Singapore Expats

Would really appreciate advice and personal experiences..

We're moving from Hong Kong to SG in September, just us 2 with our first child on the way.

- Work in Raffles Place
- I want to stay active and be able to travel around and go for nice walks at least!
- c 7k budget
- ideally c 1200sf +
- thinking River Valley, Keppel Bay, Tajong Pagar

I'm worried I'll feel very isolated, being that I don't fall into the category of young party-goer or seasoned mum.

I know there are mum support groups around Tanglin/East Coast but I don't want to live there, partly because they're too inconvenient for travel and husband's journey to work.

TIA!

Well, there's an old saying.....

You can't have your cake and eat it too. Guess you'll have to compromise somewhere wont you.

You might consider contacting the American Women's Association - http://www.awasingapore.org/

I used to work with them and they have quite a long list of all sorts of stuff like where to live, meeting groups, etc. Quite active as I recall.

Strong Eagle wrote:You might consider contacting the American Women's Association - http://www.awasingapore.org/

I used to work with them and they have quite a long list of all sorts of stuff like where to live, meeting groups, etc. Quite active as I recall.

Thanks Strong Eagle!

I'm not American though.. would it be ok?

Depending on your expectations, the commute to Raffles Place from the East Coast isn't too bad. There is a city end to the East Coast, although Katong to Siglap is the more interesting bit. The proximity to East Coast Park might be sufficient trade off for someone wanting to be active.

Singapore is quite the "baby factory" for expats for various reasons. $7k is a good budget - if you find a mid-large sized condo that's full of 1200+ sqft apartments then you're basically guaranteed of baby/mummy company - you definitely don't need to join any clubs for that. Another sign is look for condos with kids playground and dedicated kids pool - you'll want to use those anyway!

By the way: there are bus routes that can deliver your husband from some condos in Marine Parade area of East Coast to Marina Bay in < 30 minutes.

You can get somewhere on the east coast for a grand or so cheaper than in RV. Then use that $1k for taxis. Then you have a mummy environment and a convenient commute.


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fifine wrote:

Strong Eagle wrote:You might consider contacting the American Women's Association - http://www.awasingapore.org/

I used to work with them and they have quite a long list of all sorts of stuff like where to live, meeting groups, etc. Quite active as I recall.

Thanks Strong Eagle!

I'm not American though.. would it be ok?

Yes - all nationalities.

IF your husband is working in Raffles Place then I would suggest you check out The Caribbean close to Vivocity and Harbourfront. It's a large condo with lots of young families and I believe there is quite a good young moms' support group. The commute to Raffles Place via bus is a breeze. Around the 30 minute mark.

You can also consider Novena area. There is 3 hospitals nearby (KK Hospital, Mt Elizabeth Novena Hospital & TTS Hospital) which will be convenient for your medical checks. It is 6 stops to Raffles Place MRT (on red line). It is also quite mummy friendly as there are a lot of playgroups and shops targeted for mums and kids.

For me, I feel that there is diverse food options (cheap hawker and wet markets as well as restaurants). Groceries is convenient. Even if I need to take a cab to office or orchard, it is less than 15 mins cab ride.

^ +1 what GND said

stick to the larger condo complexes (300+ units) and you're bound to form a mommy group. it's hard to go wrong no matter where you choose. you can stick to the 'red' line if husband is commuting to raffles place.

can't go wrong with Newton/Novena - so many expat moms in this area. you'll have your pick with a $7000 SGD budget/month. There's quite a few top-end 3 bedroom condos (+maid room) with a view and full amenities for that price. Check out some of the condos around Novena near the hospitals. Though not quite urban, it's close enough to the CBD where you can hop in a cab for 7-14$ mid-day and be in the middle of the city. MRT is quite convenient from this area as well. Not so sure about Tanjong Pagar - I have quite a few 'single' friends that choose to live in this area. More of a party-singles scene (being near club street and a lot of nice bars/restaurants/lounges/pubs). River Valley is excellent as well though you won't get as much for your money there as you would compared to Novena or Newton. Not quite on the MRT line unless you're closer to Clarke Quay... And I'm a big fan of Tiong Bahru which is not so far from River Valley.

Also look into Holland Village - should be around the same price if not cheaper than Newton/Novena.

Thanks so much for all the helpful advice!

It's a little scary having to rehaul our entire lives during our first pregnancy, so your help is hugely appreciated.

I'll definitely have another look into East Coast and the other areas suggested.