Is 4.5 K Good enough for single ...

[Neel]

Hi ,

I m taking up this offer of 4.5k pm excluding taxes and need to know few details ... big question is it good enough and how much i can save pm ... i m single i go out twice a week not a big spender but how much would it cost for sharing/renting a house with utilities , travel and food ? can someone plz advice me what is the rough amount i should look at for all these expenses ???

Thanks

Neel

[Francis28]

Neel,

It really depends on your lifestyle, SG is very diverse you can do many things over here, which of course, incurs different costs.

On savings, again question is how much do you want to save, rather than how much can you save... cuz i always think that if you have a certain amount in mind you want to save, you will always adjust your spending to save that amount, agreee?

If you are single, just wanting to get by and lead a consistent lifestyle, i would say 4k is a pretty good figure =)

[ringo100]

I arrived about a month ago from the UK. I have been working to the monthly budget below and have not found it too much of a problem:

Rent - $1000 - you could easily find somewhere for $500
Travel - $60 - excluding taxi
Taxi - $50 - $400 - depending on how lazy
Food - $450 - eat out twice a day but in local areas
Phone - $80
Entertainment - $200 per drinking night (add $100 if on a date)
- $50 - $100 per non-drinking night.

So about so about $3,000 - $4,000 depends on rent and drink really. I could live for $2500 without luxaries.

I live fine and am able to save plenty for travelling.

[adrianlee]

Neel,
If you dont mind sharing, what job have you been offered and in what industry. I've budgeted $2600 for monthly living expenses (no entertainment, but nice condominium shared with another room mate). On your salary, you could save close to $20,000 (post tax). Not bad at all!
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[nervouscat]

very keen to know where you found your flat (which dsitrict) for 1000 ringo100. and do you make as the same amount as Neel excluding tax?
am moving to singpore soon-ish and will soon find myself in the same salary scale. and rather nervous about it. but am not too keen to share a flat. is it still possible to live and save? :

thanks

[ringo100]

I share with one other person, but I live about 15 min walk/ two stops on the MRT from the city centre so it is really handy. You may be able to get a place on your own for 1000 but it will be further out and not as nice. The place i'm in now has a great view of city big split level living room, I have my own shower/bathroom and it includes all bills/internet.

I do make a bit more but would consider myself in the same bracket, i'm not on one of these silly expat packages. It's the drinking that is the problem but if you go to the right places you can cut the cost. I went out last night with some local friends from work to club and was happy to find it was only $12 a jug of beer so I was able to get very drunk on $100 (including taxi + cover charge).

[ahong]

Hi ,

I m taking up this offer of 4.5k pm excluding taxes and need to know few details ... big question is it good enough and how much i can save pm ... i m single i go out twice a week not a big spender but how much would it cost for sharing/renting a house with utilities , travel and food ? can someone plz advice me what is the rough amount i should look at for all these expenses ???

Thanks

Neel

Hi Neel,

For most people, housing would probably count for the bulk of your expenditure. where u intend to rent a house is important, if u r staying alone and is looking for a 2 room apartment in the town area, likely rental would be around $1k. You can pay less anything from $500 to $800 if u rent in the suburban area. Transport in Singapore is good, any single trip should be within 30 to 60 mins.

Food is readily available and is cheap. So is public transport. You may want to come here and experience life for a couple of weeks, get a feel if you are not in Sg now.

[adrianlee]

Getting drunk on only $100?! Thats SOO cheap! (sarcastic tone).
In Australia, $100 can get the whole family drunk and still have spare change!

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[ringo100]

Not really, you can by drink cheap in a shop or local stall/bar but if you go clubbing in London it will cost you S$200 and when i've been out clubing in Sydney it's cost me S$150. S$100 clubbing in Singapore is cheap. If you are a big drinker or wine drinker it will burn a whole in your budget.

[adrianlee]

Beer in Australia is cheap - only $3 a glass. OF course, if you want cocktails, be ready to pay $6 per shot. Still, much cheaper than in Spore.
Sorry for straying off the topic!

[nervouscat]

Thanks for the reply and advice ring100. Been on the net surfing for possible places to stay, but can't seem to get a handle on HDB housing. There are no photographs so i have no clue how these would look like. So am rather wary. Although i think i would still prefer private housing with a greater mix of nationalities in the area. yes i also don't have those 'silly' expat packages, but it sure would have been fantastic.

now i just have to weigh what's more important for me--how my place looks and feels like or how easy it is to get to and from work.

thanks. ps found your breakdown helpful too.

[adrianlee]

Sorry to invade this post but...

Does anyone know if I were to work in Singapore, will I also have to pay CPF contribution? CPF contribution is up to 25% of salary, thats a big chunk to be taken and kept away (till retirement?). And when employers offer me a salary number, is that post or pre CPF?

THanks

[kayhec]

Hi

As employment pass holder, CPF is optional, so usually company don't take it into account. It is only compulsory if you become a PR.