Renting in Singapore............ is it really that expensive

[thequietman]

Been offered a teaching position in Singapore. Salary is 4500 Singaporean dollars - about 118000 baht.

Pretty good I thought until I started looking up prices for accommodation. Can it really be that expensive?

I don't mind living outside the cities. Is there some other cheaper options out there.

What seemed like a good offer is increasingly looking terrible. Once I pay tax, food and travel expenses to and from work, I don't think the salary will be much better than I am getting here.

Thoughts and advice please.

Thanks.

[Skint]

The salary is no where near enough to live a "decent" life in Singapore. Try to see if they will pay accommodation and other expenses.

[amykat]

Singapore is a bit like paradise compared to here though! Maybe once you are there, you could make better connections for better jobs? If you are looking for a change? I happen to LOVE "Little India" for the food and shopping, maybe you could find a cheaper place, but bare bones, to stay in that area, however I don't know where you would be working. Or find someone looking for a roommate? Yes, and also, try to negotiate a better deal!! It is one of the most expensive cities in the world, these days, somewhat based on exchange rates of course.

I don't think it would be a place to work in order "to send home money" but I think in the past, I have read things that lead me to believe you may not be so happy where you are now? If I am wrong, sorry. But if I am right, maybe this will be a good step to making some changes that could turn out to be good in the long run, even if you suffer a bit. If you love Indian food and can eat in that area all the time, you might be pretty damn happy! You might get a bit fat too! If it was at all possible, and I was you, I would try it!!

[Oceanbat]

There's no way that is enough i just moved from singapore. You will struggle to find anywhere to live for <3k sgd.

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[TobiasML]

You will need to consider that a decent private condo will set you back at least SGD 3000. Most of the teachers I met in Singapore are sharing an HDB flat or condo. HDB flats are considerably cheaper but has a lot more restrictions in renting as the landlord would need to get licensed to rent them out. Usually they rent out their spare guest room to teachers. In regards to living. That depends completely on your lifestyle. If you like to go out it can cost you an arm and leg for one night out. Food is ok at food courts. Cost between 2-8 SGD plus drinks.

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[hermespan]

Yes, it is that expensive. I know an EDL teacher who pays 25% of his salary on rent - USD1000 for ONE room in a shared house .

[mariner16]

Two bedroom/two bathroom 70m2 apartment in expat area near Newton Circus currently SGD3,500 per month and set to go up when the lease is due to renegotiate in August, and I doubt you would find anything cheaper

[steelepulse]

When I lived there all the teachers I knew got paid housing, travel allowance to go back to their home country, and a much higher salary than you mentioned. This was in the mid 90's .

[soihok]

I have lived there for 11 years before moving to Malaysia in 2012.

Your only chance is to rent a room in a shared apartment. Expect to pay about 600 and upwards but it depends where you want to live in relation to where your work is. This will probably be in a government housing area (or Housing Development Board estate) where the majority of Singaporeans live. The Straits Times Classifieds has loads of info but you may want to ask people connected with your work or employer as a start.

Public transport is reasonably cheap but try to avoid long journeys on buses that can take ages, the MRT is good though.

You can get on the road by small motorbike for not much although petrol cost is high.

Bicycles are also popular but I viewed them as a liability on the road (I rode motorbikes throughout my stay there to get to work on).

You will enjoy a very low income tax rate on your earnings if it is SGD4K / month though.

http://www.iras.gov.sg/irasHome/page04.aspx?id=1190

Please do get health insurance. The best deal I found in my years was with NTUC and is good for the government hospitals, my wife fell ill and spent a week in Tan Tock Seng hospital, the insurance company paid out no problem.

http://www.income.com.sg/insurance/health.asp

As it goes, your salary is near to a normal wage for a Singaporean.

What area is the school where you will work?

You can eat on the cheap no problem, there are hundreds of Food Hawker Centres across the island so this isn't a great issue.

Nights out can get expensive.

Edited May 23, 2014 by soihok

[stuurman]

If you have to pay for your own housing and medical insurance don't even consider an offer bellow 10K.

Nights out can indeed be expensive. 1 beer in an ordinary bar outside happy hour is about 15 S$. (Almost 400 Baht...)

In clubs it's much more expensive.

Edited May 23, 2014 by stuurman

[soihok]

Depending on the OP's age and health, basic medical insurance will be about $600 / year with NTUC.

Take off the room rent and bills, say $800 / month, but don't expect luxury.

All thats left is food, drink, transport, mobile phone fee, income tax.

A bottle of Tiger is about $7 in a Hawker Centre.

You won't be going out much at night though. Depends if you want to save or not.

The wage mentioned is a normal wage for a Singaporean and they survive, although they feel the stress of just that - managing to survive.

I would suggest that you are going to find it extremely tough on a wage of SGD4500 a month, but it is not impossible.

Incidently, I was offered an application to apply for PR status, but unless you really, really, really want to live there you need to keep yourself in a resonably well paid job. Can't see myself as a Singaporean PR really, you would need to be loaded to live there and not work.

[soihok]

I have been looking at schools recently as I may be moving back with the family this year.

Our youngest girl (6) will come together with us, for an International School such as Overseas Family School, the fee is about SGD26 k / year basic.

Here in KL she is in a school that covers all basics and costs 12K Ringgit / year (about SGD5 K / year).

Found that an ok Condo here is half price compared to Singapore .

[oldthaihand99]

You can rent in the Geylang district from 40 USD/day for a hotel room. So $1200/per 30 days. I imagine a significant discount and or upgrade could be negotiated for a long stay of that length or more.

As detailed in my post of yesterday, many other things are also quite cheap there.

Safety wise SG may be #1 in the world, at least for nations with no cold or snow.

[soihok]

I agree that it is possible to live in Singapore on a tight budget.

Personally I think Geylang is a bit of a dump.

[canman]

I agree that it is possible to live in Singapore on a tight budget.

Personally I think Geylang is a bit of a dump.

It does have character though

[jmccarty]

You can rent an HDB flat for around S$1,000/month for a 2 bedroom with 1 bedroom locked. Some kind of legal requirement that the owner must also occupy his flat to rent it out. That is about as cheap as you can find there. Income tax on S$54k/yr is probably less than 10%, google and you can find the actual. It will not be much.

You will not like life though in Singapore with that little money in your pocket. It will go fast and you will be miserable.

[soihok]

I agree that it is possible to live in Singapore on a tight budget.

Personally I think Geylang is a bit of a dump.

It does have character though

Oh yes, it certainly has character.

Depends on what character you are comfortable placing your non Singaporean wife and children in the midst of ?

If you like seedy characters, then go for it.

[soihok]

You can rent an HDB flat for around S$1,000/month for a 2 bedroom with 1 bedroom locked. Some kind of legal requirement that the owner must also occupy his flat to rent it out. That is about as cheap as you can find there. Income tax on S$54k/yr is probably less than 10%, google and you can find the actual. It will not be much.

You will not like life though in Singapore with that little money in your pocket. It will go fast and you will be miserable.

Very true, although the rent would be a bit more depending on location. In the depths of Ang Mo Kio, Yishun or Sembawang then you could obtain that.

You are correct, the owner must occupy it or risk losing it.

Income tax rates are heaven.

As I said before, I wouldn't consider Singapore life if a strict budget had to be adhered to, most Singaporeans have no choice hence the stress.

I am returning there later this year, the salary on offer is very high so I have no problem with rent (without being silly).

[oldthaihand99]

You can rent an HDB flat for around S$1,000/month for a 2 bedroom with 1 bedroom locked. Some kind of legal requirement that the owner must also occupy his flat to rent it out. That is about as cheap as you can find there. Income tax on S$54k/yr is probably less than 10%, google and you can find the actual. It will not be much.

You will not like life though in Singapore with that little money in your pocket. It will go fast and you will be miserable.

I love it here in Geylang. Rent under 2K CDN, food, fun & the rest under 1K.

[soihok]

Looking at renting near Great World City, rent will be around 4500 SG$ / month = about 115,00 Baht / month.

Two bedroom furnished, size about 900 sq/ft.

Previously rented at

• Bishan Park Condo = 3 bedroom furnished = 1300 sq/ft (never used the 3rd room) = 3200/month. Was asked if I wanted buy = 25 Million Baht!
• Going back to 2009, West Coast Condo = 3 bedroom furnished about 1100 sq/ft = 3200/month
• Going back before it went tits up in 2006 = between 1200/month and 1600/month in Clementi and Yishun.

[roadpeople]

S$700 up for a bedroom with share toilet.

You may think of staying in Johor Baru or Batam Island and working in Singapore, if you don't need to work every morning.

[soihok]

"You may think of staying in Johor Baru or Batam Island and working in Singapore, if you don't need to work every morning."

Some of my (Malaysian) work mates used to live in Johor, travel to Singapore - do a 12 hour shift, then travel back. In fact 1000's of Malaysians do this everyday.

If you're not Malay or Singaporean, you would fill your passport up within a couple of months.

[LawrenceChee]

It's expensive period and at that salary while you won't struggle I can't see how it would be luxurious either

If you are not fussy about lodging and have no major luggage stay in a backpacker place.

You save tons, most are in Chinatown and Bugis area with loads of good cheap eats and staying there long enough also mean your social scene is expanding at a faster rate if you after that kind of fast returns wink

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[Bkungbank]

You will fine Paradise here in terms of housing, food and shopping.

You salary is not enough as rental cost you half of your salary already, food and beers are cheap

Sharing flat in 2-3 rooms is be best way but some tenant will make you crazy and less privacy due small Island there worst then Japan.

Food and travel are cheap but room are very expensive small bed montly 800-1,500 SDG.

[roadpeople]

"You may think of staying in Johor Baru or Batam Island and working in Singapore, if you don't need to work every morning."

Some of my (Malaysian) work mates used to live in Johor, travel to Singapore - do a 12 hour shift, then travel back. In fact 1000's of Malaysians do this everyday.

If you're not Malay or Singaporean, you would fill your passport up within a couple of months.

Working visa holders are allowed to go thro' e- channels of the Singapore Immigration, same as citizen and PR.

I heard that, but not sure, Malaysian immigration offers an e-enter option for a reasonable fee. Put a sticker without stamp on the passport.

Edited August 17, 2014 by roadpeople

[soihok]

I hold a Malaysian Employment pass at the moment, I am issued with an ID card. When this is presented to immigration when leaving the country they always ask if I wish to have the passport stamped or not. I decline the stamp, never had a problem.

(I am neither Malay or Singaporean/PR).

[canman]

I agree that it is possible to live in Singapore on a tight budget.

Personally I think Geylang is a bit of a dump.

It does have character though

Oh yes, it certainly has character.

Depends on what character you are comfortable placing your non Singaporean wife and children in the midst of ?

If you like seedy characters, then go for it.

I wouldn't live there with my family, thats for sure.

[soihok]

Niether would I, given the choice.

Geylang is the same area as Little India, yes....where the riot was recently.

If sleeze and Indian/Bangladesh general workers are your thing its certainly the place to be.

[roadpeople]

Niether would I, given the choice.

Geylang is the same area as Little India, yes....where the riot was recently.

If sleeze and Indian/Bangladesh general workers are your thing its certainly the place to be.

Is it possible to rent a house or a flat in Bukit Indah and drive daily back to Singapore to work via the 2nd link in Tuas?

Bukit Indah the well planned new town in Johor is likely very beautiful. How much is the rent there?

But Singapore and Malaysia is arguing about car toll increase recently.

[LawrenceChee]

The daily grind will eventually wear you down