𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗔𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗘 - Is Singapore As Great As Everyone Says?
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- čas přidán 31. 03. 2024
- Singapore consistently rates at the top for liveability when compared to other countries. But does Singapore eally deserve the praise it receives? We'll break it down cateogry by category, discuss the areas in which Singapore does indeed excel and the areas we believe have room for improvement. Thanks for traveling with us!
𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗢𝗳 𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (For 2024)
Everyone lives a different lifestyle, and it's impossible to know exactly how much you would be spending in Singapore. Here is a sample montly budget for us if we were living in Singapore, based on our personal lifestyle (in US dollars, for two people):
$3200 Housing and Utilities
$850 Food
$200 Transportation
$350 Extras (Cell Phone, Entertainment, Clothing, etc.)
$4600 TOTAL
And here are a few more expenses that may or may not apply to your situation:
$100 Health
$300 Insurance
$150 One Trip To Visit Family In The US
$250 Two Or Three Inexpensive Vacations Per Year
$5400 GRAND TOTAL
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Chapters:
0:35 Quality Of Life
1:50 Cost Of Living
3:03 Activies
4:56 The Airport
5:52 Quick Fire Categories
As a Singaporean, I appreciate your well balanced view. Singapore isn’t this utopia but we try.
Thanks for watching!
Most importantly..Sg is a peaceful harmonious multi racial, lingual, religious cosmopolitan city state
Thank you!
@@snailtravelersbecause majority is Chinese. It will be different if 30% Chinese, 30% Malay, 30% Indian, then it will be a different dynamics, different story.
We loved our time in Singapore! Even though we only spent a few days there, we felt that it's somewhere that we could definitely live full-time...although we couldn't afford to lol. Hoping to get back there for another visit soon :)
A few days is better than none! Thanks for watching!
Can lah. My country where got so expensive. This one not Switzerland leh.😂😂😂 So many foreigners here Myanmar China Vietnam etc Take public transport eat at hawker centre. Don't stay too close to the city area.
Weekends go Batam and Johor spend like king.
Just follow rules lah. So difficult meh? Parents don't have to worry about drugs, guns,rapists, racist gangs, etc.
Mix with locals so we can eat and get fat together ❤
Foreigners provide cheap labour doing the 3D jobs.
I loved shopping in Batam when I was working in Singapore for a few months.
As far as safety goes, I remember eating at a restaurant with coworkers and it was right on the ocean. A park was nearby. I saw a woman walking in the park by herself after dark. Singapore is so safe.
I agree with most of your point. But the issue on the price of food etc needs to be nuanced. As a Singaporean, I too complain that food *can* be expensive but if you stick to most hawker or coffee shop places you can do reasonable budget. Also, in comparison, it is closer to a metropolis like NYC, BOS, SF or SEA in terms of price for food. I can eat 3 meals a day for less than USD15 (about S$20) if you know where to go. In NYC, the prices even in MacD is not cheap with the prices display not including sales tax. Hawkers and coffee shops don't do sales tax/GST.
Public transport is cheap if you compare to NYC's Metro where a trip regardless of distance is US$2.50/SGD3.30. I can take the longest train line without changing train for that price that takes >1.5 hours.
On the whole I do agree with you; we Singaporeans can't stand the weather as well ;)
Thanks for sharing this information!
We recently spent a week in Singapore and loved the ease of public transportation, the abundance of things to see and do and the way the city is so clean and orderly. The downside is definitely the costs, even the hawker stalls are a bit pricey compared to our standards of cheap meals here in Thailand. We like Singapore but there's really nothing there that we need to go back to over and over although it is a place everyone needs to visit at least once in their life.
Thanks for sharing your experience in Singapore, this information is especially helpful for other travelers!
Totally agree with your assessment, except we like the hot weather! lol I was lucky to get a job here in the late 90s so got to stay for six months which was amazing, but nowadays we too only come for a few days at a time as it is way out of our traveler budget. But we keep coming back because I love it so much. Now I'm hungry for some Char Siew from the hawker stalls!
Thank you for your insight on Singapore. One needs to pay high price for the cost of living just to enjoy the high quality of life.
Thank you Yasin!
@@snailtravelers😀
I worked in Singapore for a few months and I loved it! It's one of the best places in the world to be if you have a job that supports your standard of living.
However, if you are just visiting there are a few places to visit but anything past 3 days or a week and the place is pretty boring.
Thanks for sharing!
Stay long enough you will find the place has no soul, only artificial man-made stuff.
@@cac1504 Malaysia more worse super boring country
@@cac1504, I can see how you might think that. I was lucky enough to make friends while working there so I hang out with them when I'm there. I thought about moving there for a month but all my friends would be at work 5 days a week leaving me with nothing to do after seeing the sites for the first week. Even having friends who live there only goes so far in terms of having things to do. Past that time it leads to boredom.
@@BillGreenAZvisitors get excited when they first reach Singapore. Stay long enough your feelings will be subdued by high cost of living. You may not feel this way if you have lots of active income.
Yep! Agreed! We use Changi a lot to get to and from SE Asia. We spend about 4 days at a time to keep costs down before moving on. We'll eventually see it all!
Thanks! Maybe our paths will cross at Changi sometime!
I have to correct the fact that the airport is no 1 because of Jewel. That's not true.
The Skytrax ranking is based on many reasons like efficiency, organisation, amenities etc
Good information, thanks for sharing.
Changi Airport had been No.1 well before Jewel had been in existence.
Jakarta the biggest city in southeast. Never sleep city, busieast city in southeast, by imf-world bank jakarta is central business in southeast. not Singapura or kuala lumpur
Good or bad, its the only country Singaporeans have. The west should take a look at their own country n ask if their country is really that great.
Thank you!
Shame on you!
Jakarta the biggest city in southeast. Never sleep city, busieast city, by imf-world bank jakarta is central business in southeast. Not Singapura or kuala lumpur
About some thing to do....SG has very good Zoo, River Wonders, SEA Aquarium, Bird Paradise and Night Safari. We also hav wild Crocs in the North, wild otters in the south and samba deers and boars in the middle
Great suggestions, thanks for sharing!
Jakarta the biggest city in southeast. Never sleep city, busieast in southeast. By imf-world bank jakarta is central business in southeast👍
For foreigners.... The worst part about living in Singapore will be the rent... and if with children, education in an international school. For most other things... Not so much.
As for Singaporeans and Permanent Residents... Public housing, Education and Health Care is highly subsidized by the Government.
Thanks for sharing this information!
Those countries, especially developing countries, you might think that their cost of living in low, but the truth is that those locals who are living there the cost are not low.
Yes I agree, it's all relative to how much money someone earns. The costs might be low for a foreigner, but high for a local person because the wages are low. Thanks for sharing.
@@snailtravelers so true
True
@@snailtravelerscheck the Gini Coefficient
Another great video - many thnks.
Thanks for watching!
As a First Nation, Singapore should improve the cleanliness of its many Hawker Canters. Although there is a program for periodical redecoration and upgrades it seems that the crammed space allotted for each stall are sacrificed to improve rental yield. This results in stall operators having to encroach on public dining area with their utensils, food stocks and pails of dirty plates, thereby compromising aesthetic looks and makes cleaning difficult and incomplete. The Return tray station is a good idea but they are unsightly and should be located away from the main dining hall. The same goes to public toilets man6 of which are not maintained in consistent with the developed status of Singapore.
Having worked and lived in Singapore for 20 years before Marina Bay Sands, Jewel and Gardens By The Bay started operation , I had discovered much of Singapore and loved the safety , affordable public transport, multicultural , food, architecture, seaside, how walkable and so much greenery, free public parks, preserving old buildings and incorporating old and modern buildings within an area...healthcare system that even back in late 80s and early 90s I can be proud of to work .
I wish I can stay in Singapore for longer period to go for walks at the seaside, all the parks throughout Singapore, visit hawkers, mingle with many old folks, spend time at Little India,Chinatown and almost every part of Singapore is to be appreciated and admired, even the monsoon drains..However yes the number one setback is the cost of accommodation that make staying in Singapore without a good source of income make it seems rather wasteful spending if for those middle-class semi-retired or retired non Singaporeans.
SIA many years ago was well known for excellence in service .
Singapore lacks natural resources so service industry is important for its economy.. banking and finance,hotels,F&B, healthcare,education,airline,airport,shipping, ports,etc..
Thanks so much for all of this information! It is obvious that Singapore has a special place in your heart and living there has impacted your life a lot. Thanks so much for watching our videos and leaving comments!
Ryan, you gave immigration an ❌ but in your video you didn’t say why. I have 2 sisters living in Singapore but I have not been to Singapore for at least 10 years as everything is too costly and our Malaysian Ringgit is so weak. I believe SGD1 = RM3.80 Fortunately both of my sisters do come to Malaysia frequently for their holidays example shopping in Johore Baru and entertainment in Genting Highland.
Thanks for the comment! Singapore does not have a retirement visa, which would make it difficult for us to live there (even if we could afford it). It's great that your sisters come to visit Malaysia often. Thanks, as always, for watching our videos over the years and for always taking the time to write a comment, I do appreciate it!
@@snailtravelers Thanks for sharing and posting of your videos over the years. Without them I wouldn’t be able to comment and to show my appreciation and support for your good works.
Food in foodcourt is ok, but eating out is high cost
Try Gordon Ramsay Beef Wellington at MBS.
@@cac1504 which is expensive right?
Noticed 9 out of the 10 of your most popular videos are content on Malaysia... curious why?...😊😊
I think because we were in Malaysia when covid began and many Malaysians were interested in following our story during the lockdowns. Thanks for watching our videos!
@@snailtravelersSnail Travelers have been visiting low cost countries (by US standards) and must have got rude awakening (from financial point of view) when visiting and living in Singapore.
@@snailtravelersit's because the population in Malaysia is way higher and Malaysian desperately seeks recognition.😅
Comapre the tax between US and singapore mate
The currency is too strong for asia. Therefore, inflation for housing is crazy. My sis-in-law told me 1 room for singles is sgd 1200. Definitely not 700 anymore
Thanks for sharing!
Paying few thousands SGD to live in a compact 'pigeon holes"...
@bk1571 my sis-in-law is Singaporean. She informed me during chinese new year it is more than 1k sgd for singles room. What her friend has done is family stay in living room, rent out some rooms to outsiders to pay for bills for children !!!!!!
Land (Real Estate) is limited in this small island. The population is ageing. Soon the government will encourage Singapore firms to set up retirement homes in nearby Johor Bahru (Malaysia) to house the elderly. This will free up housing space for imported foreign talents to keep the economy going.
@@cac1504 wow that sounded extreme
Singapore is raising the salary threshold for foreigners to get a work permit amid stiff local competition for jobs (Note: General Election in 2025).
From 2025, new applicants for the Employment Pass (EP) system will have to earn at least 5,600 Singapore dollars ($4,140) per month, up from 5,000 Singapore dollars ($3,700).
Thank you for this information.
The older geration in Singapore did not earn much in their younger days and mostly have little savings. But the young generation growing up on good life have high salary. When uou talk to Singaporeans, be sure to know which category of people you are talking too.
This is good to know, thanks for sharing!
@@snailtravelersGenerally most Singaporeans are asset rich but cash poor. By asset it means their HDB housing which is paid for by the CPF (Retirement Fund), leaving them with little unless they cash out the flat (but where to live). Just check this up with a Singaporean.
@@snailtravelersgo find out Pioneer Generation, Merdeka Generation and Majulah Generation - as termed by the government - and you will know the wealth distribution of Singaporeans.
@3:35 should be Marina Bay Sands...not Marina Sands Bay
My mistake, oops.
Bottom line: no money no talk.
Everything is good in Singapore if you have money.
Too expensive, much better Malasya, but I see Malasya getting increase the prices as well 😢
Thanks for watching and commenting!
I visit my friends in Singapore regularly. This past January they suggested we meet in Malaysia next year. The ladies were so excited because they go to Malaysia for shopping, manicures, pedicures and 2-hour massages.
@@BillGreenAZ lol okay
I think you mean Malaysia
Can you get your spelling right? What Malasya?
Forget about Singapore, its too expensive to live there.
Fair enough, thanks for watching!
2024 rental for a public housing HDB 3-room now is sgd3000 to 3500 per month, private condo at least 1000sgd more
We sure work hard for the money.
No doubt SG is safe, clean, etc but lodging/foods for budget travellers is too expensive (being the most expensive city in the world), for USD20 only allows u to stay in a dorm sharing with 6,8 persons in small room/ shared both room, country too small only less a week to cover the whole country, most interesting locations are man made, if u from a third world countries most Singaporean will not communicate much with u unless u are a Caucasian from a advanced/developed nations.
Good information, thanks for sharing!
You have described Singapore down to a tee. 😎👍
Please don’t generalize
Not true. It might be more of language barriers
This video is moot. Unless you have lived and worked in Singapore for years, the points you made are quite superficial. To think you say that Immigration here is a -ve point where global logistics companies and people talent find that setting up business and moving is quite easy, otherwise we won't be called the most globally connected city for nothing
Fair enough, thanks for sharing your thoughts.
@@snailtravelersSingapore is impressive if you visit for the first time and stay not more than a week. Live long enough and you will have a different opinion because of the high price (literally) to pay for anything.
Not 2024, that's 2023.
Yes, we were there in 2023.
The younger generation in Spore is cocky. Malaysians, young or old r friendly. Happy travelling Ryan n Emily. Enjoy yr stay in Spore.
Like hong kong, kinda rude
Thanks for watching!
@@keangwooichoo6138Agree wif u.
Im a malaysian and im very rude to my friends and other people hahahah 😭😂
@@thanos6635 I won't say rude but rather unpolished or snobbish.
I am an Indian, who is in Singapore currently for a week long holiday. There are no stray dogs or cats here. Did they kill them all? It is a sad place, compared to India.
Its a sterilsation program that started decades ago. Few strays except for the more rural areas which few visitors will venture there.
Wtf
Sad??????
So you would be happier to see a lot of strays around ?? If you go to the heartlanda you will see community cats often. It is hard to find stray dogs though. Actually stray dogs can be quite dangerous
It's a first I heard that without strays, it is a sad place. What a sick person
The price is a non starter. Not a good value travel location.
seriously?where u from
Definitely expensive for foreign travelers compared to neighboring countries.
@@snailtravelersthat's why Taylor Swift held 6 nights of her Eras Tour exclusively in Singapore to cash in Singapore Dollar, to the dismay of regional fans from poorer countries.
Comments from someone who has never really travel around. Just another pretender. Full of BS.
Harmony through ironfist
Jakarta the biggest city in southeast. Never sleep city, the Busieast in southeast, by imf-world bank jakarta is central business in southeast👍
People suck there. Unfriendly. Locals call it kiarsu attitude
this is a warning from Singapore, an openly misandryist authoritarian state! here only male citizens and offenders are subjected to forced conscription and caning! fight forced conscription of men as this is a blatant human rights violation and misandry! the human, civil and workers rights record is abysmal, and the state media was once ranked as lowly as 160th and there is no criticism of the establishment allowed to be published/broadcasted!
seriously? authoritarian? You think this north korea or something?And what state media ?What no criticism?This not china.Anyway state do better than USA election
Singapore is good, but not great. We lived there for 17 years, and listen to my honest opinion. I made good money but I also struggled with the high cost of living. Hawker food is cheap, but low quality and scarcely appetitizing. Forget about buying a high end car. And forget about owning a condo. Only the super rich can do that. It is very hot and humid, super uncomfortable. No, on balance, it is not for me. So, we pulled up the stakes and got out.
That's the difference between a foreigner working here and a citizen. You nake your good money here, dont feel happy, don't think it fits your expectations and just up and go. Citizens are committed, we change ourselves, we advocate change. Condos are not owned by the super rich - i stay in one and I am.not super rich - my grandparents stayed in a kampong and reared a few pigs and are uneducated. Singapore is a meritocracy which many countries are not. We can climb the social ladder in 1 generation through hard work. As long as you work hard, you can achieve your goals. And your comment about Hawker food is laughable...we have Michelin rated hawkers!
@@sandarwin6766 Condos were more affordable when we lived there (we left in 2013). We bought a condo in the west coast area and it costed us far less than condos in the same area would cost today. When I said you needed to be super rich to afford a condo, I was talking about the prices of condos today, not 10, 20 years ago. I am sure you purchased your condo not recently, but rather at least 10 years ago. Today, you would have to pay $2 million for the condo we sold when we left.
As for there being Michelin rated hawkers, I find your comment amusing . How many hawkers are there in Singapore? Hundreds of thousands of them. How many of them are Michelin rated? No more than 10. I can describe most hawker food as "slops" consisting of generous servings of rice with a few pieces of meat and vegetables. Very unappetizing and unhealthy to eat. I can only laugh when I watch videos on youtube made by Singaporeans or Asians who describe hawker food as delectable or scrumptious. As I said, barely edible.
Not everyone says it's great. Only PAP and its Karens.
I came from Malaysia and have lived here for more than 50 years. To me Singapore is home , where I belong. ❤
A tiny dust country
shame on you !You think USA is good?think about taxes!
I was there last year for the first time. Man, was I unimpressed, even the "modern" buildings in the business districts felt old, and buildings and streets weren't as clean as people make you believe. The whole city felt like a shallow wannabe dystopia, if you heard about "whitewashed" asians (British colony slave mentality), this is the city where you find a bunch of them.
There is a common saying here i heard several times…..
If Singapore can’t do it, Nobody can.
I am used to the snobbery.😂😂😂
Thanks for sharing!
Singapore used to have many riots and was very unstable.