Singapore Expats

I live in the UK and am looking for a job in Singapore. I would be grateful for your advice on this question.

If you have the same £40k annual salary, where would you have a better life: the UK or Singapore?

I have done some research and it seems that the financial disadvantages in Singapore would be:

Higher cost of accommodation (apartment)
Higher cost of child's education: While you may have a free good state school in the UK, you should try to find an expensive private school in Singapore for your child.

So it seems to me that with £40k per year, I may have a worse life in Singapore. Is it true?

Thank you

Singapore. Singapore also has free state schools. They teach in english and are VERY good. I would chose a local state school over an International School.

Very good in preparing students to win all sorts of knowledge based academic awards and pass all sorts of related tests, and hopeless in teaching students how to think independently.

There are all sorts of variables here:

- the UK is a big place and £40k buys you much more the further you move away from London. There aren't the same opportunities in Singapore.
- is a car essential to you? Cheap in the UK, but a good chunk of that £40k in Singapore.
- more generally, do you live a frugal life or are you an aspirational consumer? The former is possibly easier in Singapore, the latter more challenging.
- are your kids going to go to the local govt state schools or are you forced in one of countries to go private?
- are you in good health? Advantage UK if not.

I don't think it's possible to give a definitive answer.

Definitely UK. You get low taxes here, but the costs of a lot of things are a lot higher...

singapore eagle wrote:There are all sorts of variables here:

- the UK is a big place and £40k buys you much more the further you move away from London. There aren't the same opportunities in Singapore.
- is a car essential to you? Cheap in the UK, but a good chunk of that £40k in Singapore.
- more generally, do you live a frugal life or are you an aspirational consumer? The former is possibly easier in Singapore, the latter more challenging.
- are your kids going to go to the local govt state schools or are you forced in one of countries to go private?
- are you in good health? Advantage UK if not.

I don't think it's possible to give a definitive answer.

+1

For a person from a neutral country i.e. neither UK nor Singapore, its a valid comparison. But, since you are from the UK, why would you move to a foreign country for the same salary? Its a bad deal, same case for a Singaporean earning 80K SGD here moving to UK for 40K GBP, its going to be even worse.

I suppose it depends if you like the UK or not?

If you dispise the crime, politics and weather then I'd go for Singapore. If not, then I think you will get a lot more for your money in most of the UK (i.e. not London).

AngMoG wrote:Definitely UK. You get low taxes here, but the costs of a lot of things are a lot higher...

+1

40k (S$80k) is bare minimum (or below that) to survive in Singapore on an expat lifestyle. Nowadays it wouldnt even be good enough to get your Employment Pass approved, if you are looking to get one.

Start point is "if an Asian can do your job, you will not wish to come here"

proxymoron wrote:

AngMoG wrote:Definitely UK. You get low taxes here, but the costs of a lot of things are a lot higher...

+1

40k (S$80k) is bare minimum (or below that) to survive in Singapore on an expat lifestyle. Nowadays it wouldnt even be good enough to get your Employment Pass approved, if you are looking to get one.

Er £40k per annum is a LOT more than S$80k. Closer to S$120k. Depending on your personal circumstances (single/married/with/without kids) you can have a pretty decent lifestyle here.

Addadude wrote:
Er £40k per annum is a LOT more than S$80k. Closer to S$120k. Depending on your personal circumstances (single/married/with/without kids) you can have a pretty decent lifestyle here.

XE website says it is just less than S$84K, where did you pick your data from?
The highest GBP went against SGD in last 2 years was 1GBP=2.2SGD which still work outs to S$88k.

Oops my bad. Shows how long it's been since I was last in the UK. Then I take it back. For $80k a year it's not really worth the OP's while relocating here. Especially if there are dependents involved.

Its not that clear cut. Yes, why do you want to move from UK to SG for the same salary?
What is the driver for the move?

honestly, I would not come to SG on an 80k salary. Reasons already detailed above.

Salary after tax in UK - Approx £2,600 per mth after tax
SG on 80k - SGD6,300 after tax

You will be much better off in UK unless you are willing to go local - stay in HDB (council) flats, have your meals at the food centres instead of restaurants, have local meat instead of air-flown Aberdeen Angus. kids will have to go local schools. A HDB rental flat will cost you $2-$3k if you want the whole flat, and with 3 bedrooms.

For a local who is used to it, the above is adequate. Even though I have done very well in London, I would still be able to go back and live on an SGD80k a year in SG because, well, I have done the local circuit, plus my friends and parents live like that as well. I will also be able to use my pension to fund a HDB flat, making my cash outlay for accomodation zero (or very close to it).

Do think very hard. It is quite do-able if you want to go to SG for other reasons than financial gain, and your mind is open enough to "go local".

As Primrose Hill above has tried to advise.... what's your main driver for making the move? Money? Career advancement? Chance to see the world?