Singapore Expats

Hi all

I'm relocating to Singapore in January to work as a freelance correspondent and was wondering just how much is enough money is enough to get by if I share accomodation, eat local and hit the bars less than I would back home or in China, where I'm based now

My monthly salary will be very low and I need to figure out how much I'll need to take from my savings until I file enough stories to have a decent income

Thanks

Quite a few Singaporeans get by on under S$1000/month. This is probably not much fun though. Rent really is your biggest expense here, so concentrate on finding a cheap place to stay: food and transport are quite affordable.

Housing Cost inclusive of utilities:

Shared accommodate, you will have your own room but you have to share the common toilet and apartment with other tenanats.
In the city: S$500 - S$600
Not in the city but close to MRT station: S$350 - S$400 If the aparementit Not in the city, not close to MRT station (shuttle bus) :S$300 - S$350.

Eating Cost: (eating out) at coffee shops or food centre
Breakfast: S$3 - S$4 daily (comes with any hot drinks like: coffee or tea)
Lunch: S$3 - S$4 daily (bring your own bottle water)
Dinner:S$3 - S$4 daily (bring your own bottle water)
Between Lunch and Dinner (tea break): S$2 daily (comes with hot drinks)

So, we are talking of monthly basic monthly eating cost of <S$450

Transport:
Stay close to work place: S$100 - S$120 monthly
Stay far to work place: S$130 - S$150 monthly

Internet charges: S$35 monthly (try to get a room that is already equipped with interenet connection)
Cellphone monthly subscription with free incoming calls but limited to 80 minutes outgoing calls: S$30 monthly
You may need to pay a deposit as high as S$200 for each service

Medical expenses: normal flu and cough S$18 - S$25 per visit during office hour

Entertainment:
Movie ticket: duirng weekday: S$7 and weekend:S$9.5
Bar/pub: I am not sure, not been to pubs for more than 20 years, I think it would cost you minimum S$15.00 per visit

Looking at the above essential cost, I think it would cost you roughly between S$1,200 to S$1,500 to get by.

Hope the above information is useful to you. Good luck.

Hi Moonwatcher

I am a freelance correspondent too (or at least I am some of the time) trying to relocate semi-permanently from Sydney and originally from England.

The above information was very useful, you'll find.

I have lived there variously over the last 5 years on similar amounts

Feel free to PM me, once you have satisfied the criteria of number of posts to be able to do so.

Alternatively you can put your msn details on the msn thread to exchange views.

Meanwhile stay in touch

If you live simply, as I do, you will have few problems.

Try and live life expansively, like a 'fat cat, expat' and you will be miserable, I expect and will send yourself broke in no time.

There are tips for living economically but these are not often found on this forum.

Many forum members are too busy comparing the size of their packages to concern themselves with true bohemian living ) haha

greenrover wrote:There are tips for living economically but these are not often found on this forum.

Many forum members are too busy comparing the size of their packages to concern themselves with true bohemian living ) haha

Greenrover,

Are you sure you are on the right board? Haven't seen any posts like that for over 6 months. Are you sure you aren't talking about the Angry Board?

Thanks for the tips

I´ve already spent almost a year in Asia but in China and on semi-local terms, my conditions are much better than locals but less than most expat packages, and it´s been great so far because I eat local, live local, dress local (to a certain extent) and choose cheap nightlife

Actually, the only thing I really spend money on is travelling

But Singapore appears to be different, I will be starting on full local terms and the place is quite more expensive, so I won´t be able to enjoy the same lifestyle

If you tell me you can get by with less than SGD1500, all will be fine

P.S. I´ve checked out the classifieds section for sharing accomodation but I´ve found very few compounds with a gym, is that the general trend? Is joining a gym affordable?

Again, thank you, lah

Sunday Morning Staple, if that's the case I apologise to all forumites and I am suitably chastened.

Like you, I (have) post (ed) on both boards, so maybe I got that one wrong - if so I am delighted to know I am in more agreeable company here.


Moonwatcher, many condos have gyms and if you can get a share arrangement the condo gym (and pool) would be sure to meet your needs and work out much cheaper for you.

OTOH if you join a gym to meet people, the condo gym probably won't help you!


Some condos don't have gyms or pools but most do, after a fashion.

I had a similar budget to yours and survived a while back but it was not easy, I must advise.

The msn thread is in the Events, Gatherings, Making Friends forum, BTW

Great then, wasn´t thinking about using the gym to meet people, just work out

If all goes well, I´ll only be on a budget for the first 3 or 4 months, I´ve been promised a raise as soon as I get rolling, just didn´t want to use up too much of my savings

Any cheap bars in town?

Short answer - NO!

Cheapest beer would be at the local coffee shop if you find one near you

Beer at the supermarket (yes you can buy it anywhere in SG) is cheaper still I think

But again if you go to a bar to meet people the coffee shop may not fit the bill.

But if you want to share a drink with friends you've met and want to stay under budget then the coffee shop would be more than acceptable


All of this is just my opinion, mind.

Damn.

Good thing someone invented house parties with cheap beer, hehe

It´s gonna be hard getting used to the prices

Believe it or not, even in Singapore eating out adds up. S$450 is not much of a food budget if you eat out three times a day, even in hawker centres, but it will buy you a whole lot of groceries -- especially if you stick to local stuff. I've known students who survived on under S$200/month (including transport!), and ate lots of rice and dal (lentils)...

moonwatcher wrote: Is joining a gym affordable?

Check out the ClubFITT Gyms set up by the Singapore Sports Council
http://www.ssc.gov.sg/SportsWeb/sw_cat_ ... 31&cat=116

moonwatcher wrote:Any cheap bars in town?

I haven't been there myself but the Prince of Wales is often mentioned
http://www.pow.com.sg/