Cost of living in SIN

[Re-Expat]

I am a UK resisdent and have been short listed for a Job in SIN. THey have asked me for a guide as to salary expectation. Ignoring my greed factor I think the base of the question is driven by SIN cost of living.

I have been quoted the following can any of you kind souls tell me how far off the mark or if cost even necessary?

House/apartment rent - $2000 month (3 beds with a/c)
Utiility - $600 month
Car rental 1600cc - $2000 month. I have a new UK car (Korean built) is export to SIN a better/feasible option?
School - $1500 per month per kid. THey are 13 n 15 yrs old (the boy is good at sport - UK county standard rugby. Do they do busaries?)
Medical - $250.

Also my wife is a primary school assistant head. Speciality P.E. Wot chance she could get job too in SIN n likely salary level?

Sorry it is a lengthy question. Thank you in advance for anyone who can help.

[jams18]

I spent many months doing the exact thing.  My husband's new salary incorporates everything, which means we have no ceiling to things such as accommodation.  So we have been doing a lot of homework, and started off with 5k for accom, but rents have come down over the months and think we may get what we want a little cheaper; say 3.5k, but depends.  We come from a 4bdrm house of 3,000sqft, so down sizing is a possibility.
As for schooling, we have a 14yr daughter, who may go to the Australian International School, and the prospectus that was sent has us looking at 2k per month, which includes bus, which is very pricey.
Power...the cost is so broad, I have found people pay anything between $150 -1,000.  So i took the high figurem, and hopefully in reality there will be some change.  Depends on how often you run your aircon, and if the a/c are old window units, they seem to cost more to run than the new split ones fitted to a wall.
Cars..well that's something that grips me, how expensive to rent or lease, but depending on the type of car and who you use, that souinds about right, but you have the other costs, like petrol, parking costs and the other expressway charges, that are beyond me, so cannot explain.
Medical..my husbands company will pay for hospilization, but not general GP visits.
So after inquiring, costs again are very broad..$15 to 80.
Hope this is of some help for you.
If you want to know anything else, do not hesitate in emailing me.
You do know about how the tax system works?
Good luck with your findings!!!!

[expat1]

Try these numbers,

House/apartment rent - $3500 month
Utiility - $300 month
Car rental 1600cc - $2000 month - (definitely don't export)
School - $2000 per month per kid.
Medical - $ ??  Depends on your insurance, my co. pays ev. thing for the whole family.

I think, but one of the brits here should confirm, that the cost of living is lower here than in the UK, so I recommend you negotiate your base pay to at least what you are getting in the UK.

Taxes are v. straightforward and you can do the calculation yourself if you check out the IRAS website.  Basically, there are no deductions, just pay a % of your salary.

[Re-Expat]

Thanks Expat 1 & Jams 18.

[Turn it Around]

This is a typical ploy to get the lowest paid staff member.  Ask them (your prospective employer) to make you an offer.  They know you are an expat, family of whatever, medical etc etc.  THEY KNOW how much it costs to maintain you and provide for you.  Ask them to make you an offer and err on the side of generosity.  If you can live with it fair enough if not negotiate further or decline.  There are too many expats in SG who are trying to get by on a shoe string and have substandard accommodation, no car and so on and so on AND lots of complaints including the poor managment of the company and HR policy.  They might want the skills you have to offer but want it at the lowest possible cost regardless and when they don't need you any longer they will dump you out; make your own way home.

You need a "tight contract" and get a lawyer to prepare it for you.  Don't lease a property in your name; get your employer to be the lessee.  Same with the car.  You are taking RISKs and you may likely regret it in 6 months or so.
Lots of similar complaints on this message board and others.  LEARN FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF OTHERS!

[H_K]

I agree with 'Turn it Around': your prospective employer should tell you what a certain expatriate employee at given level should earn. It's ridiculous that they are asking you to come up with a figure!

Unless you are dealing with a very small co. without more expats on their books, they will have a standard procedure for this.

If you try to figure this out for yourself you will get screwed.

[This message has been edited by H_K (edited 17-01-2003).]

[Teach]

Answering your last section on teaching - my partner came out here with me as a qualified, experienced primary school teacher having left a KS2 management post. Getting a job out here isn't too much hassle if you apply at the right time. The international schools will be working out their hiring schedules for the new year, so I'd recommend contacting them to ascertain when these dates are. Also keep an eye out in the TES for their adverts - if you can get your wife to apply from the UK you may get her a seperate expat contract, which solves your housing worries.
Finally, teaching salaries (on local basis) are generally higher than the underfunded UK system

Give me a shout at trfid@hotmail.com if you have any questions in this area