Discuss about life in Singapore. Ask about cost of living, housing, travel, etiquette & lifestyle. Share experience & advice with Singaporeans & expat staying in Singapore.
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guido1976
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by guido1976 » Sat, 14 Nov 2009 6:43 pm
resm wrote:guido1976 wrote:Hello Everybody,
This is my first post here. From january my company sends me to singapore
for about a year(as a start).
The company will pay for my house and transportation. They also pay for
my phone and internet.
They give me 80 sing dollars a day as living allowance.
My question is if that is reasonable for daily live. I will cook my own food
a few days a week. I dont go out every night. Like to join a fitness/sports club etc. When eating out it will not be a fancy restaurant but just a healthy, normal daily food thing.
So will 80 dollars a day do this?
thanx!
Guido
Netherlands
there are a few points you have to clarify:
by paying for your house (how much ?) does this mean inclusive electricity/water ?
is it your own apartment or do you have to share with others ?
or is it just a room ?
transportation: local transportation or just your return air ticket ? is it a fixed allowance or can you claim ? whats the limit ?
your phone: is it your hand phone bill inclusive overseas calls ?
calling back home is expensive !
Cable TV can cost you about S$ 100.- a month. inclusive ?
If all the above is covered by your company, then S$ 80.- a day will keep you alive nicely but you will not go back home as a rich man.
I get a furnished housing with a maximum of 2000 us dollars.
tv, internet, water and electricity is included.
I get all transportation paid. Flight tickets(several times a year back for holiday), taxis and possible a car.
I have a company phone and laptop.
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guido1976
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by guido1976 » Sat, 14 Nov 2009 6:47 pm
Pepijn wrote:Guido,
I noticed you are Dutch and moving for work. The S$80 a day per diem seems very familiar
I was based in Singapore for 7 months by a Dutch employer in the past as well, more or less with the same terms I expect you will be getting:
Work pays for a
Serviced Apartment including all perks
Travel allowance on reimbursement
about 42,50 euro a day to spend as per diem (which is about S$86)
As mentioned before, it really depends on your lifestyle. Basic cost of living should pretty well be covered, but take into consideration a beer will knock you back about S$15. Most other things (clothes, books etc) will not be a lot cheaper then you would expect in the Netherlands, depending on what you need.
The way I looked at it: What do you have to spend on a daily basis in the Netherlands? If that is 40 euro or less, you can have the same standard of living (unless you are a chain smoking alcoholic

) . The thing that makes Singapore considerably more expensive then even Amsterdam is housing (and a car) but that is taken care of by work.
I wouldn't worry to much about the allowance if I were you, and having a salary back at home you might only touch once in a while, you'll be good to go.
Make sure though your employer arranges an Employment Pass!
I'll be relocating to Singapore around christmas, you can give me a holler when you're over.
Pepijn
Hello Pepijn,
yes I'm Dutch.
Things went faster than planned. Tonight I arrive in Singapore(coming from Vietnam).
what company do you work for? I work for Damen Shipyards Gorinchem.
I'm sure the company arranges all neccesary passes/visa. We have a 100% owned shipyard in Singapore as well. Although I get an office there
working on that shipyard will not be my main job.
I can't send PM yet. the site says i have to do more postings first.
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sundaymorningstaple
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by sundaymorningstaple » Sat, 14 Nov 2009 6:55 pm
You now have 5 posts so you should be good to go with PM's. It activates automatically after you have made 5 posts.
sms/mod
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
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by Pepijn » Sat, 14 Nov 2009 11:47 pm
Guido,
I will be working for ING in Singapore from January onwards, but previously I was there as a consultant to NXP Semiconductors. I will be arriving december 27th, and no plans on leaving as of yet.
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Grumpy77
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by Grumpy77 » Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:21 am
Guido,
One other thing that will make a big difference. If you don't spend the whole $80 in one day, do you pocket the difference, or do you lose it?
If you get the whole $80 then you should have no problems as during the week you should be able to bank some by not spending the entire amount, and that will allow you to have a few adult beverages on the weekend.
Have fun!
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guido1976
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by guido1976 » Sun, 15 Nov 2009 10:20 pm
Grumpy77 wrote:Guido,
One other thing that will make a big difference. If you don't spend the whole $80 in one day, do you pocket the difference, or do you lose it?
If you get the whole $80 then you should have no problems as during the week you should be able to bank some by not spending the entire amount, and that will allow you to have a few adult beverages on the weekend.
Have fun!
I get the 80 dollar, whether I spend it or not. I also don't need to keep all the cashier tickets.
So yes, If I save one day, I can spend more on another day.
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Tainak
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by Tainak » Mon, 16 Nov 2009 9:39 pm
I've been living in Singapore since Feb this year and I can say it's not cheap here. I cook at home on average 4-5 times a week and the groceries cost me about $100- 120. Eating out for lunch is relatively cheap if you go the food courts or hawkers; $2-7 per meal. On I night out I normally spend around $200- 300. A quick calculation shows my weekly expenses are $400.
Based on this the $80/ day should be sufficient. However shopping for clothes and shoes will add up a lot more as those are expensive here. And you wouldn't have much money for traveling which is definitely something you should do when coming all the way from Netherlands.
I hope this helps!
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nakatago
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by nakatago » Mon, 16 Nov 2009 9:48 pm
Tainak wrote:I've been living in Singapore since Feb this year and I can say it's not cheap here. I cook at home on average 4-5 times a week and the groceries cost me about $100- 120. Eating out for lunch is relatively cheap if you go the food courts or hawkers; $2-7 per meal. On I night out I normally spend around $200- 300. A quick calculation shows my weekly expenses are $400.
Based on this the $80/ day should be sufficient. However shopping for clothes and shoes will add up a lot more as those are expensive here. And you wouldn't have much money for traveling which is definitely something you should do when coming all the way from Netherlands.
I hope this helps!
dude, 100-120 a week for home-cooked meals for one person is expensive!
"A quokka is what would happen if there was an anime about kangaroos."
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sundaymorningstaple
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by sundaymorningstaple » Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:30 pm
Let's put it into perspective.
$80/day per deim x 30 days/month = $2,400/mo. This is the average wage for a local Batchelor's degree graduate. And you haven't even touched your actual salary! You're skating. Don't sweat it!
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
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klitz
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by klitz » Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:08 pm
Tainak wrote:I've been living in Singapore since Feb this year and I can say it's not cheap here. I cook at home on average 4-5 times a week and the groceries cost me about $100- 120. Eating out for lunch is relatively cheap if you go the food courts or hawkers; $2-7 per meal. On I night out I normally spend around $200- 300. A quick calculation shows my weekly expenses are $400.
Based on this the $80/ day should be sufficient. However shopping for clothes and shoes will add up a lot more as those are expensive here. And you wouldn't have much money for traveling which is definitely something you should do when coming all the way from Netherlands.
I hope this helps!
groceries at $100 is ex... mayb u could try the neighbourhood provision stores and markets for your daily groceries... its much cheaper...
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durain
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by durain » Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:25 pm
sundaymorningstaple wrote:Let's put it into perspective.
$80/day per deim x 30 days/month = $2,400/mo. This is the average wage for a local Batchelor's degree graduate. And you haven't even touched your actual salary! You're skating. Don't sweat it!
well said sms.
sometimes i wonder why people are so TIGHT. is per diem their only source of income they have to live off it?
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guido1976
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by guido1976 » Tue, 17 Nov 2009 1:35 pm
Tainak wrote:I've been living in Singapore since Feb this year and I can say it's not cheap here. I cook at home on average 4-5 times a week and the groceries cost me about $100- 120. Eating out for lunch is relatively cheap if you go the food courts or hawkers; $2-7 per meal. On I night out I normally spend around $200- 300. A quick calculation shows my weekly expenses are $400.
Based on this the $80/ day should be sufficient. However shopping for clothes and shoes will add up a lot more as those are expensive here. And you wouldn't have much money for traveling which is definitely something you should do when coming all the way from Netherlands.
I hope this helps!
It helps a lot. But I don't need to travel a lot. I have been traveling non-stop for the last 14 years.
actually, thursday i have to go to Malaysia. Return on Friday evening.
Okay, I understand now I can live from 80 dollars a day.
Next question is where to live. My budget is around 2800 dollars a month.
Need something between the city and Tuas.
Will look into some area's this weekend.
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local2009
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by local2009 » Fri, 20 Nov 2009 2:31 pm
guido1976 wrote:Need something between the city and Tuas.
Will look into some area's this weekend.
Perhaps Clementi area will be good for you. Towards west of Clementi -> 1 MRT station you will hit Jurong East and 2 MRT station east of Clementi -> Buona Vista (Holland Village).
Clementi will be cheaper than Holland Village area ....but your decision will also depends if you are getting a studio unit or a 2 bedder.
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