Can I live on SG$2,800?

[TaylorR]

Hi all,

I've been offered an ESL job in Singapore for SG$2,800 per month (nothing else included). I'm really keen to take it and fly over but am concerned about the low wage. Will I be able to live on this and not be unhappily skint all the time? Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[no way]

If that was the amount after return flights, rent and medical insurance then I'd say yes go for it.  If not, then you wouldn't have enough to live on

[Old Mike]

No way is right.

[Don't]

Forget about "unhappily skint' on that wage you'll be destitute.

No way possible - and when the usual posters jump on board saying plenty of locals live on that wage, remember that those locals are living at home with Mum and Dad and don't have to pay rent, utilities or food expenses.

Just not feasible I"m afraid.

[possible]

if you're single, adaptable and can go local

Rent an aircon room ~$500-600/mth (including utilities)

Meals (local fare) ~ $25-35/day or ~$750-1,000/mth

Transport (MRT + bus) ~$150/mth

You'll probably blow a lot away if you love your drink

Clubbing $50-100/night

[sure can]

Hi,

I live on this amount for 5 years already!  Was earning about 3 times more back home in Italy but decided that this is a great opportunity with living in a totally different environment – and money is not everything! If you are young and won’t have to give up too much in your home country: go for it!

As mentioned by someone else, rents are rather high, but you can always share a flat with someone. I love to travel in the region, also this can be done the cheap way (if you don’t mind backpacking).

Just wanted to show that there are “expats” here on very little money – but its really worth the experience!

[bloke]

sure can,

how can you afford an internet connection...

[Addadude]

Sorry mate. You can survive on it but you won't exactly be 'living' on it. Another poster has broken down the costs of living here pretty accurately. (If you are young, (early twenties) and single it could be fun to try it out.) But working style and expectations in Singapore are very different from the UK. You will really 'earn' every cent of your $2,800. Honestly speaking, if I were you, I wouldn't bother.

[did it cheap too]

i lived in sing on that sort of salary (abt $500 more, but i paid higher rent than suggested above) for a year and it was fine. Only thing i didn't do was save, but then i got an unexpected annual bonus which gave me a nice amount to take home.

The above food estimate is probably over the top - i would have spent abt $100 a week on food and that included the odd nice dinner out.  breakfast - fruit and kaya toast $2, big lunch - places around work $5-10, dinner - usually something light at home - $3-5, groceries are cheap if you shop a bit local.

the fifteen hundred or so a month i had left over after rent, food and transport i used to blow on combinations of alcohol, travel (heaps of cheap deals to thailand, phillipines etc, i even went to paris once), shopping and other entertainment (movies etc). I never felt poor - actually used to feel quite spendthrift and rich if i remember rightly :-) - but it was my first job after uni which may have made a difference.

oh yeah, my work supplied medical and gym membership

hope that helps.

[Think again]

As you might have already concluded from other posters you can do that with S$2800, but you must be very young and with basically almost no-experience to want to do that. I understand that living in Singapore sounds exciting (it's fine but not exciting :-)), but this is not a cheap city.

[Yes you can]

Just cross night clubs off your list of "things you like to do" and you're okay. Make new friends and learn to enjoy Pictionary on a Saturday night. :-)

Someone else's earlier post (cost breakdown) was fairly accurate.  

[Yes you can]

And ration your visits to O/T. http://www.expatsingapore.com/ubb/icons/icon6.gif

Seriously, I'd imagine that hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people here live on that or less. You won't be living it up, but you won't be slumming it by any means either, so if it's a good opportunity, with long term prospects, I'd say take it.

[thats ridiculous]

thats an incredibly low offer.

i would seriously only consider this if you are between 18 and 25. Otherwise you are not going to enjoy this place.

The only fun stuff to do here is travel to OTHER places, and on that money you wont be able to afford much travel, unless you like 30 min bus rides to Johor Bahru.

[zzzz]

i pay that on rent for a 4 bedroom condo 30 minutes from the city, nothing flash.

[Might be true but]

"Seriously, I'd imagine that hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people here live on that or less."

Many Singaporeans between 18 - 35 live on this probably - but they are heavily subsidized by their families :-)