Singapore Expats

Hi!

Not many posts in this subforum but lots of views so I hope somebody can help me. I am looking at relocating to Singapore in a few months, I (and husband) will be working fulltime and have a daughter who is 3 and son who will be 9 months. My plan is to get a live in domestic helper who can mind our son and bring our daughter to playschool during the day.

What is everybody else doing for childcare?

I have researched costs on this forum and on the web and this is what I have come up with all SGD per month. I'd be grateful for any feedback

Accomodation - 4500 (3 bed condo on east coast)
Maid - 1000
Food nappies etc - 1000
Transport 400 (2 adults travelling into city centre plus mrt/bus at weekend)
Utilities 300
TV/Internet 100
Playschool/Kindergarten f 3 year old 200

I haven't factored in any sort of entertainment like days out at weekend, eating out etc I wanted to get the basics right first. Is there any big cost that I am missing?

Grateful for any feedback!
Thanks

lillame wrote:Hi!

Not many posts in this subforum but lots of views so I hope somebody can help me. I am looking at relocating to Singapore in a few months, I (and husband) will be working fulltime and have a daughter who is 3 and son who will be 9 months. My plan is to get a live in domestic helper who can mind our son and bring our daughter to playschool during the day.

What is everybody else doing for childcare?

I have researched costs on this forum and on the web and this is what I have come up with all SGD per month. I'd be grateful for any feedback

Accomodation - 4500 (3 bed condo on east coast)
Maid - 1000
Food nappies etc - 1000
Transport 400 (2 adults travelling into city centre plus mrt/bus at weekend)
Utilities 300
TV/Internet 100
Playschool/Kindergarten f 3 year old 200

I haven't factored in any sort of entertainment like days out at weekend, eating out etc I wanted to get the basics right first. Is there any big cost that I am missing?

Grateful for any feedback!
Thanks

When you say 'domestic helper', do you mean a servant?

No not a servant I've been able to serve myself up until now. Somebody to mind my son and bring my daughter to kindergarten and cook food for them. From what I've read a live in maid with child minding experience seem like a good option?

lillame wrote:No not a servant I've been able to serve myself up until now. Somebody to mind my son and bring my daughter to kindergarten and cook food for them. From what I've read a live in maid with child minding experience seem like a good option?

Live in maid = servant.

Well that is my opinion, and that is the theme that I am pondering this week.

Sorry you don't like it Mr. Moderator.

Hi there,

I think you may quite taken aback by inflation in Singapore. So food etc t might be more than you projected below.
For e.g. we are a family of 3 (hubby me and Toddler) plus a live-in maid. Our grocery bill per week is 350 approx. including nappies, milk.

Also depends on the type of playschool you are looking at - fill time (8-6pm?) half day, couple of hours. A full time day nursery costs 1500-1700 SGD per month.

Others seem ok.

Also assuming you will have full medical cover for your family - so medical costs.

Thanks for the reply, grocery shopping seems expensive indeed. Health insurance is covered by employer so that is one less thing to worry about. Regarding playschool I was thinking more a halfday or a few hours a day and the rest she can spend at home with her brother.

Do you mind me asking what area you live in? We've been looking at D15 and D16 it seems to tick a lot of boxes but I guess its impossible to know until you get over,

Thanks again, good to know I am not completely off the mark apart from the food!

I don't have a maid/helper/servant, but I expect that would be around $500-$800 per month too. I am a full-time working mom, but I'm lucky I have a stay at home "domestic engineer" for a husband.

BTW, what was your childcare arrangement back "home"?

Good luck with the choices/.