Singapore Expats

Hi Guys,

New to the forum and hoping for some opionions about a possible relocation to Singapore from Dubai.

I've been with my current company (high-end technology) in Dubai for 5 years and have been asked to relocate to Singapore to set up the business in Asia, so it will be a regional role. I wanted your opinions on how SG compares to Dubai in terms of cost of living so I can negotiate my package appropriately.

My current salary is SG$9,000 per month with SG$3,000 per month housing (tax free). Commission is on top but that's variable so I don't want to consider it it my calculations. I'd like to rent a 2 bed around 1200 sqft not too far out of the city centre and easy access to airport.

I'd be really interested to hear from anyone who has made the move on how the two cities compare and what you think I should be looking at for a comparable package (I'll be negotiating a raise separately, right now I just want to look at a like for like comparison).

Really appreciate any inputs.

Thanks,

Red

Not sure how salaries compare, but you can find a nice condo which meets your requirements in that price range ($3,000 SGD). East Coast would be an ideal location as it is 15-30 minutes (taxi to bus) from CBD, and about the same from the airport (directly between the two) on the beach. Lots of nightlife and shopping in the area also.

Thanks for the tip...... Can you recommend the names of any neighborhoods in the area suggested?

Based on various cost-of-living comparison sites, Singapore is anything from 15% to 40% more expensive than Dubai.
http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/co ... rrency=SGD

http://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-livin ... /singapore

Also remember that you're going to pay tax - budget 15% in the six months (after that you pass a long-stay threshold and can ask tax to be calculated on your earning, likely to be less than 15%).

Singapore and Dubai are quite comparable in terms of living cost. You can find cheap food options and expensive food options. High-end shopping malls. And expensive condos. A slight advantage compared to Dubai could be that the relatively cheaper Singapore neighborhoods further away from the city center are also quite nice and clean and well connected to public transport. Furthermore, you do not necessarily need a car in Singapore, whereas you might need one in the UAE. Of course the cost of keeping car in Singapore is amazingly high (especially) compared to the UAE.

Based on this website (http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/comparison.jsp), I got a remarkable similar costs for accommodation in your local currency:

Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre - Dubai 7,618.21 AED - Singapore 8,789.09 AED
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre - Dubai 5,117.79 AED - Singapore 5,568.66 AED
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Centre - Dubai 15,949.94 AED - Singapore 12,747.53 AED
Apartment (3 bedrooms) Outside of Centre - Dubai 10,639.57 AED- Singapore 8,990.37 AED