Does your employer seriously think you and your family would take a step down in your standard of living to move so far from home? Unless it's a huge promotion (in title only obviously), I can't see why you would do it. It's hard enough to move to a new culture, but to add to that what essentially is tantamount to a cut in pay? Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me, especially in this time of fluctuating currencies. With a weak US $ our buying power has definitely taken a hit recently. If you know your standard of living will drop, and you just want to do it for the 'adventure' then I guess you could give it a whirl, but I wouldn't let your company take advantage of the situation. Expat packages may be shrinking or even disappearing, but that doesn't mean your income (and the money you won't be saving) should be compromised if you have a decent job at home. If you were desperate, well that's another kettle of fish.Snokie wrote:Hi,
we are a family of four and about to decide if we move to S or not. The kids have already had some years English courses at school but I don´t think they are fluent enough to survive in a English speaking school but looking at the fees for GEES that sums up to about 1900 per month. Adding the costs for a (cheap) flat for the four of us and I´m close to to say... "game over". I have not yet negotiated the salary. I think it could be something around 6000. Reading the threads about living costs in S is a bit scary.
Any similar experience ? Need some help with my decision to move with the family.
Cheers,
Snokie
Really need more information about current living style, current salary, current educational set up. As a rule, you should not take less than what you are making now, otherwise, when you do finally return, you will be behind the pay scale of your home country.Snokie wrote:Hi,
we are a family of four and about to decide if we move to S or not. The kids have already had some years English courses at school but I don´t think they are fluent enough to survive in a English speaking school but looking at the fees for GEES that sums up to about 1900 per month. Adding the costs for a (cheap) flat for the four of us and I´m close to to say... "game over". I have not yet negotiated the salary. I think it could be something around 6000. Reading the threads about living costs in S is a bit scary.
Any similar experience ? Need some help with my decision to move with the family.
Cheers,
Snokie
We moved here from Europe where International School fees are easily 40% higher than Singapore. So that isn't the real issue. Housing costs, though, are easily higher here than much of Europe and pretty much anywhere in the States other than California or NY.beppi wrote:International schools are very expensive, and can get away with it because the stereotypical "Expat" (although getting rarer, they do still exist!) gets such expenses paid as part of the package.
The local schools aren't altogether bad (IMHO better than the ever declining standards in Europe) and affordable. Kids adapt fast, and you may place them a year lower than they would otherwise be to ease the transition.
Other than that (and rent, which is comparable to Europe's most expensive cities), life here is same or cheaper than at home.
S$6000/month for a family of four is not much (assuming no other benefits in the package), but possible to get by. We spend much less (family of 3). PM me with more questions (gerne auch auf Deutsch).
scarbowl wrote: We moved here from Europe where International School fees are easily 40% higher than Singapore. So that isn't the real issue.
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