommendations on areas to live? I’m looking at Orchard/Novena areas now. Need to be close to the North/South MRT line for work.
Welcome to Singapore! Hope you have a smooth move.
Orchard is a popular place to live as there are a lot of condo options but if you don't like malls it may not be for you. Novena is nice, it's quieter but still pretty central to CBD!
We live in Woodlands and find it quite convenient for family with kids in school
As a Singaporean , I would say to look at the suburbs rather than town area
Town areas are expensive.
Not much here on careers. SG is mostly administrative. If you want to work in a start up or in tech, or a creative industry, SG doesn't offer much. It's mainly a bank.
That's simply not true at all! There is a huge start-up culture in Singapore including security, fintech, media, biotech, healthcare, logistics and on and on. And calling Singapore "mainly a bank" is a badly ill-informed comment. It's the world's biggest seaport (in volume), for starters, and has one of the most sophisticated logistics network linked to the port, airport (which #1 in the world) and land transports. Oil & gas and chemical production are also massive in Singapore with major refineries and processing ports for fuels. Biotech and pharma R&D is huge in Singapore as well as healthcare/medical research and technology. Advanced electronics manufacturing and IT technology, data centres, hosting, global data networking, network security and AI development are also huge. High-end manufacturing in storage/wafer/chip are big also. And on and on in many other sectors... Yes, it is one of 5 or 6 major banking centres in the world - true - but that is certainly not core of Singapore's economy.
@@williambremner9022 Singapore is still mainly a bank. The IPO market in 2023 was about SGD 30M. This takes a few minutes in the USA. Essentially negligible. Other than banking there are opportunities working as a civil servant / PAP. The problem with the economy in SG is it is run through the state so ultimately the government will copy your ideas and do it with their buddies. Singapore ranks top 3 for cronycapitalism last time I checked. Anticompetitive and lacking in innovation. The businesses which Singapore has competing internationally py bribes to win consessions. There are almost no innovative products which come from Singapore. Likewise, Singapore does not produce many businesses which can compete internationally outside of banking. You are correct the port is very busy and the deep dig gas rigs are done well.
Now can rent a HDB $3000.
$6000 is more than sufficient lah
Can i get job when i travel to singarpore on tourist visa
4:56 hold the chart longer and increase the font please
I'm sorry if this was already answered but how did you find a reasonably priced place to live? I am trying to find a 1-2bed in a relatively central location with 700+sqft. for around S$2500-3000 and its hard lol
Do Americans transport pets to Singapore and do you know how difficult this would be?
Anecdotally, I have heard this is quite challenging as there are many approvals you need to get and it can take some time. Best of luck!
Very nice and informative video. I want to visit Singapore to experience the food and history there. I don't think I would want to live and work there.
Wow that sounds amazing!! What do you do if I may ask? If I were to guess I would have said you were a Business Consultant 😆
The pros and cons of moving to Singapore .
The pros is more business management potential vacancy and convenience for shopping and the distance and the cleanliness .
cons which is owning a private car is considered as luxury rather a basic needs because of the Singapore Certificate of Entitlement system.
移居新加坡的利與弊。
優點是更多的商業管理潛在的空缺和購物的便利以及距離和清潔度。
由於新加坡權利證書製度，擁有私家車的缺點被認為是奢侈品而不是基本需求。
@@FrankWu Singapore's public transport system is so good that it makes having a car useless. There is a cab stand, bus stop and mrt and let station nearby
@@FrankWu 购物便利？每天都有短命的新店在倒闭因为新加坡的店租超贵！倒闭到令你心寒，一直以为自己走错路，今天这里是鞋店写点，下星期这里变成面包店。清潔度？新加坡政府雇佣了25万南亚外劳，新加坡老人，每天全岛扫地，但是到处都还是垃圾啦。
@@stevenlim9640🤬
要比樂色也比不過你們馬來西亞的樂色！！🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Welcome to Singapore 🎶 🎵
No way I will Ever get used to the weather🥵! Street or hawker center food is cheap but everything else cost $, including a glass of water or ice! Just imagine trying to survive in this climate with no good supply of ice water or ice! No big gulp or AYCD soda fountains here☹️
How are the health services? Thank you
Hi, i'm new to your channel! Can i ask what job industry you're in and what job that may be? I'm considering after finishing college in the U.S to live in Singapore if such a job opening is available in the tech industry.
Eating in a hawker centre in the humid heat is absolute torture.
It's the ONLY way to eat local food! Aircon foodcourt hawker food tastes lousy because everything gets cold fast. Best hawker flavour and wok hey comes from open air hawker centres 100%. A little sweating to enjoy great food is worth it!
@@williambremner9022 i wasnt aware that there were any hawker centres with air con
@@nurilha hundreds of them…their known as food courts though.
Shalom .Thank you. Watching from Australia. 73 Praise the Lord 37 . 26 Praise the Lord 86 . Amen.
How long will you be living here? Under your company contract.
can a foreigners buy an apartment in Singapore? If yes, is it Tax free? Thank you.