How about life in Singapore w/ S$7000/m for a family?

[ziggy]

I am considering moving to Singapore, the company provide me S$7000/m, allowance detail is not revealed at this moment.

I will live there w/ my wife and my 5-years-old child. Can I live decently?

[ziggy]

p.s. any advice or commant is highly appreciated.

[k1w1]

In a word: YES. You should have no troubles living on that - there will be some who will tell you that there will be nothing left, but you will be fine.

If you are still negotiating, then my advice would be to try and get schooling covered or partly covered as this will be one of your biggest costs probably. Schools are between 12 000 - 25 000 a year.

[Guest]

Is it net or gross? If net..that is plenty..with some left over...I would say, that is if you spent wisely, of course and to a budget and to your life style.
All the best and enjoy Singapore.
www.my4life.com/bernard

[Elain]

Is it net or gross? If net..that is plenty..with some left over...I would say, that is if you spent wisely, of course and to a budget and to your life style.
All the best and enjoy Singapore.
www.my4life.com/bernard

If you enrol your kids in the local school, it will not be that expensive. Plus the local school syllabus is good. However, you may want to find out more about the school education system. Some expats find the school culture here too stressful and different.

[Elain]

Is it net or gross? If net..that is plenty..with some left over...I would say, that is if you spent wisely, of course and to a budget and to your life style.
All the best and enjoy Singapore.
www.my4life.com/bernard

If you enrol your kids in the local school, it will not be that expensive. Plus the local school syllabus is good. However, you may want to find out more about the school education system. Some expats find the school culture here too stressful and different.

[ziggy]

Is it net or gross? If net..that is plenty..with some left over...I would say, that is if you spent wisely, of course and to a budget and to your life style.
All the best and enjoy Singapore.
www.my4life.com/bernard

Thank you!

What's difference between net and gross? As I know, the income tax in Singapore is pretty low. The company will sponsor my EP, then maybe I think I will apply for PR.

[ziggy]

Is it net or gross? If net..that is plenty..with some left over...I would say, that is if you spent wisely, of course and to a budget and to your life style.
All the best and enjoy Singapore.
www.my4life.com/bernard

If you enrol your kids in the local school, it will not be that expensive. Plus the local school syllabus is good. However, you may want to find out more about the school education system. Some expats find the school culture here too stressful and different.

I am told the local school usually has a long waiting list. BTW, as a foreigner, can my child apply for local school?

[guest 21]

It seems like so many people do not do their homework before they come here! They really should research the place first to see if it's even worthwhile bothering. A lot of people from western countries will actually have a lower standard of living here, even if the pay might be higher, and income taxes less.
So Ziggy hasn't eveninvestigated about sending his kids to local schools, nor even what net and gross is. What's he going to do when he finds out how much a car costs?

[k1w1]

Ok.

School starts here the year a child turns seven. Foreigners are indeed eligible to attend local schools, but be warned that priority is given to locals and foreigners are only eligible to enrol once all steps have been taken to fill spots. Also, the culture of schools in Singapore may be extremely different to what your child/ren are used to. Still though, an excellent system and an option if you want it to be. International Schools will set you back between 15,000 and 25,000 a year, per child.

If your kids are under 7, there are plenty of pre-schools, child-care centes and kindergartens (all available to anyone, regardless of nationality). This option starts at 18 months, and there are a few infant centres available from 2 months.

Tax is dependant on how much you earn. If you are American, you have to pay the same tax rate as if you were in US anyway. Check out Ministry of Manpower (MOM) website.

Cars cost a bomb. A car payment over five years will set you back at least $1500 a month. Petrol is also very expensive. The good news: public transport is excellent and taxis are everywhere and are very cheap.

I think that covers it

[Guest]

I am considering moving to Singapore, the company provide me S$7000/m, allowance detail is not revealed at this moment.

I will live there w/ my wife and my 5-years-old child. Can I live decently?

we manage very well on half that, also with 5 yr old, even without the bonus or accom you can still manage well

[ziggy]

Thank you all.

I knew car is expensive here and decided to live w/o car, at least for the first year. sigh.

It is the company and the position which attracts me, and I expect the moving will not degrade quality of my life too much.

Guest 21, you are right. I am doing homework by posting and getting answers in this forum.

[Guest]

Since your daughter is five she can attend the many private pre-schools and kindergardens in Singapore. There are tons of neighborhood pre-K schools and monterssori schools in Singapore.

Check out this resource about Intl Schools and pre-K schools in Singapore:
http://www.theexpat.com/index.php?con=4&aid=143

[murakami]

oh, and i need to make a point about taxis - yeah they are everywhere but at times when you need it most, you'll find yourself spending atleast a good 15-20 mins queing AND waiting on the phone line to call in your own taxi.......

taxis are fine in terms of price but queues are horrendous!......i dine out often and have suffered many instances of long taxi queues.

so....owning a car ...is alot better if you can afford it. duh

[Guest]

>Foreigners are indeed eligible to attend local schools, but be warned that priority is given to locals and foreigners are only eligible to enrol once all steps have been taken to fill spots.

So let me get this straight. My wife and I move to Singapore and our kids score super high on their tests and wish to go to Raffles. However, sice they are simply PRs there will be NO slots available for them since it is the most sought after school by locals?