i was offered a job--> SGD$2000 a month

[wedgienet]

I'm a graphic designer in the Philippines and I was offered to relocate to Singapore for a job paying me $2000/month. The company is going to help me look for housing; ideally they're looking at $500/month.

I'll be leaving a comfortable life here in the Philippines (I'm earning the equivalent of my singapore monthly salary here, in pesos. cost of the living in the philippines is very low and i'm earning more than i can spend). I'm all for going for the new job (sick and tired of my work here, no growth, as a designer i'm looking to sink my teeth into something more creative) and relocating but I'm a bit apprehensive about my monthly salary. I don't think I'll be spending on anything other than food, rent and transportation in singapore, but i'm okay with that. can i still survive with just $2000/month? is it worth the move?

[Old Mike]

You will not have a comfortable lifestyle on S$2000 a month. S$ 500 a month will get you a room somewhere, not a flat.
Singapore is an expensive place to live and you would have no guarantee of job enrichment. I would stay put if I were you.

[wedgienet2]

myjobstreet.jobstreet.com/premium/basicSalaryReport.asp?param=Graphic%20Designer|000|sg||sg

jobstreet singapore posts a max of SGD$2500 monthly salary for senior executive-level graphic designers. is that really the case? if so, if basing it on jobstreet's salary report, is my offer of SGD$2000/month quite reasonable? let's disregard the fact that i'm relocating and all that.

[pupa]

I think it's insane to move from PHL to SIN for the same salary. The cost of living is so much higher, and $2Kpm is very good pay in your home country. In Singapore that's not even starting salary for university graduates.

If you want to move for personal reasons - by all means, but to me the trade off is huge. $500 gets you a room in a public flat. Old Mike is spot on. You need to do more homework on salary scales - if you're already getting that pay in PHL the salary parity means you should most definitely get a higher pay here.

[ripped off]

That's not even enough to qualify for an employment pass. They're putting the $500 in to put you over the qualifyng mark for foreigners to get a work visa, I bet. They couldn't get a local that cheap, and they sure as sh!t shouldn't expect someone to come from another country and live here for that. Seriously, it's just not enough money to live here.

There are going to be people that tell you that you can, but the lifetstyle that you would lead would just be miserable. You don't have a miserable lifestyle now - why downgrade? Go somewhere that pays you appropriately. Singapore isn't it.

[ching]

Cost of living in Singapore is approximately twice the cost of living in Manila... so it doesn't make sense to move if you're just going to be at the same salary.

Very roughly, a good salary in Singapore is more or less twice the Philippine salary (at least for the positions where I've done some sort of comparison, may have changed a bit by now because of currency fluctations and inflation).

[wedgienet3]

okay, so i'm taking everyone's advice and dropping an e-mail to the company tonight or tomorrow to reject their employment offer. i hope they counteroffer with something higher though HEHEHEHE.

so ideally, how much salary should i be looking at to live comfortably in singapore? i'm currently a motion graphics artist in the biggest broadcasting network in the philippines. i'm 23 years old, a bachelor's degree holder with 2 1/2 years experience. i take home an average of Php60,000/mo after taxes w/c is equivalent to SGD2000 based on a SG-Php exchange rate of SGD$30. (my mistake was i converted my current salary to its SGD equivalent when the exchange rate was SGD 35)

[HarrysBar]

As a bachelor, you wont have the same living expenses as people with kids, and as 23 year old with 2.5 years experience you need to be realistic about what you can ask for.

I would say about S$4k a month would be reasonable. That would enable you to probably live on your own if you wanted to (although probably in a rented HDB rather than a condo) and live reasonably comfortably. Any less than that, and you would be looking to share. Its also a realistic salary for someone of your age and experience (fresh grads here pick up about $2.2 - 3k per month depending on job and uni)

[kabayan]

Try to get double your original salary but it might be tough as $4000 a month is already a "senior" salary by local standards.  You have local managers earning less in some industries.  You have to prove to them that you are of senior and superior quality.  Good thing is that Sigapore tax is very low compared to Philippines.  Food is 2 to 3 times more, keep that in mind.

[Freddie Aguilar]

Don't do it.  You will definitely take a huge hit in lifestyle.

If you can get a SG$1,000 per month stipend (in cash) for housing it might be doable.  You could flat share or rent a room, pocket some of the $1k and do alright eating local and in hawker stands and such.

You still would be struggling but the job may be more interesting and fun.

[Local/ SIN- Ocean]

I would say that your salary in the phils is reasonablably good. Especially in terms of the standard of living wise. Standard of living here in Sin are indeed high. Just imagine, a bottle of beer will just cost ard 45peson there right? In SIN, will be ard 90peso (7-eleven). Yet again, when u'r at a bar hir, it's gonna be S$ 12.00 (360peso)..

Not unless you're wanting an environment change & exposure.. Probably at least S$ 3k to move on hir. In terms of the room rental, transportation, food etc..

But you're still young, so the rate is quite competitive.

[pinoyexpat]

do not accept anything less than $3K. the pinoys in IT are already getting $4k as average starting salaries.

with 60K pesos, i know the kind of lifestyle you can afford in manila. you cannot continue to do that here in singapore even with $3K. less nights-out, less starbucks, less branded clothes, a simpler flat. still, a stint in singapore would be good for your resume so if they offer you $3K, i'd say go for it.

[Clovis]

Am about to move to SG to work, whats expenses should I expect?

well... rent from what i see here ranges from SG$ 300 to 500/mo

how about food and transpo? how much will an average bloke spend on a daily basis?

and BTW, how much should I set aside for taxes? I got offered SG$ 2.5K

[estimate]

Taxes are minimal.  15% for your first year (since you are working for less than a year during the current tax season). roughly 4 to 5% the next year.

With the rent price you're quoting, expect to rent a bed or a room only.
Costs of full flats (basic, no condo ammenities) would cost $1500 to $2000 for 1 bedroom near the  city or bigger HDB flats.  When room sharing, utilities are included in the price.

Food is about $3 to $5 per meal in food courts (which I don't like), $6 to $10 in fast foods, and $10 above in fine dining.

Transportation: Train rides are less than a dollar (70 cents).  Bus ride costs the same as trains. Taxi can range from $4 to $15 depending on time and distance. 

[Clovis]

so.... based on this forumula

meals SG$ 900 (SG$ 10 x3 meals x 30 days), + SG$ 500/mo for lodging/room, and SG$ 90 (SG$ 3/day x 30 days) for transpo.... that's SG$ 1,490/mo in basic necessities...

and I haven't factored in laundry

looks like i'm gonna live a spartan lifesytle inSG