$package+location+schools

[dick143]

New to all this so please excuse the ignorance...I am coming to Singapore with wife and 4 young kids. Some questions:-
1.salary of SG$160K + about SG$20K bonus - is this enough to get by on comfortably - housing, restaurants, taxis, some travel and saving some money to send back home?
2.looking at Clementi/Upp. Bukit Timah areas - are these ok or do they have their own set of unique social problems?
3.looking at using the local school system there for my kids - I have heard the education standard is high but my real question is do Western kids get on ok in these schools or are they always the odd ones out? Anyone that has kids in local schools care to share their experiences here?
4. my wife is a teacher - how easy is it to find work and do the Int'l schools offer education discounts of any significance if my wife worked there and kids were schooled there?
thanks

[Lester25]

With 4 kids you might be struggling on that package if you wish to send them to international schools which can easily cost $20,000 a year per child. Local schools may  be a much cheaper option. Do the kids need separate bedrooms? If so you will be looking at a 5-bedroom condo which will not be cheap either.
Finally, you will not all be able to fit into a taxi, so you may need to consider a car (possibly a people mover). This could run to $2-2500 / month to lease.

However, if your kids can share 2 bedrooms and you send them to local schools the money offered should be fine.

[An Expat]

That would be a terrific salary if your contract pays for housing and schooling. I sent my daughter to a local school and she was the only caucasian. She did love the school, but we eventually sent her to an int'l school to be with her brother.

The bottom line is that the money is barely or not enough if you have to pay for 4 kids in school and your own housing. You will still pay alot for local schools because the Singapore Gov't charges the children of non-residents much more to go attend.

Your looking at roughly S$50,000 a year in housing (conservatively) and S$5-18,000 per child in school costs. With four kids, you are left with, perhaps, S$70,000 + bonus. It is livable but you will not save much.

[expat1]

Local school for an EP's children is S$30 per month, or S$360/yr.  There is also a fee of about S$2000 once every 3 years.  If your children need a bus, that's another S$35.  School lunches are v. cheap, S$2, if you buy at the cafe and your kids don't mind the local food.

Local kids are like kids anywhere, some are nice and some are bullies.

I recommend you pick the school closest to where you find accomadations.

By the way, it would be easier to provide more specific information if you told us the ages of your children.  As for your salary, what business are you in?

As for taxes, on that salary, you shouldn't have to pay any US taxes.  SG tax rates can be found on the govt web site (iras.sg).  It is simple to determine, salary less a deduction for children, period.  You will probably pay 10-15% range.

Good luck.

[An Expat]

I have not seen any local schools that charge expats anything close to S$30 per month. The cheapest I saw was S$500 per month. It may be useful to this fellow if you could give the names of the schools that are this cheap. It would allow him to save alot of money.

[expat1]

This is what I pay for my kid.  I just assumed all local schools charge the same.  It's my understanding that locals pay about S$5/mo.; EPs S$30; and WPs somehting more.

The MOE website may have more information.

[fifa]

An Expat, maybe you could tell us which school charges $500pm. The guidelines as stipulate by MOE is $30/mth. THe only schools where fees are higher are the independent schools such as Methodist Girls, Anglo-Chinese, Raffles etc, where fees are higher for locals are anyway ($100-250pm).

In any case, you do have a choice, expats are not excluded from the cheaper options.

[teacha]

Try United World College (UWC). It is an international school and they are prepared to let your kids go to school f.o.c if you are on a local package.

[Amazed]

I can't believe that some people think that things will be tough out here on $180,000 a year!

If your children go to local schools (Swiss Cottage has a fair amount of non-singaporean children) and, you will get a lovely 4 bed apartment in Bukit Timah area for 4k a month, cars are expensive but transport system here is very cheap and allowing aprox 5k a month for utlities (air-con, phone etc providing not on all day) food shopping and eating out with family  and a few nights out a month (obviously not at the best places in town but still nice) you will still have enough to have a great standard of life and to do some travelling.  

We are one of the few expats who are actually here for the experience and although not on a package of house/flights/school fees and no-where near the amount first mentioned as a salary,  we have a nice standard of life and our girls go to a good int. school and we travel but some expats here are still amazed that we actually choose to stay here and not be able to save a bean.  God how awful it must be for us!!!

Unless you have a fantastic lifestyle where you are - you will be fine with the local schools and on that salary

Good luck

[jafcon]

Teacha,

Are you serious?  UWC free for people on local package?  What do you define as a local package?  Any other info greatly appreciated? (sorry for the 20 questions )

JC

[bluesky]

$180k a year = $15k a month. Take $2k for taxes you are left with $13k.

You get a good 4 bedroom apartment for about $3k a month. You get thatin say The Bayshore. Excellent facilities, 4 Bedrooms all for about $3k.

That leaves you with $10k a month. Rent a car for about $2k a month if you must. Buy a 7 seater Hyundai Trajet by paying $1200 a month plus taxes etc. you pay about @k a month which is the same as renting. (You have 4 kids so you need a 7 seater)

This leaves you with 8K. Take $1000 for schooling. take another $2k for expenditure, you are left with $5k a month!! This $5k is what an above average family in Singapore earns!!!

You live very comfortably on $15k per month believe you me. But dont expect to be rich when you go home!!! You will have a good time here though. Condo, Car, Schooling and a $5k a month  savings (after tax!!!)

Enjoy

[still waiting..]

for more info from teacha regarding uwc and people on local packages...

[all1nson]

This sounded too good to be true.....so I called UWC - they said it was not true and everybody pays the same fees......so teacha - I would be interested in hearing more too...............

[stonie]

well someone forgot to mention that the named schools like Methodists Girl Schools, CHIJ, Nanjang Girls and the othere are indepentend schools and offer a much higher standard as the normal government schools

[An Expat]

It is a big assumption that this gentleman would want to send his kids to a local school. If he does not (like 90% of expats here), than his money will not go far. OFS, Chatsworth, SAS, Tanglin, Dover Court, etc., run around S$13,000-$22,000 a year (with tuition, reg fee., building fees, etc.,). Also don't forget the school bus -another $5000 a year for four kids.

That already $50,000-$80,000 without the four school deposits (another $24,000 up front -refundable when the contract is over).

Yes, if he wishes to send his kids to a local school he will save buckets of money.

The estimate above assumes that this man's family can live without gas, electricity, or a working telephone.