Is it even worth living in SG anymore as a foreigner?

[PNGMK]

My ll is asking for 60% increase. It's in line with other recent rentals in the condo. But a pretty disgusting statement of greed.

Not really. Interest rates are up and rents have been fairly depressed since the GFC. They are approaching more realistic levels for a global city.

Yup, I think it's a rise that's been a long time coming.

I consider Singapore to be cheap for a global city. Look at rents in NYC, London, Sydney as a comparison? You cannot rent in central NYC for the prices we pay in Singapore.

[midlet2013]

Not really. Interest rates are up and rents have been fairly depressed since the GFC. They are approaching more realistic levels for a global city.

Yup, I think it's a rise that's been a long time coming.

I consider Singapore to be cheap for a global city. Look at rents in NYC, London, Sydney as a comparison? You cannot rent in central NYC for the prices we pay in Singapore.

Hey PNGMK. This is midget speaking. But Nyc has suburb like New Jersey. Surely Sydney too. London too. People can travel a bit for cheaper rents.

How old r u now. Cuz ur logic is not as flawless as it used to be.

[PNGMK]

Hi Midget. Long time no see. Thanks for the back handed complement. I agree except that you could compare JB to New Jersey. A river to cross and a painful commute into the city.... same same.

[sundaymorningstaple]

Hi Midget. Long time no see. Thanks for the back handed complement. I agree except that you could compare JB to New Jersey. A river to cross and a painful commute into the city.... same same.

Ain't THAT the truth. I worked in Jersey for a while. Fortunately I had to travel south to go home and not north into NYC. I'm from the Upper East Coast and can agree on the commute. Same thing where my niece was living in Jersey across the river from Philly where she worked as a Paralegal. Not much difference with the exception here of having to clear immigration which CAN be a bother.

[midlet2013]

Hi Midget. Long time no see. Thanks for the back handed complement. I agree except that you could compare JB to New Jersey. A river to cross and a painful commute into the city.... same same.

Hey PNGMK, I am glad you were not offended by my bad joke But , you have to agree. You started it

I have been around. Just that I don't come here as often as you guys. But I do read once in a while and the forums are fun and useful at the same time.

I recently had a kid so enjoy driving my Jazz, or as PNGMK would put it, Poor Man's Audi A1 but not too bad given my stature as a midget.

[malcontent]

If Numbeo is to be believed, here is what it costs in SGD to rent a 3br apartment in these city centers. I’ve added some less than global cities, just for comparison. The exchange rate is clearly skewing things in some cases.

KL = S$1,322
Auckland = S$2,230
Bangkok = S$2,630
Perth = S$2,720
Brisbane = S$2,860
Melbourne = $3,120
Tokyo = S$3,220
Toronto = S$3,780
Phoenix = S$3,820
Sydney = S$4,500
Atlanta = S$4,520
Dublin = S$4,950
Dallas = S$5,030
Zurich = S$5,200
Honolulu = S$5,290
London = S$5,300
Seattle = S$5,820
Geneva = S$5,930
Hong Kong = S$6,390
Los Angeles = S$6,530
Miami = S$6,550
Singapore = S$7,040
San Francisco = S$8,000
NYC = S$9,990

[NYY1]

If Numbeo is to be believed, here is what it costs in SGD to rent a 3br apartment in these city centers. I’ve added some less than global cities, just for comparison. The exchange rate is clearly skewing things in some cases.

KL = S$1,322
Auckland = S$2,230
Bangkok = S$2,630
Perth = S$2,720
Brisbane = S$2,860
Melbourne = $3,120
Tokyo = S$3,220
Toronto = S$3,780
Phoenix = S$3,820
Sydney = S$4,500
Atlanta = S$4,520
Dublin = S$4,950
Dallas = S$5,030
Zurich = S$5,200
Honolulu = S$5,290
London = S$5,300
Seattle = S$5,820
Geneva = S$5,930
Hong Kong = S$6,390
Los Angeles = S$6,530
Miami = S$6,550
Singapore = S$7,040
San Francisco = S$8,000
NYC = S$9,990

I've always found these websites (like this) hard to decipher. Maybe on average they are OK, at least directionally. But what is an average apartment going into the calculation for all of these cities? Someone recently posted a Bloomberg article that still had Hong Kong ahead of Singapore (Mid-Levels vs Orchard).

For actual living, going to see what $X will get you (and can you accept it) is obviously best.

[malcontent]

I've always found these websites (like this) hard to decipher. Maybe on average they are OK, at least directionally. But what is an average apartment going into the calculation for all of these cities? Someone recently posted a Bloomberg article that still had Hong Kong ahead of Singapore (Mid-Levels vs Orchard).

For actual living, going to see what $X will get you (and can you accept it) is obviously best.

Fully agree, I believe Numbeo is crowdsourced data which is why I prefaced “if it is to be believed” - you have to take it with a grain of salt, but it is directionally interesting.

[the observer]

If Numbeo is to be believed, here is what it costs in SGD to rent a 3br apartment in these city centers. I’ve added some less than global cities, just for comparison. The exchange rate is clearly skewing things in some cases.

KL = S$1,322
Auckland = S$2,230
Bangkok = S$2,630
Perth = S$2,720
Brisbane = S$2,860
Melbourne = $3,120
Tokyo = S$3,220
Toronto = S$3,780
Phoenix = S$3,820
Sydney = S$4,500
Atlanta = S$4,520
Dublin = S$4,950
Dallas = S$5,030
Zurich = S$5,200
Honolulu = S$5,290
London = S$5,300
Seattle = S$5,820
Geneva = S$5,930
Hong Kong = S$6,390
Los Angeles = S$6,530
Miami = S$6,550
Singapore = S$7,040
San Francisco = S$8,000
NYC = S$9,990

So, any 3 bedder less than 7k is considered a bargain innit

[Addadude]

If Numbeo is to be believed, here is what it costs in SGD to rent a 3br apartment in these city centers. I’ve added some less than global cities, just for comparison. The exchange rate is clearly skewing things in some cases.

KL = S$1,322
Auckland = S$2,230
Bangkok = S$2,630
Perth = S$2,720
Brisbane = S$2,860
Melbourne = $3,120
Tokyo = S$3,220
Toronto = S$3,780
Phoenix = S$3,820
Sydney = S$4,500
Atlanta = S$4,520
Dublin = S$4,950
Dallas = S$5,030
Zurich = S$5,200
Honolulu = S$5,290
London = S$5,300
Seattle = S$5,820
Geneva = S$5,930
Hong Kong = S$6,390
Los Angeles = S$6,530
Miami = S$6,550
Singapore = S$7,040
San Francisco = S$8,000
NYC = S$9,990

The quantum for Dublin looks suspiciously cheap. You'd maybe a 2-bedroom apartment for that price in Dublin - if you could find one available for rent. It's absolutely a landlord's market there, and from what I've heard, the rental market in Dublin makes Singapore look like a bargain.

[Wd40]

If Numbeo is to be believed, here is what it costs in SGD to rent a 3br apartment in these city centers. I’ve added some less than global cities, just for comparison. The exchange rate is clearly skewing things in some cases.

KL = S$1,322
Auckland = S$2,230
Bangkok = S$2,630
Perth = S$2,720
Brisbane = S$2,860
Melbourne = $3,120
Tokyo = S$3,220
Toronto = S$3,780
Phoenix = S$3,820
Sydney = S$4,500
Atlanta = S$4,520
Dublin = S$4,950
Dallas = S$5,030
Zurich = S$5,200
Honolulu = S$5,290
London = S$5,300
Seattle = S$5,820
Geneva = S$5,930
Hong Kong = S$6,390
Los Angeles = S$6,530
Miami = S$6,550
Singapore = S$7,040
San Francisco = S$8,000
NYC = S$9,990

Singapore is horribly outdated. My colleague rented a 1bedder studio in Tanjong Pagar and it cost her 4k and she thought it was a great bargain, because now the same one bedders are listed for 5-6k.

Search for Icon in P guru site.

[nelyanne]

Not really. Interest rates are up and rents have been fairly depressed since the GFC. They are approaching more realistic levels for a global city.

Yup, I think it's a rise that's been a long time coming.

I consider Singapore to be cheap for a global city. Look at rents in NYC, London, Sydney as a comparison? You cannot rent in central NYC for the prices we pay in Singapore.

Another thing is the difference in cost and quality of public transport... I am not sure about NYC or Sydney, but in London, it is super expensive, and not all vehicles have A/C. It's so much better in Singapore.

[the observer]

If Numbeo is to be believed, here is what it costs in SGD to rent a 3br apartment in these city centers. I’ve added some less than global cities, just for comparison. The exchange rate is clearly skewing things in some cases.

KL = S$1,322
Auckland = S$2,230
Bangkok = S$2,630
Perth = S$2,720
Brisbane = S$2,860
Melbourne = $3,120
Tokyo = S$3,220
Toronto = S$3,780
Phoenix = S$3,820
Sydney = S$4,500
Atlanta = S$4,520
Dublin = S$4,950
Dallas = S$5,030
Zurich = S$5,200
Honolulu = S$5,290
London = S$5,300
Seattle = S$5,820
Geneva = S$5,930
Hong Kong = S$6,390
Los Angeles = S$6,530
Miami = S$6,550
Singapore = S$7,040
San Francisco = S$8,000
NYC = S$9,990

Singapore is horribly outdated. My colleague rented a 1bedder studio in Tanjong Pagar and it cost her 4k and she thought it was a great bargain, because now the same one bedders are listed for 5-6k.

Search for Icon in P guru site.

You can actually check transacted rental prices back up to 2012 for this ICON, ie page 179.

Of course, do compare like for like, ie equivalent square feet areas. Because the icon has 600 sq ft 1 bedders as well 800 sq ft 1 bedders. They're both 1 bedders. The bigger one I believe has a Loft, ie two levels.

https://www.99.co/singapore/condos-apartments/icon

[the observer]

After a fortuitous 2021 for tech jobs, are tech layoffs the topic for 2023?

Lower rents dream may come true for you, @wd40.

[Dan Cooke]

Everyone I know who is living abroad is either waiting to hear about their permanent residency applications or planning contingency plans. I don't expect things to ease up in the near future.