Can I live on SG$2,800?

[Addadude]

Eve, the people you are referring to are students. They are quite prepared to 'rough it' and live very simply. (I went through the same sort of cra... sorry 'experience' when I was a student in the dim and distant past.) The OP is in the midst of his or her career and is a working professional. In a case like that, the criteria is very different. I very much doubt whether they would want to come all the way here to earn what is in effect a subsistance wage. I certainly wouldn't! I'm sorry to say that living in Singers is not THAT great a privilige!  

[fed up]

if you think $2800 is too little, then don't come. I am Malasian and when I was offered $2600, I came straight away. Most Western white expats want a huge salary to enjoy themselves at OT, dine everynight at fine restaurents, see the world every other month etc.
$2800 is liveable, trust me.

[evehow]

Addadude - foreign students who, AFTER GRADUATION, are bonded to work in Singapore.  They are working people like you and me.  They need to buy office clothes, belts, shoes, as well as pay rent and buy food.  And many of them get sh*t salary as fresh graduates.

As "Asians" (who I guess are used to having a lower standard of living I suppose   ) we are also expected to give an allowance to our parents.  That and study loans (which many of these foreign students have to take up in order to study here) do take up a fair bit of your take home pay.

But yes - if you want to live it up, $2,800 is stretching it a little.  Even as a fresh grad earning less than that, I could not afford restaurants every week.  (And yes, I pay "rent" to my mom in the form of a monthly allowance in case anyone is interested   )

[This message has been edited by evehow (edited 18-10-2004).]

[Addadude]

It's not really a question of 'living it up'. It's not even a question of comparing 'standards of living'. Would you really want to travel all the way from London to work in Singapore for a salary of $2,800? I doubt it!

[Pampered ang mo]

I am on 300k plus benefits per year. I work very few hours and have 4-6 first class flights home every year, while the rest of the time is spent on golf courses and in expensive restaurants , quaffing extortinately priced bottles of vino at the expense of the Singaporean economy.

For this reason  I couldn't possibly be of any help to you at all, suffice to say this. It is commonly agreed that all there is to do in Singapore in shop and eat.

On $2800 per annum, you won't be doing a lot of either !!!  

[can can]

I have a close friend who sends half her 4500 monthly salary home to her family.

so this leaves 2250 - she pays 400 a month to rent a room in a shared flat.

she has no problem partying - we find all the bars with happy hour and plan social life that way.

lunch - food court - why not  - even as a Brit I have got well fed up of overpriced second rate sandwiches here and have even grown to love coffee in a plastic bag.

Dinner - can still go out occaisionaly but find a good flat share and you can have lots of fun dinners at home.

If you're single and want a fun experience - do it.

[derivatives]

Pampered Ang moh > Thank you for demonstrating what an idiot you are. Theres a village missing you somewhere.

300k? if you think thats alot , then you are truely nowhere.

2.8k is doable, we have juniors who are paid around that, however if your prospects are limted then I wouldnt take it. IF there are possibilities for pay increases then go for it.

[domino77]

Here is the point of view of a european expat on local package.

The point is here, yes you can live on 2800 and actualy if you are smart, you can do well.

Singapore is cheaper than most places in europe if you don't try to live exactly like you would back home. If you want european food every day, then stay in europe.

if you truly want to go overseas for the experience, then jump on this offer and enjoy.

I have been here 4 years, and would do anything to stay here longer, even take a local package. The best place to be!

[pampered ang mo]

Derivatives - not much for sarcasm are you ?

[Unfortunately]

Pampered Ang Mo might have a point to make - though perhaps not done well.

As has been mentioned before, this is not the place to ask about low salaries and lifestyle in SG. Most expats will earn more than 2800, but it doesn't mean that YOU can't survive on it. I'm sure that the Beckhams couldn't imagine living on a measly 100,000 pounds - most others know that it's probably going to be ok ;-)

Anyway, perhaps what PAM was trying to say is, don't ask people who earn heaps of money if you can survive on a fairly lowish income - they will tell you that you can't.

Question: Why bother coming to SG if you just want to live in a warmer version of your home town? Does the adventure or experience count for nothing? These are rhetorical - trolls back off.

[can lah]

to can can,

So, SHE can party easily with that money... but the original poster is a HE. Means; he gotta pay for his and lucky HER's drinks... Of course, Taylor could be a lady too, then it's easier.