SINGAPORE EXPATS FORUM
Singapore Expat Forum and Message Board for Expats in Singapore & Expatriates Relocating to Singapore
Moving to Singapore from San Francisco
Moving to Singapore from San Francisco
Hello,
Hope you all are doing great. I am in the interviewing stage for a VP role in a financial payments/crypto company based in Singapore. My ex-boss is trying to hire me for this role. He himself is looking to move to SG and will be my boss if I accept this role.
HR asked me what my salary expectations are. My Singapore market research indicated that around $220k-$240k will be a reasonable number. But this seems low compared to my current US compensation and stock options. I am currently working in a high potential crypto/payments company in San Francisco Bay Area at a Director level role and stable in my job.
I am 35 and have no kids yet. My mother (widow) and wife (not working) will relocate with me to Singapore and I will be the sole earning member for the near future.
A few questions I have
1. Does this move sound reasonable to you in the global pandemic? It's similar work profile and similar industry (crypto/payments)?
2. What can be a fair/higher compensation which a VP role can bring me? I don't feel great to move when I have no financial incentive. I get the fun of living in a very vibrant place but that alone isn't good enough to make me leave where I am today. FYI, I lived in New York before I moved to SF and have traveled to over 30 countries for personal trips.
3. What will be a good amount to allow me and family to live a decent SG lifestyle and save around SGD 8k-10k/month?
Thanks for your guidance!!!
Hope you all are doing great. I am in the interviewing stage for a VP role in a financial payments/crypto company based in Singapore. My ex-boss is trying to hire me for this role. He himself is looking to move to SG and will be my boss if I accept this role.
HR asked me what my salary expectations are. My Singapore market research indicated that around $220k-$240k will be a reasonable number. But this seems low compared to my current US compensation and stock options. I am currently working in a high potential crypto/payments company in San Francisco Bay Area at a Director level role and stable in my job.
I am 35 and have no kids yet. My mother (widow) and wife (not working) will relocate with me to Singapore and I will be the sole earning member for the near future.
A few questions I have
1. Does this move sound reasonable to you in the global pandemic? It's similar work profile and similar industry (crypto/payments)?
2. What can be a fair/higher compensation which a VP role can bring me? I don't feel great to move when I have no financial incentive. I get the fun of living in a very vibrant place but that alone isn't good enough to make me leave where I am today. FYI, I lived in New York before I moved to SF and have traveled to over 30 countries for personal trips.
3. What will be a good amount to allow me and family to live a decent SG lifestyle and save around SGD 8k-10k/month?
Thanks for your guidance!!!
Re: Moving to Singapore from San Francisco
Why can't you do the job remotely?
I not lawyer/teacher/CPA.
You've been arrested? Law Society of Singapore can provide referrals.
You want an International School job? School website or http://www.ISS.edu
Your rugrat needs a School? Avoid for profit schools
You need Tax advice? Ask a CPA
You ran away without doing NS? Shame on you!
You've been arrested? Law Society of Singapore can provide referrals.
You want an International School job? School website or http://www.ISS.edu
Your rugrat needs a School? Avoid for profit schools
You need Tax advice? Ask a CPA
You ran away without doing NS? Shame on you!
Re: Moving to Singapore from San Francisco
Don’t think you can relocate with your mother
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
- sundaymorningstaple
- Moderator
- Posts: 39755
- Joined: Thu, 11 Nov 2004 1:26 pm
- Location: Retired on the Little Red Dot
Re: Moving to Singapore from San Francisco
This is incorrect. If the EP holder earns in excess of 12K/mo the EP holder can also bring in the EP holder's parents.
https://www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permi ... for-family
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
-
- Chatter
- Posts: 339
- Joined: Thu, 28 May 2020 5:02 pm
Re: Moving to Singapore from San Francisco
Have you adjusted for taxes? US taxes are considerably higher than Singapore so I expect that your tax adjusted compensation will be rather higher than what you would get back in the States.bpnyey wrote: ↑Sat, 18 Jul 2020 10:50 pmHR asked me what my salary expectations are. My Singapore market research indicated that around $220k-$240k will be a reasonable number. But this seems low compared to my current US compensation and stock options. I am currently working in a high potential crypto/payments company in San Francisco Bay Area at a Director level role and stable in my job.
Also, I wouldn't compare Singapore with San Francisco for tech salaries. They are different ecosystems.
This all depends on your threshold of "decent". But a salary of 12k a month wouldn't allow you to save 8-10k a month. Assuming you are like most expats you would stay in a private condo, you would be throwing out at least 3k a month (most likely 4-5k given your wife and mother will join you). On top of that, while taxes are low, it's not nonexistent, you would have an effective tax rate of around 12%, that would take another 2k out a month.
And once you put spending on top of that .... I think you would be saving under $5k per month, give you will have to support your wife and mother
Re: Moving to Singapore from San Francisco
I would actually be more concerned about when the OP referred to "I get the fun of living in a very vibrant place but that alone isn't good enough to make me leave where I am today."
I'm really not sure that Singapore meets the criteria of being a very "vibrant place" - at least certainly for somebody coming from San Francisco... You might be in for some disappointment.
I'm really not sure that Singapore meets the criteria of being a very "vibrant place" - at least certainly for somebody coming from San Francisco... You might be in for some disappointment.
"Both politicians and nappies need to be changed regularly, and for the same reasons."
Re: Moving to Singapore from San Francisco
Thank you for responding.
I have worked in US most of my career and think Singapore will add to my experience. Ideally, I will like to spend 3-4 years in Singapore and can move back to US or somewhere else like Japan, Australia or Canada. Not keen on working remote from US.
I realize relocating will be tough and need to keep my expectations clear.
Will keep you posted on what I hear on the salary front. It will be more real. Thanks again.
I have worked in US most of my career and think Singapore will add to my experience. Ideally, I will like to spend 3-4 years in Singapore and can move back to US or somewhere else like Japan, Australia or Canada. Not keen on working remote from US.
I realize relocating will be tough and need to keep my expectations clear.
Will keep you posted on what I hear on the salary front. It will be more real. Thanks again.
-
- Chatter
- Posts: 339
- Joined: Thu, 28 May 2020 5:02 pm
Re: Moving to Singapore from San Francisco
This is not just about moving to Singapore, it's about moving back. You might find you can't get a job back in the US after your stint in Singapore.
If you want to work in crypto, I'm not I would move to Singapore from San Fran.
If you want to work in crypto, I'm not I would move to Singapore from San Fran.
-
- Newbie
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Mon, 17 Aug 2020 9:02 am
Re: Moving to Singapore from San Francisco
Hi Tropical Expat,
I'm not the OP, but chanced upon this discussion as I too have an offer to move from the Bay Area to Singapore (in a different field from OP)
I'm curious why you say
I'm not the OP, but chanced upon this discussion as I too have an offer to move from the Bay Area to Singapore (in a different field from OP)
I'm curious why you say
Was this specifically in the context of OP's crypto career? If this was a more generic comment, then I'm really interested to understand why a Singapore stint is not necessarily a positive....You might find you can't get a job back in the US after your stint in Singapore.
Re: Moving to Singapore from San Francisco
i guess it depends on your industry. if you are an exec being transferred into a new role for experience then Sg is fine. If you are moving to sg in a new role in a new company then Sg may not help your career. In my experience Sg isn't seen as an upwardly mobile move, except for some very specific industries. In most cases you are better sticking to the bigger locations, London, NY, etc.
-
- Chatter
- Posts: 339
- Joined: Thu, 28 May 2020 5:02 pm
Re: Moving to Singapore from San Francisco
Yeah crypto specific. Singapore is trying to be a competitive environment for FinTech, but it's lack of size really hampers it's ability to draw in talent, so if you move here in FinTech, yes you will be a big fish here...but when you move back to SF, you will be a minnow ... That's not disparaging the talent in Singapore, it's just a numbers game. The more people, the more ideas.baytobeach wrote: ↑Fri, 04 Sep 2020 11:09 pmHi Tropical Expat,
I'm not the OP, but chanced upon this discussion as I too have an offer to move from the Bay Area to Singapore (in a different field from OP)
I'm curious why you sayWas this specifically in the context of OP's crypto career? If this was a more generic comment, then I'm really interested to understand why a Singapore stint is not necessarily a positive....You might find you can't get a job back in the US after your stint in Singapore.
But I do think it's true of a number of industries.
Best of luck with your move. This forum is an invaluable, if sometimes blunt, resource

-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
-
Moving to Singapore - question about moving furniture
by nomadposters » Mon, 14 Jan 2019 4:26 am » in Property Talk, Housing & Rental - 1 Replies
- 2494 Views
-
Last post by abbby
Mon, 09 Sep 2019 9:53 pm
-
-
-
moving from Hong Kong to Singapore in Jan 2017
by peter.Co » Sun, 24 Jun 2018 5:03 pm » in Newcomer's Lounge - 0 Replies
- 5400 Views
-
Last post by peter.Co
Sun, 24 Jun 2018 5:03 pm
-
-
-
Moving to Singapore to attend Duke-NUS; Possibility of getting PR for lower tuition?
by sibby_44 » Mon, 12 Feb 2018 4:59 pm » in Relocating, Moving to Singapore - 1 Replies
- 2841 Views
-
Last post by PNGMK
Tue, 13 Feb 2018 6:53 am
-
-
-
Moving to Singapore as a spouse
by Jcloiseau » Sun, 18 Feb 2018 3:43 am » in Careers & Jobs in Singapore - 4 Replies
- 1764 Views
-
Last post by Jcloiseau
Mon, 19 Feb 2018 7:22 am
-
-
-
Moving from Canada to Singapore
by john378 » Mon, 05 Mar 2018 4:09 pm » in Relocating, Moving to Singapore - 6 Replies
- 9235 Views
-
Last post by bcheng74
Sat, 31 Mar 2018 10:24 am
-
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests