Singapore Expats

I'm really in doubt should I move to US.
Firstly, I'm doing my studies here in SG and some other stuff, so perfectly I will be able to move out of the city when I will be 33-34 years old.
Now, here I work as Software Engineer for Investment bank, and of course I like good money and good bonuses.
Will I be able to get good (compare to SG) salary in US? What are my chances? It's not necessary for me to work for "House of Morgan", but maybe some European investment banks or companies like Microsoft or Google.
Will I be able to have better lifestyle in US then here, in SG?
How much money after taxes may I expect in US? Will I be able to buy a good house there?


Only what I have from pluses: good working experience and also I'm very clever.
And also I'm Christian, that is why I want to live in country where more Christian's thoughts live.
Minuses: Originally I'm not from a rich country, but I'm white.
I don't like to fight for my career path in SG anymore, because UK boys want to work with UK boys (and they pay 3 times more to themselves), French with French, Chinese with Chinese and Indians with Indians. From my nationality we have maybe 40 people on this island only

Anyway, what I expect from US - that they will take me as I'm and we will work equally: if I perform better then native Americans, then I want to get more - it's not the cause for SG if you work better then UK guys.


Will moving to US work for me?

Nope.

The US is a big country and salaries, cost of housing, quality of life differ from one place/state/city to the next. The Bay area (where Google is located) is generally more expensive than say Seattle.. but salaries usually are relative too. But if you like nature and outdoors both offer a great quality of life.

If you were living somewhere like Oklahoma or Tennessee that would be a living hell (for me) and much much worse than Singapore could ever dream of being. But I'm sure there are people in OK & TN who love it. It really depends on what you like, what you do etc etc. You need to narrow down your area. Who knows if you can get a job at Microsoft or google..nobody here does. It doesn't hurt to apply though.

Also taxes depend on the state you're living in- you'll have to pay federal and state..and sometimes even a city tax on top of that -like in NYC. There are a few states you don't pay income tax (TX, FL, WA, NV and one other I can't remember). But estimate around 33% (state/federal combined) for a single person. Less if you have a mess load of ankle biters and dependents.

good luck!

IOP wrote:I'm really in doubt should I move to US.
Firstly, I'm doing my studies here in SG and some other stuff, so perfectly I will be able to move out of the city when I will be 33-34 years old.
Now, here I work as Software Engineer for Investment bank, and of course I like good money and good bonuses.
Will I be able to get good (compare to SG) salary in US? What are my chances? It's not necessary for me to work for "House of Morgan", but maybe some European investment banks or companies like Microsoft or Google.
Will I be able to have better lifestyle in US then here, in SG?
How much money after taxes may I expect in US? Will I be able to buy a good house there?


Only what I have from pluses: good working experience and also I'm very clever.
And also I'm Christian, that is why I want to live in country where more Christian's thoughts live.
Minuses: Originally I'm not from a rich country, but I'm white.
I don't like to fight for my career path in SG anymore, because UK boys want to work with UK boys (and they pay 3 times more to themselves), French with French, Chinese with Chinese and Indians with Indians. From my nationality we have maybe 40 people on this island only

Anyway, what I expect from US - that they will take me as I'm and we will work equally: if I perform better then native Americans, then I want to get more - it's not the cause for SG if you work better then UK guys.


Will moving to US work for me?

With your racial attitudes, you'll love the deep south. But you won't get there. a) They don't like foreigners... and that is anybody born more than 50 miles away, and b) you'll never get a work permit.

Strong Eagle wrote:

IOP wrote:I'm really in doubt should I move to US.
Firstly, I'm doing my studies here in SG and some other stuff, so perfectly I will be able to move out of the city when I will be 33-34 years old.
Now, here I work as Software Engineer for Investment bank, and of course I like good money and good bonuses.
Will I be able to get good (compare to SG) salary in US? What are my chances? It's not necessary for me to work for "House of Morgan", but maybe some European investment banks or companies like Microsoft or Google.
Will I be able to have better lifestyle in US then here, in SG?
How much money after taxes may I expect in US? Will I be able to buy a good house there?


Only what I have from pluses: good working experience and also I'm very clever.
And also I'm Christian, that is why I want to live in country where more Christian's thoughts live.
Minuses: Originally I'm not from a rich country, but I'm white.
I don't like to fight for my career path in SG anymore, because UK boys want to work with UK boys (and they pay 3 times more to themselves), French with French, Chinese with Chinese and Indians with Indians. From my nationality we have maybe 40 people on this island only

Anyway, what I expect from US - that they will take me as I'm and we will work equally: if I perform better then native Americans, then I want to get more - it's not the cause for SG if you work better then UK guys.


Will moving to US work for me?

With your racial attitudes, you'll love the deep south. But you won't get there. a) They don't like foreigners... and that is anybody born more than 50 miles away, and b) you'll never get a work permit.

oh man...I'm soOo tempted to do American stereotypes jokes right now...

Where to begin? [head in hands, rubbing eyes]

Look son, if you can't cut it in Singapore you have F all chance of cutting it in the US.

The US financial markets are the pinnacle not the waste bin...

p.s. a suggestion ....

Please

With your racial attitudes, you'll love the deep south.

Is it because I said I'm white? Very narrow-minded.
I simply like to live with European-style people.

rickjames wrote:The US is a big country and salaries, cost of housing, quality of life differ from one place/state/city to the next. The Bay area (where Google is located) is generally more expensive than say Seattle.. but salaries usually are relative too. But if you like nature and outdoors both offer a great quality of life.

If you were living somewhere like Oklahoma or Tennessee that would be a living hell (for me) and much much worse than Singapore could ever dream of being. But I'm sure there are people in OK & TN who love it. It really depends on what you like, what you do etc etc. You need to narrow down your area. Who knows if you can get a job at Microsoft or google..nobody here does. It doesn't hurt to apply though.

Also taxes depend on the state you're living in- you'll have to pay federal and state..and sometimes even a city tax on top of that -like in NYC. There are a few states you don't pay income tax (TX, FL, WA, NV and one other I can't remember). But estimate around 33% (state/federal combined) for a single person. Less if you have a mess load of ankle biters and dependents.

good luck!

Sound interesting. What State may you advice me? I like calm lifestyle, a little bit rural, but not far away from civilization. Good people around (Christians), low crime level. And of course where I may change job easily, buy house...

Can I nominate this for the 2011 'Things people said' award?

'also I'm very clever'

IOP wrote: Is it because I said I'm white? Very narrow-minded.
I simply like to live with European-style people.

Now, read the following line very carefully.

Strong Eagle wrote:
a) They don't like foreigners... and that is anybody born more than 50 miles away,.....

Even my home town, which is the bottom half of the Mason-Dixon Line, my father is still, after 61 years, looked on as a foreigner, albeit accepted now though. I, on the other hand am considered native. My father was from the city (70 miles away on the other side of the Chesapeake Bay).

Which is ironic considering you haven't lived there for 30 years!

JR8 wrote:Which is ironic considering you haven't lived there for 30 years!

Irony. They has it.

IOP wrote:Sound interesting. What State may you advice me? I like calm lifestyle, a little bit rural, but not far away from civilization. Good people around (Christians), low crime level. And of course where I may change job easily, buy house...

Hard to say, but I don't think you'll find many IT opportunities with international banks in places like Montana.

I think you're taking the opposite approach to what you should be doing: first find a job and then decide if that state/city is where you want to be.

IOP wrote:

With your racial attitudes, you'll love the deep south.

Is it because I said I'm white? Very narrow-minded.
I simply like to live with European-style people.

No, it's because of statements like, "UK boys want to work with UK boys (and they pay 3 times more to themselves)" or "French with French, Chinese with Chinese and Indians with Indians".

It shows that YOU believe people are generally racially motivated, and that in turn, turns you into the racist.