How Is Life in Singapore for Foreigners?

People all over the world live in different economic conditions. Lifestyles also vary from one person to another, country to country, and economic class.

Many reasons can be attributed to these differences, including the state of economic development and growth, education levels, and even the level of income of a person. People in developed countries tend to live comfortably as compared to those in developing ones. However, their lifestyles and comfort vary from individual to another.

What creates this difference? You guessed right, their level of earning. Singapore, being one of the top economically stable countries in the world, also faces a similar situation.

Not everyone lives the same lifestyle. However, this article will not discuss why this is the case. Let us consider the amount of salary a person needs to live comfortably in Singapore.

 

What you need to know about living in Singapore

First of all, one must be aware of the nature of the city of Singapore. Put, it is a costly city to live in. Next, it must be well understood what it means to live a comfortable life.

This may vary from person to person. It also depends on whether it is the life of a single person or more. Finally, it depends on a person(s) manner of spending. Therefore, before moving to or settling in Singapore, it wise to evaluate and calculate expenses based on your salary.

So then, comfortable life is the one in which you can gain access to necessities as well as secondary needs and not a luxurious one. You need to have a decent and spacious house in an excellent apartment, fend for yourself, wear some right clothes, pay medical bills, take care of your school fees, and probably fuel your car if you have one.

We won’t categorize going for drinking bouts, clubbing, international tours, spending impulsively, and owning luxurious cars or a classy house/mortgage as a comfortable life in this article.

The cheapest life you can live is on a salary of $1200. That contains only necessities. You will need about $2500 in a month to manage a so-called comfortable life. Those who want to live in luxury will be forced to set aside $10000 to spend in a month.

The following are the expenses you can have to live a comfortable life in Singapore. They are just estimations to help you gauge on what you need to know and do;

 

Cost of Accommodation

This is the most significant expense that will consume a considerable amount of your salary. Since houses in Singapore are not cheap, you may consider renting rather than buying a home. However, buying will be advantageous in years to come and also if you are planning to stay permanently in the city.

 

Rented house

The cost of renting ranges from $700-1500 in a month. This also varies on the area and the nature and type of home you are choosing. Some regions, such as city centers, have more expensive houses than other regions of the outcasts.

Some houses are cheaper due to the property/apartment they are in compared to others. For instance, HDB apartments having only basic amenities are less expensive than those with additional services like condo flats with pools and even gyms.

The cost of hiring a single room or private room with no private washroom in an HDB flat is $700-2,000 monthly. A private one-bedroom in the same flat and has an individual washroom cost around $1500-4000 per month.

 

Purchasing a house

This requires you to have huge lumps of money or take a huge mortgage loan that you might end up paying for an extended period.

You can either purchase a private or HDB flat, depending on your salary. For instance, purchasing a new house in HDB flats will cost around $1500-3500 monthly.

Buying a full HDB flat involves paying a 10% cash of total amount, followed by $1500-4500 monthly installments for a maximum of 25 years. Therefore, buying a house may not be ideal in case of temporary residence.

 

Cost on Food

To live a reasonably comfortable life and spend on food, it is preferable to use mid-range restaurants for your food. Dining at such places cost around $20-30 for a meal. Coffee would cost about $4-6. A meal at a hawker center is much cheaper, costing about $3-4. Coffee will cost about $1.

In case you are doing your everyday cooking at home, you will have to buy groceries at about $200 per month. This is expensive in Singapore since most of it has to be imported.

 

Cost on Clothes and Education

To put money in every month. However, education and clothes cost people differently depending on their status.

The cost of education also will depend on the level and the institution of learning, whether private or public. It is therefore upon you to choose.

Clothes in Singapore are not expensive, and you can afford decent full wear at about $30-40 if you are a guy and about $20-30 if a lady. These expenses are nonrecurrent hence need not to be covered monthly

 

Transportation and Medical Costs

The use of public transport is the cheapest and can cost you about $120 per month and $400 if you daily use cabs and taxis. If you own a personal car, it will be much more convenient.

However, you have to be ready to spend on fuel daily or weekly, depending on how you use it. Fuel usage will also depend on the mileage. An approximate $150 can be set aside for your car’s personal usage in fuel and maintenance.

Medical costs in Singapore are not a threat since the government has subsidized the health sector. Again, you won’t get sick every day or every month. Of importance, though it is to obtain a medical insurance cover to help you in case emergencies or substantial medical bills.

 

Costs on Other Expenses

These are secondary expenses that are not so important, hence, can either be considered or not.

They include; mobile data/internet, recreation, exercise, and domestic tours. They can inflate your budget. It is upon your choice to consider them or not. They should not take more than $120.

 

The Bottom Line

The above is the expenditure of your salary without considering savings or other deductions like taxes. If you believe them, you can be sure to live a comfortable life in Singapore. Living in Singapore is very expensive and requires careful planning before making such a decision.

However, an approximate of $2500 in a month will guarantee you not just a basic life, but a comfortable life that you need while living in Singapore. In case you need to borrow, check this site https://www.gmcreditz.com.sg