relocating to Singapore advice

[Bonny Scot]

Hi everybody,
I have just been offered a job in the pharma industry in Jurong.
Now, it is crunch time and I need some advice...
1st, what is a resonable salary in Singapore to live on, the offer is ~singD100K/year is this good?
What about renting a flat? is there an abundance and what areas are good, I am thinking somewhere between Jurong and the citycentre?
also is unfurnished or furnished typical?
Finally is beer really as expensive as I am lead to believe!?
Sorry for so many questions any advice appreciated!

Cheers

[Telly]

would be very helpful for you if you went thru some of the previous threads and posts here, there really is a lot of information here, answers to questions like yours which has been asked. Try it, you'll see!

[ohmygod...]

i think SGD 100k here is very good money....ask if the paycheck includes your rent as well or they will pay your housing package for you. Ask whether u have car allowance too...

Beer here is definitely more expensive ....abt $7 - $12 per glass...or $16 to $40 per jug depending on where u buy it...

Hmm.. pharmaceutical in jurong...schering plough????

well try to get an apartment nearer to town cos if u get one in jurong , u will be bored to death.....

[Bonny Scot]

Thanks for reply ohmygod...

The salary is it, no housing nor car allowance.
I am coming in January and have been looking at apartments on the net.
have found Parc Vista and other condo blocks around Chinese gardens MRT, the which is closer to Jurong that town.
Any ideas what it is like?
How long would it take into town centre by MRT or taxi?
is there shopping centres near by this area?

Cheers,

[jpatokal]

The salary is it, no housing nor car allowance.
I am coming in January and have been looking at apartments on the net.
have found Parc Vista and other condo blocks around Chinese gardens MRT, the which is closer to Jurong that town.
Any ideas what it is like?
How long would it take into town centre by MRT or taxi?
is there shopping centres near by this area?

As a former resident of Parc Vista, I can tell you it's convenient to Jurong (my commute was 5 minutes) but nowhere else. Figure on 30 minutes by train or 20 by taxi to the city center, 60/30 minutes to Changi -- quite long in Singapore terms. Jurong Point (Boon Lay) and IMM (Jurong East) are the only major shopping centers in the area, plus of course the usual hawker centers etc.

Good things in Jurong are that housing is cheap and there are comparatively few ang moh around, so after a couple of visits every hawker will call you by name and know how much chilli you like in your char kuey teow. Bad things are that there is absolutely nothing to do nearby and the center is mentally far enough away to make going there a bit of a chore.

[Bonny Scot]

Thanks for the info..
can I take from your reply that PV may be out in the sticks but is not that bad?. Are there better locations that I should concentrate on?
What kind of rent would I be looking at there for 2 bed in that area?

My current thinking is to be relatively close to work for the initally so i can get to and from it easily and find better once I know the lay of the land.
A 20 min taxi on the face of it, does not sound too bad, compared with tackling british rail and london underground on a wet and cold november morn. but I guess that will change after a spell.

[Guest]

Clementi/ulu pandan is pretty close to jurong and a high expat area.

[suggestion]

I would suggest you try to live in an area where you will be most comfortable socially. Commute to work and live where you want to spend much of your free time.

[pl_saw]

Congratulations on your job offer!

Commuting in Singapore is definitely less hassle compared to UK. Since you'll be working in Jurong, suggest you take note of Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) East-West route. Make sure the station near your apartment is on the same route as the nearest station to your work place. You can try apartments in center near stations like Raffles City, City Hall or Bugis. Or you can stay in Holland Village, expat neighbourhood (not so near MRT)

Check out http://www.singaporeexpats.com/housing- ... ar-MRT.htm


Have a life! Don't live in Jurong.

Cheers,
Ling
[email protected]

[ClydeBuilt]

[font=Times New Roman]Bonny Scot, where are you from? We are relocating to Sing-a-long in January too, suspect we may be from a similar neck of the woods? [/font]

[Buchanan]

Aye, it's good tae see more Scots here. If you are Celtic, then please cast your vote here.
Here's tae ye,
Slainte Mhor!!!