Is Bangkok better than Singapore?

[Pilotman]

12 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

What I meant was that in Bangkok you feel as though you are in Asia - the noise, the smells, the chaos, all the experiences.  Whereas in Singapore you don't - it is just a generic city and you don't get any of that assault on your senses that you normally associate with Asia.

Forgive me, but that is not true, at least not for many people.  Singapore has much more to offer than just the inner City, high rise, shopping experience.  Yes its a 'City State', but within that, there are some marvellous places to visit, not least the beaches, gardens,  parks and recreational areas, where the city fades away into the distance.  It beats Bangkok hands down. Unlike, Bangkok, it has been planned superbly, to give its residents the very best life experience that can be had in a small Nation.  Bangkok on the other hand is the result of a lack of vision, lack of talent in building work, poor workmanship, corruption, bribery, incompetence and a dire Police Force.  

[jomtienisgood]

On 1/6/2021 at 10:33 AM, bkk6060 said:

Maybe just me, but I dislike Singapore and much prefer BKK.

Singapore is a very expensive concrete jungle.  Seems fake and unfriendly to me.

BKK has more options for food, accommodation, etc.

And, the girls in Bangkok are prettier and more available from my interaction with them.

You forgot to mention all the Thai girls in Orchard Towers.....5555555

[bkk6060]

1 hour ago, Tagged said:

If I had to choose between those two cities, I would Choose KL.

KL was not one of the choices.

 

[Tagged]

23 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

KL was not one of the choices.

 

Well observed sir  ????

 

I would not live in any of those two cities, but I might had considered KL. Just an personal opinion after spent some time in all 3 cities or state. 

[Huckenfell]

On 1/6/2021 at 12:43 PM, 1fortheroad said:

A decade ago I worked in Singapore for 18 months, i would be interested to hear from anyone who has lived in Singapore and Bangkok and the comparisons of both.

 

I liked the efficiency of singapore and its cleanliness. It was a very smart place. But over time that grew a little stale - and expensive!

 

But am I thinking Bangkok might be too much the other way??

Singapore is extremely expensive , but very clean, good for a short holiday but otherwise it cannot compare with Bangkok which is comparatively very cheap.

[Huckenfell]

6 hours ago, Pilotman said:

Forgive me, but that is not true, at least not for many people.  Singapore has much more to offer than just the inner City, high rise, shopping experience.  Yes its a 'City State', but within that, there are some marvellous places to visit, not least the beaches, gardens,  parks and recreational areas, where the city fades away into the distance.  It beats Bangkok hands down. Unlike, Bangkok, it has been planned superbly, to give its residents the very best life experience that can be had in a small Nation.  Bangkok on the other hand is the result of a lack of vision, lack of talent in building work, poor workmanship, corruption, bribery, incompetence and a dire Police Force.  

Singapore is too expensive unless you have a highly paid job. Bangkok is 100% Asian and very cheap.

 

[DJ54]

Singapore is a very nice city and can be a bit expensive. .. my dislike was Island Fever....

 

I’ve never lived in Bangkok but have visited 2-3 days at a time on business and a couple times for relaxation... Driving is a nightmare.. crowded.  I’ve lived in Los Angeles and now prefer out in the Countryside of Northeast .. quiet most the time...

 

66 years old now guess the wheels fell of me for big cities... It’s like cold , snowy 

weather a couple days will last ya a long time.. 

 

But really it’s the preference of the individual... Enjoy!

[Kalorymetr]

Depends on what you like.. I have never lived in Singapore, but I could have as I had job offers both here in Bangkok and in Singapore. 

To me Singapore is like Zurich of Asia - very clean and efficient city, with the asian vies still going on if you venture to more poor areas.

I for example like bicycling, which is not doable in Bangkok or at least where I live in Bangkok. I would have to buy a car and pack my bike and drive it to a special track which I think is stupid.

 

So why did I choose BKK then? It is simply more fun and if you get bored you can hop on a motorbike/bus and go to some other city, which is not possible in Singapore, especially now.

I am 29, so I plan to live in SG some day, but not now.

[2 is 1]

Im not anymore downtown man, if i never was. But to me need count all together! Living cost, car, motorpike, "woman" , her family and your own what you like to do! Golf(if near), good bars, friends(if have any) locals if honest is best etc. If can count same scale,  city what i love is Cebu in Phil! Maybe coz have live there and close so long and never had any bigger problem. If think all i like Thailand more! Not citys coz like say im not cityman!

[richard_smith237]

I have lived in both.

 

I call this Singapore Vs Bangkok comparison the ‘First Matrix effect’... 

 

Quote from the Matrix: "Did you know that the first Matrix was designed to be a perfect human world where none suffered, where everyone would be happy? It was a disaster. No one would accept the program. Entire crops were lost. Some believed that we lacked the programming language to describe your "perfect world". But I believe that, as a species, human beings define their reality through misery and suffering. So the perfect world was a dream that your primitive cerebrum kept trying to wake up from."

 

Singapore is like the First Matrix: Sanitised, manicured, pristine (to an extent), lawabiding, as such it lacks certain character, grit and lawlessness that attracts many to Bangkok.

 

The quality of expat in Singapore is different to that of the common expat in in Thailand, while there is significant overlap, it its extremes Thailand attracts dregs who cannot survive in Singapore whereas Singapore attracts professionals who know they need to shower before using the MRT !!!

 

Both are great places to live and both have their advantages, the Cost vs Quality of life in Bangkok is its huge attraction - Singapore on the other head is great for young families, walk around Bangkok or any Thai town with a 3 year old child and Thailand's flaws are glaringly obvious. 

[South]

Lived/worked in Singapore (Sembawang) 40+ years ago but have been here now in Thailand for over 30 years. In my opinion Singapore is, if you are looking for a more 'sterile' lifestyle way better. But, if you are looking for something a little more risque/adventure etc then Thailand has it. Still have family living on the south coast of Sentosa now so am a regular visitor to the place but personally happier with the lawlessness, freedom, sabai sabai attitude etc that thrives here. BTW, both places have changed immensely over the years.

[sharksy]

On 1/9/2021 at 7:43 AM, malibukid said:

Singapore has better shopping for high end goods compared to Bangkok.  i am into high end audio gear that most expats in Thailand and Thai's can not afford and the duty is much lower than that of  Thailand

I like Hi-End Hifi too.   Wouldn't fancy listening to it in an apartment though, unless the idea is to annoy the neighbours all around you?

[sharksy]

15 hours ago, jomtienisgood said:

You forgot to mention all the Thai girls in Orchard Towers.....5555555

Ahh, the Four Floors of Hoares.  Each time I visit Singapore, the worse this place becomes, especially the girl/ladyboy ratio

[moontang]

Some places are considered great because of their job markets, but they are usually quite pricey.  If you are retired, or don't want to work office hours in a monkey suit, they are some of the last places you would want to be. Median household incomes are somewhat higher than Singapore in the county I grew up in, in the US, and the public school system is just about famous.  "IT Guys," with no degree earning well over 100k us per year.. yet, they struggled with high school Algebra. But, for a retiree, and/or single guy, Cuba would have more to offer.  Iran and Myanmar wouldn't be far behind.  Bangkok would beat all of them. 

[cormanr7]

On 1/6/2021 at 11:13 AM, Patong2021 said:

I love Singapore but it comes at a price. When I worked in Singapore the list below is what made it better for me than Thailand. To have long stay, you need to have big money. Singapore is not for people with modest financial state. If you have money, life is excellent. Expat community has many in finance , oil   sales and shipping, so some can be cowboys, but overall, expat community is younger with families compared to retirement people of Thailand.  I did not meet people with really bad mental illness like I have in Thailand. We all have problems, but I  think Thailand attracts some very crazy foreigners.  Singapore has low tolerance for sketchy foreign real estate, investment promotion. There are few if any big deal foreign sale people for "investments".  Singapore is more upscale.

 

Singapore compared to Bangkok;

- Same quality standards if not higher than Japan, western EU. This means I not worry if I have electrocution from hot water heater in shower or electric appliance.  Safe, clean and can eat street food with few worries if using common sense.

- Street layout is clear and easy to find things.

- traffic is much better and so is public transit.

- Easy to communicate because everyone can speak some English.

- Police are honest and helpful.

- Immigration office professional and never ask for tea money. 

- Taxis are reliable  use meters that are not played with.

- I can use Singapore tap water even for drinking. My laundry not smell bad after wash because water is not polluted like in Bangkok.

- Easy to get to a beach and beaches are clean and free of people trying to take advantage. No jet ski scum.

- Drivers are more polite and safer than many western countries, but not as good as in Japan.

- Excellent quality of healthcare and hospitals.

- Relatively good air quality

- Can walk on sidewalk without worrying about hole or fall.

- People are mostly higher quality and Singapore has a solid core of educated people because it has world class university and technical school.

- Massage people know what they are doing.

- Can find good Thai food, but also quality European and  Asian food  easier to find than Bangkok. Can eat sushi with no worries.

-  There are many nice Chinese and Japanese professional ladies to meet and most everyone is  good quality.

 

Singapore has a darkside including sex trade, but I did not participate. If you want, it is easy to find but not  the same as Bangkok. if you break the law in Singapore you pay the price. No bribing to get out of the problem.

For me this post sums it up quite well. In addition, if you like walking/outdoors, there are lots of parks and green areas. 

[Pilotman]

10 hours ago, Huckenfell said:

Singapore is too expensive unless you have a highly paid job. Bangkok is 100% Asian and very cheap.

 

They are both Asian, but Bangkok looks and feels like a cheap and badly planned  version of a major  Asian Capital. 

[jomtienisgood]

2 hours ago, sharksy said:

Ahh, the Four Floors of Hoares.  Each time I visit Singapore, the worse this place becomes, especially the girl/ladyboy ratio

AHHHHH; Well at least we been there... 5555555

[GinBoy2]

We lived in Singapore, then back to Thailand, BKK then Khon Kaen.

 

It's a bit of a difficult comparison. 

 

Singapore is a first world country, everything works, it's clean and apart from being horribly expensive you could be living in any Western city.

 

Bangkok, and Thailand in general, is a third world country. Things don't work all the time, and it most certainly isn't clean. On the being expensive issue, it's getting up there and I'm not sure the trade off works anymore.

 

So on balance and in hindsight I wish we could have stayed in Singapore, although island fever can set in, it is a really small island after all, but those weekend escapes to KL, Langkawi help.

[Pattaya Spotter]

On 1/6/2021 at 10:10 PM, wordchild said:

I have lived in both for extended periods. Agree with much of the above. I like Singapore but Bangkok is better for living a fuller life ( especially with a family)  , and Covid has  has really  made this clear to me.
Someone above mentioned beaches, In Singapore?.. I know they have them, but seriously , do  you want to spend time on them? 

What I, and my family, like about Bangkok is the ability to get out and about to some seriously beautiful places, without too much effort.
Also the city itself  has grown on us , over the decade we have been here. Singapore is clean and all the rest, but it gets boring especially if you can’t travel out of there. I have many friends in that city  and they are desperate right now to travel again, just to get away from the city.

This Xmas break I have been scuba diving with my kids near Sattahip ,camping and hiking in Chiangmai , and , if we can get through Samut Sakorn , hopefully we will get down to Hua Hin for a few days for some relaxing beach time. Singapore, even pre-Covid , is more limited in terms of easy access to these sorts of leisure options.

There's a whole world of scuba diving next door in both Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as many mountains/volcanoes to hike and world class eco-adventures and animals in the wild to see as well.

[malibukid]

On 1/10/2021 at 3:51 PM, Tagged said:

Well observed sir  ????

 

I would not live in any of those two cities, but I might had considered KL. Just an personal opinion after spent some time in all 3 cities or state. 

KL has a excellent Symphony another plus

[malibukid]

On 1/11/2021 at 9:46 AM, GinBoy2 said:

We lived in Singapore, then back to Thailand, BKK then Khon Kaen.

 

It's a bit of a difficult comparison. 

 

Singapore is a first world country, everything works, it's clean and apart from being horribly expensive you could be living in any Western city.

 

Bangkok, and Thailand in general, is a third world country. Things don't work all the time, and it most certainly isn't clean. On the being expensive issue, it's getting up there and I'm not sure the trade off works anymore.

 

So on balance and in hindsight I wish we could have stayed in Singapore, although island fever can set in, it is a really small island after all, but those weekend escapes to KL, Langkawi help.

agree,  a high speed rail link between SGN and KL is needed.

[hotchilli]

On 1/6/2021 at 9:43 AM, 1fortheroad said:

A decade ago I worked in Singapore for 18 months, i would be interested to hear from anyone who has lived in Singapore and Bangkok and the comparisons of both.

 

I liked the efficiency of singapore and its cleanliness. It was a very smart place. But over time that grew a little stale - and expensive!

 

But am I thinking Bangkok might be too much the other way??

No comparison...

Bangkok is a hell hole going backwards, Singapore is well managed and going forwards to the future.

[madmen]

Bangkok is my favorite city. New York, Paris, Sydney, London, Singapore don't even have a fraction of the buzz , not even close! 

[Jingthing]

3 minutes ago, madmen said:

Bangkok is my favorite city. New York, Paris, Sydney, London, Singapore don't even have a fraction of the buzz , not even close! 

Yeah but those aren't the only major world cities.

Arguably Mexico City has more buzz than Bangkok.

[Mavideol]

On 1/6/2021 at 10:33 AM, bkk6060 said:

Maybe just me, but I dislike Singapore and much prefer BKK.

Singapore is a very expensive concrete jungle.  Seems fake and unfriendly to me.

BKK has more options for food, accommodation, etc.

And, the girls in Bangkok are prettier and more available from my interaction with them.

and that's 2 of us.... Singapore it's to artificial/fake, can't stand it

[gearbox]

11 minutes ago, madmen said:

Bangkok is my favorite city. New York, Paris, Sydney, London, Singapore don't even have a fraction of the buzz , not even close! 

Pretty bad pollution right now.

[madmen]

11 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Yeah but those aren't the only major world cities.

Arguably Mexico City has more buzz than Bangkok.

The title is comparing BKK to first world so I just expanded on that. 

[Jingthing]

27 minutes ago, madmen said:

The title is comparing BKK to first world so I just expanded on that. 

No it isn't. It's comparing Bangkok to Singapore so it just as easily could be about comparing Asian megacities. Which brings up KL.

[Thai Dan]

On 1/6/2021 at 10:35 AM, Stocky said:

You wouldn't take Bangkok home to meet your mother.

I did, and they love her.

[Seeall]

On 1/6/2021 at 9:43 AM, 1fortheroad said:

A decade ago I worked in Singapore for 18 months, i would be interested to hear from anyone who has lived in Singapore and Bangkok and the comparisons of both.

 

I liked the efficiency of singapore and its cleanliness. It was a very smart place. But over time that grew a little stale - and expensive!

 

But am I thinking Bangkok might be too much the other way??

Its easy, as a man whyu would you like SG?  expensive, hard to get laid....  business easier and clean ok.. thats about it....