Singapore information needed

Nfirdaus,

Thanks for the info,

i would be renting a flat please, what kind of cost would  i  be looking at? The prices you quote are in US dollars right?

Any information on taxes, i read most expat as to pay on income is 15%. What taxes would I have to pay?

Nfirdaus > you should use the private message system and avoid giving your email address / phone numbers on forums

I want  to thank Ykhan for this link very useful icare2share.com/2010/06/cost-of-living-in-singapore-2010-for.html

You are welcome !

Hi Nims,

It really depends on what you feel is "decent." We looked at two bedroom places all over the city in October and saw a fair amount of range. The ones under $3000 a month were far from areas we wanted to live and some of them were just plain moldy. You might luck out though, especially if you have a good agent who can negotiate the rent down for you. There are some expats who live in HDB housing. I've heard good and bad things about that. I'm sure there are other folks on here who can talk about their experiences with HDBs.

The rest of your expenses depend on what you eat and how you live. If you like air conditioning on all the time you'll probably have a $500 electricity bill but if you don't it might be more like $160. I think our expenses here are about the same as living in Santa Monica or San Francisco. More expensive than anywhere we lived in Canada for sure.

It would be helpful for you to find a Salary Survey for Singapore. I know I saw one online at one point and was able to see what people in my profession make there.

[off topic]

Singapore:

Expensive / Expensive / Expensive

Lets put things into perspective for people who are looking to move here !

$200-500 per month for groceries for 2 people.  (Never in the current lifetime, was only just possible 10 years ago)

Cheap Beer Pint US $10.00
Hotel Beer Pint US $18-22.00

Nightclub Entry US $40.00   (Seen one the other day which is US $700.00 per person, but you do get a free bottle of Champagne)

Heard on the Radio that it is US $180-300.00 for a steak at the MBS Skypark Rest & Bar (never Mind $50.00 to get in)

Petrol US $1.65-2.00 per Litre
Cost of Piece of Paper to buy a Car $45-60 K

Subsidised Housing if you are eligible US $200K starting for small 600 FT2 Flat

Same size but as a Condo Unit $750 K

(Of course the above is to buy)

Rice (Staple Food of Asia) 500G US $4.50 (The 2nd most expensive country in the world)

Starbucks Coffee. Starting at US $3.50

You and your wife go for decent Night Out, Dinner / Movie / Drinks / Cab Fare etc. US $300.00

People, please stop buttering up our lovable little dot of an Island, I know its a great place to live that is why I am still here, but lets give out serious comments on the realities.

(Moderated: Off topic + No free ad on the forum)

rented HDB apartment (these are local government apartments and about 70 to 80% of the local people live in these apartments) price ranges from $400 to usually $800 per room, meaning you get only 1 room in the apartment, but you share the kitchen, washroom etc. with the rest of the occupants. $400 is a little rare these days, if you have the time to hunt for it, you might be lucky.

typebug mentioned there are good and bad of living in HDB, i think that depends very much on your personality, and also the people whom you are living with, if for some reason there is a clash of personality, living together can be hell. before you rent a room in the HDB, find out more, i have a friend who moved 4 times within a year. HDB surroundings are noisier.