2500 SGD Enough?

[Want2BXPat]

Warm Greetings everyone,

Me, wife and 2 kids (age 4 & 3) spent 2 holidays there in Singapore already and can't get enough of it. Am an IT Specialist and currently earning 2200 SGD in Papua New Guinea.  Company shoulders Housing, schooling and Transpo.  Seen job postings in websites averaging 2500 SGD.  Will this be enough and still have a few to save?

[patric]

Hi,
As you are a family man, do check with the employer if he would be able to sponsor you for a Q1 pass.

For expats getting into entry level positions immigration might issue a Q2 pass under which you are not allowed to bring in your spouse and children as dependents. This is a major problem for expats looking at junior level positions here.

Otherwise in today's tough economic climate 2.5k is ok for a job requiring 2-3 yrs of experience.

Cheers

[WWant2BXPat]

Thanks Patrick for UR reply.   Not specifically looking for junior positions, it's just that job postings for Analyst-Programmer (even senior ones) are only ranging from 2000 to 3000 SGD.  I already have 9 years of IT experience.  My salary is just that because company shoulders housing, transpo, schooling worth around 2000USD/month,
And 5000USD airfares (for vacation leaves) every year .

But since food and transpo is inexpensive there.  Will 2500sgd be also enough to include decent (and safe) housing?  

[Hilda V]

No, that is not much money at all.  I pay more in rent for a 3 bedroom condo apartment.  You will struggle to keep a good standard of living.  For example, my electricity bill is $300, my internet/phone etc all up is $150.

You would be a fool to think you could live here happily, on that kind of money.

Look for at least a minimum of 7/8k per month.

Reading job ads also is not the way to go, they are advertised for locals only.  Try a recruitment agent.

[hard]

There's alot more to spend your money on here than where you are at the moment.  
Even with the company paying costs, with a family, I don't think you'd be saving  much out of your S$2500, especially if you've got to foot your own housing here in Singapore.
However, the quality of life would probably be better than where you are now eg you can drink the water, no need to learn another language, less blatant corruption and crime etc. etc

[costly]

earning 2500S$ with two kids would be a tough life for ya.

Just example:

Rent a 2 bedroom flat: 800$
Schooling for 2 kids:     400$
electricity&water:          200$
transportation:              200$
food (if cook at home)   300$
internet &  phone:         150$
weekly entertainment    200$

see,

you would probably finish off what you earn here, and this will be a spartan modest life you have in Singapore.

Singapore has the first world infrastructure, everything is convenient here. Clean, and easy. but. things are very costly.

water, food, clothes, etc, are imported, so things are so costly.

Only if you can earn minimum 7000S$, then you can have a decent life.

and one thing also, the IT market is pretty much slowing down here. Anyway, you could still try to come here, but at least don't ask a job with 2500S$ salary, you would end up save none in your bank account.

Good luck

[Want2BXPat]

Hilda V, ok, I'll try for recruitment cos.
Hard, you are very right there.  Safety has been a major concern here especially lately.
Costly, thanks for your breakdown.  Very helpful indeed.

To all, thank you very much for your help.  Now I know what to aim for.  And really realized that Singapore is indeed fill of good people.

BTW, how about tax rates, PR costing, and other deductibles?

[Dropsie]

People who say you can't live on $2500 really don't have a clue what they're talking about.

It's certainly not a huge sum of money, and you wouldn't enjoy a fantastic expat lifestlye....but it IS do-able.

[Addadude]

As an expat, with a wife and 2 kids (assuming she's not working), $2.5k is NOT doable. You might eke out a living but you won't be able to save.

[Sensible Advice]

Please don't listen to Dropsie. Whilst some people are proud of how little they can live on (have you ever listened to a group of budget travellers?) for the sum you are talking about, and with your family commitments you would have a miserable time.

Yes I know (before anyone shouts me down) locals live on that and less, but they have family support systems (not just financial) and for them it is home, which counts for a lot.

There is little point in living in Singapore unless you can afford to enjoy some of its pleasures and those of neighbouring countries, or take vicarious pleasure from watching others do so.

Good luck.

[fifa]

$2.5K a month to support a wife and 2 kids? No way. I wouldn't do it even if you paid me to....  

[confusing]

Sorry, I was confused by your post.  Did you mean if you got your company to pay for housing, flights home annually, medical, schooling and schooling transport, utilities, transport the 4 of you would have 2500 to live on and save each month>
Honestly, even if the company picked up the above expenses, you're not going to have much left at the end of the month to save with a wife and 2 kids.
Wouldn't you be better off financially in your own country than in Singapore:?

[work]

Would your wife be working here?  On the salary you're quoting you'd probably need a double income.  However you've then got to think about a live in maid.  Cost per month.345 in govt levy and around 400 in maids salary.
To make Singapore a viable posting for you, you need to secure an expat contract in order to be able to survive.  On the figures you're quoting I wouldn;t bother.

[Yes you can]

Jesus, if your company are paying all your bills and all you have left to pay for is food and a few nights out as long as you don't want the best you can do it.
After we have paid our bills, rent school fees, medicals etc (as we are not on a package)  accounted for a holiday home and a short break here, we are left with about  3K per month for food and entertainment and clothes,  a wife and two kids - no maid but have someone who comes in once a week to clean.  
Most of the other people who reply do not live in the real world and think that it is an automatic right that if you are here you should have all the benefits, savings, holidays, maid, car and the best of entertainment and dining experiences just like they do in their home country - yeah right!
 

A little more would certainly help you as long as you realise you will not be able to have it all!

A funny concept this was for us to come here, have a nice relaxed lifestyle, good schools for our kids and EXPERIENCE what Singapore has to offer silly us eh for thinking the only possible reason to be here was to make $$$$$$$$$$$

Good luck

[Sugar]

Quite agree that many people who've replied saying it's not possible do not live in the real world....they're just existing in a cloistered expat existence where one's happiness is judged by how big your housing allowance is, how many times a year you go for a weekend to bali and how much money you can stash away at the end of the month.

Sing$2500 is NOT a big sum of money. It won't give you much financial room to manoeuvre. But it is - just about - do-able.