Singapore Expats

We moved to Singapore with 2 preschool-age kids from New York 3 months ago. After finally having reached an equilibrium in spending pattern and spending some time looking over our expenses, I was shocked to see that our monthly expense amounts to S$28,000 ie over $330k a year. This is more than 50% higher than our expenses in Manhattan!

Our rent is the single largest contributor. Did anyone else have a similar experience and what did you do to cut down the expenses? Downsizing in our residence after the lease runs out is obvious but any other tips?

Thanks.

Frankly, it's hard to commiserate with someone who spends, in one month, what most Singaporean families here earn in 6.5 months.

Amen to that!
I guess that relocating to a new place can be quite chaotic and expenses tend to be high initially.
Only friendly advise I can give is to make a budget and stick to it. If S$28k is not burning a hole in your pocket, why fret? If it does, work around your rent (non negotiable for 12-24 months) to focus on other expenses like eating out and entertaining.

Best of luck!

I'm all for fat wage packets, but I do rather wonder how you are in enough demand to get one, and yet unable to understand the situation that you have got yourself into. I mean if you are a bimbo catwalk model, fine I could, but I suspect that's not the case.

How do your actual outgoings compare to those that you estimated before you arrived? i.e. Where have the sums fallen down?

+1 JR8, but I don't think this is the OP with fat earnings and decision making.

First world problems!

How I would love to be able to afford expenses of $28k per month...

Hi there,

We moved here from Tokyo a few months ago too and I agree, the cost of living here is expensive even compared to Tokyo. Housing and schooling is our biggest outgoing. I sat down the other day to work out what the others were and I was surprised that we spend about the same on eating out as food bought at the supermarket. And we only eat out once or twice a week. Also, my nearest supermarket is Cold Storage which is well overpriced. So, we cut down on eating out or at least substitute Breworkz for chicken rice at the food court, and I try and shop at the cheaper supermarkets when I can. I also discovered wet markets the other day which are much cheaper and much more fun than going to a soul less supermarket. I guess you just have to sit down and see what you can live without.

HTH.

or put a bit more time into cost of living research before you get to a country

E-CBS wrote:or put a bit more time into cost of living research before you get to a country

Or go some place where you can earn much more ??

Well, if natives find out about the OPs gripe, they gonna have a field day .. especially when the average middle class dresses well, eats well, and make do with 28K per year or slightly more ..

No no no, it's just knowing in advance your costs aren't greater than your income. And try to be fair about the costs you expect to have, and want to have based on your needs.

I'm shocked to see someone shocked about spending 28k and comparing it to a place which is totally irrelevant.

Nobody can complain about such high expense..... nothing like rubbing people's noses in it is there OP?

Heaven knows how much you pay for rent but nice places for $4-7k are easy to find and many properties are less. Yes there is a sacrifice in space but I don't believe Manhattan is the world's wilderness either.

Unfortunately this is all typical of many Americans abroad (without trying to make fleeting generalisations).

The OPs two-post style is to post and then clear off.

So... don't expect any 2-way. I.e. you might as well pi$$ in the wind....

Do you date???

Eibow wrote:Do you date???

What was that all about ????

And before we all pounce on the OP, I think she mentioned that she has a child with special needs .. could be adding to her expenses ..

$28K a month????? Where do you live and how much does it cost? How can you justify spending that much on a place?

Mental!