Singapore Expats

Is 4k sufficient for a couple to survive in SG

Discuss about getting a well paid job or career advancement. Ask about salaries, expat packages, CPF & taxes for expatriate.
Post Reply
User avatar
JR8
Immortal
Immortal
Posts: 16522
Joined: Wed, 24 Mar 2010 12:43 pm
Location: K. Puki Manis

Re: Is 4k sufficient for a couple to survive in SG

Post by JR8 » Thu, 22 Jan 2015 9:36 am

I see the situation as two distinct propositions.

If you alone are working then I'd have thought you would have no choice but to rent a room in a shared apartment. The cost of housing is high, and even the base level is not cheap versus your offered income.

If your wife is able to secure a job locally then a household income of double (your single one) would mean a very different lifestyle. You could remain in a flatshare and save quite a lot, or rent a unit together for yourselves alone. I.e. $4k/mo alone limits your options, double that and it opens up many more choices and opportunities.

One challenge to consider, assuming you move here with your wife, is the place you initially rent. The shorter the term of the Tenancy Agreement here, the more expensive it tends to make the rent. So, you might find yourself tied into a fixed-term TA, and if your wife gets a job, wishing that you could move and get your own place. That might not be ideal for you, but on the plus side it might let you save up some money.

... On a different note, visas. Is your employer going to apply for/sponsor a Dependant's Pass for your wife?
'Do it or do not do it: You will regret both' - Kierkegaard

User avatar
sundaymorningstaple
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 40533
Joined: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 1:26 pm
Answers: 21
Location: Retired on the Little Red Dot

Re: Is 4k sufficient for a couple to survive in SG

Post by sundaymorningstaple » Thu, 22 Jan 2015 9:50 am

Additionally, once your wife arrives, she may well have more or equal experience as you, but she will be probably offered much less because they will know that she is a trailing spouse and therefore will understand that the main earner should have done their homework and ensured that they can survive on a single income. If you come here with the idea that she WILL get a job, it is a VERY dangerous assumption that could spell disaster for the two of you. There have been a lot of sad stories of trailing spouses who never managed to find that elusive job and this has resulted in divorces, both giving up and returning home, separations, etc. Only come here if it is financially feasible for the two of you to survive based on your desired outcome, financially. Otherwise, give it a miss.

sms
SOME PEOPLE TRY TO TURN BACK THEIR ODOMETERS. NOT ME. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW WHY I LOOK THIS WAY. I'VE TRAVELED A LONG WAY, AND SOME OF THE ROADS WEREN'T PAVED. ~ Will Rogers

azharhussain1987
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 8:08 pm

Re: Is 4k sufficient for a couple to survive in SG

Post by azharhussain1987 » Thu, 22 Jan 2015 1:43 pm

Hello WD40 - sorry couldn't understand the reference of body shopping company. Just a bit back ground - I work for a US based Investment Bank, which is having its operations centre here in Bangalore. My purpose of moving to a different country(not exclusively Singapore) is honestly a desperate choice due to a personal challenge of my marriage. Me and my wife belong to different religion making it evidently unacceptable by the families. Having spent a considerate amount of tenure with the company I work for, they offered help to find a job in the other locations of my company. Singapore was the one I finally found some luck. But unfortunately my wife couldn't get a job via IJP.

Having heard from them this morning - I do not see a huge bargain with what I have been offered. S$1000 has a considerate value with the Indian FX rate applied - considering it to be a saving back home.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

azharhussain1987
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 8:08 pm

Re: Is 4k sufficient for a couple to survive in SG

Post by azharhussain1987 » Thu, 22 Jan 2015 1:46 pm

Thank you JR8 and Sundaymorningstaple.. This definitely had given me more perspectives to look at.. My employer is checking the feasibility to sponsor my wife. I haven't accepted the offer yet and are on the talks. And the above discussions are surely helping me to have a stronger conversation with them.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

User avatar
Wd40
Director
Director
Posts: 4657
Joined: Tue, 04 Dec 2012 10:53 am
Answers: 1
Location: SIndiapore

Re: Is 4k sufficient for a couple to survive in SG

Post by Wd40 » Thu, 22 Jan 2015 1:53 pm

azharhussain1987 wrote:Hello WD40 - sorry couldn't understand the reference of body shopping company. Just a bit back ground - I work for a US based Investment Bank, which is having its operations centre here in Bangalore. My purpose of moving to a different country(not exclusively Singapore) is honestly a desperate choice due to a personal challenge of my marriage. Me and my wife belong to different religion making it evidently unacceptable by the families. Having spent a considerate amount of tenure with the company I work for, they offered help to find a job in the other locations of my company. Singapore was the one I finally found some luck. But unfortunately my wife couldn't get a job via IJP.

Having heard from them this morning - I do not see a huge bargain with what I have been offered. S$1000 has a considerate value with the Indian FX rate applied - considering it to be a saving back home.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk




I guess you work in operations/backoffice then. Then its worth coming, because in India they are considered BPO jobs and pay is way lower. In IT perm employee of a bank from what I heard usual salary is 6.5K at least in Singapore. The big banks that have branches in both SG and Bangalore are JPM and ANZ. I am guessing you are from one of them.

azharhussain1987
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 10
Joined: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 8:08 pm

Re: Is 4k sufficient for a couple to survive in SG

Post by azharhussain1987 » Thu, 22 Jan 2015 1:59 pm

Hello WD40 - yes I am into operations.. And no - I am not from JPM or ANZ.. But a relatively(if compared to JPM) smaller firm with an equal reputation globally. I can't give the name of course but has your top-notch Singapore clients including the govt.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

User avatar
Wd40
Director
Director
Posts: 4657
Joined: Tue, 04 Dec 2012 10:53 am
Answers: 1
Location: SIndiapore

Re: Is 4k sufficient for a couple to survive in SG

Post by Wd40 » Thu, 22 Jan 2015 2:02 pm

Then come over, once you are here and establish yourself, you can look at other higher paying opportunities otherwise India is always open, if not Bangalore you can consider Pune, lots of banks there.

User avatar
the lynx
Governor
Governor
Posts: 5281
Joined: Thu, 09 Dec 2010 6:29 pm
Location: Location: Location: Location: Location: Location: Location: Location: Location: Location: Location:

Re: Is 4k sufficient for a couple to survive in SG

Post by the lynx » Mon, 26 Jan 2015 9:19 am

One fact you need to think carefully, if you plan to move to Singapore, solely expecting your wife to get a job so that you can survive on two incomes, your $4K is not enough unless you live like what ecureilx suggested.

This expectation is very dangerous and can break marriages, because it is harder for trailing spouses to find jobs quickly in Singapore these days.

If both of you are able (in default mode) to live on your one $4k salary, then come. If you think you cannot survive for one year being the sole breadwinner on that salary because your wife is unable to find a job and both of you think you two will live miserably on that $4k, better consider elsewhere.

midlet2013
Chatter
Chatter
Posts: 357
Joined: Wed, 13 Nov 2013 10:56 am
Answers: 1

Re: Is 4k sufficient for a couple to survive in SG

Post by midlet2013 » Tue, 27 Jan 2015 5:45 am

$4k is not enough in the long run.

Initially, you can rent a room instead of a flat. And manage. But over time, you will feel that your needs and expectations will rise. Unless you are able to raise your salary or your wife gets a job, you will start to feel the pain over time.

Take the chance and see if it works. You will never know unless u try.

User avatar
ecureilx
Immortal
Immortal
Posts: 9817
Joined: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 5:18 pm

Re: Is 4k sufficient for a couple to survive in SG

Post by ecureilx » Tue, 27 Jan 2015 1:58 pm

midlet2013 wrote:$4k is not enough in the long run.

Initially, you can rent a room instead of a flat. And manage. But over time, you will feel that your needs and expectations will rise. Unless you are able to raise your salary or your wife gets a job, you will start to feel the pain over time.

Take the chance and see if it works. You will never know unless u try.
Then again OP has decided to move .. so ... I will say hope for the best and plan for the worst

You can make it , I am sure

noskich
Regular
Regular
Posts: 90
Joined: Thu, 12 May 2011 7:22 am

Re: Is 4k sufficient for a couple to survive in SG

Post by noskich » Wed, 28 Jan 2015 11:29 am

I don`t quite get the advice to cook at home. When compared to hawkers the financial benefit would surely be marginal, if any at all. Don`t forget you would need to purchase spices, oil, possibly some kitchen utensils etc. I would really struggle to cook a meal for the same price you can get at a hawker. Hawkers can offer lower prices as they cook it on a large scale.

User avatar
nakatago
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 8364
Joined: Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:23 pm
Location: Thunderbolts* HQ

Re: Is 4k sufficient for a couple to survive in SG

Post by nakatago » Wed, 28 Jan 2015 11:43 am

noskich wrote:I don`t quite get the advice to cook at home. When compared to hawkers the financial benefit would surely be marginal, if any at all. Don`t forget you would need to purchase spices, oil, possibly some kitchen utensils etc. I would really struggle to cook a meal for the same price you can get at a hawker. Hawkers can offer lower prices as they cook it on a large scale.
Cooking at home can only be more expensive if you intend to cook a different meal each day. I prefer cooking most days as I get to control what goes into my food, which in turn, will be healthier. I prevent spending more that I would have if I bought hawker food with proper planning: e.g. some ingredients are used in more than one dish or some dishes you won't mind having multiple times in a week.
"A quokka is what would happen if there was an anime about kangaroos."

User avatar
rajagainstthemachine
Manager
Manager
Posts: 2872
Joined: Sat, 24 Nov 2012 10:45 am
Location: Singapore

Re: Is 4k sufficient for a couple to survive in SG

Post by rajagainstthemachine » Wed, 28 Jan 2015 1:04 pm

I'd say go ahead and do it! even if the pay package is not great, its a chance for you and your wife to reconcile, at least you'll be a bit happy that you are away from Indian parents who are constant worry worts.
To get there early is on time and showing up on time is late

User avatar
ecureilx
Immortal
Immortal
Posts: 9817
Joined: Fri, 20 Aug 2010 5:18 pm

Re: Is 4k sufficient for a couple to survive in SG

Post by ecureilx » Thu, 29 Jan 2015 10:59 am

rajagainstthemachine wrote:I'd say go ahead and do it! even if the pay package is not great, its a chance for you and your wife to reconcile, at least you'll be a bit happy that you are away from Indian parents who are constant worry worts.
++++1 to this ..

Katongirl
Newbie
Newbie
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue, 03 Mar 2015 10:48 am

Re: Is 4k sufficient for a couple to survive in SG

Post by Katongirl » Wed, 04 Mar 2015 6:59 am

I was just looking at this thread. Has the OP and his wife moved to Singapore?
Hope all's going well!

When we were living in Singapore, we always lived on one salary and saved the other. True to our prep, there were some periods of time where one of us lost the job and left the other one working. We didn't' have to change a lot on lifestyle. And we had always rented just a room. That itself cost $1000. Tiny room. Outrageous.

$4000 is doable if both of you are frugal and rent doesn't go beyond $1500.

Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to “Careers & Jobs in Singapore”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests