I don't think that is a good reason for not coming back to Msia. You can always make new friends.

Whether you are trapped is really up to how you want your life to be. In the 1st place, you have chosen to work in SG... just like in other major cities in the world.. In London too.. there are stresses... I read from ST on Sunday life style, ang mo comes to SG to work and they also mentioned something stressful working in their own country.. Yes, that's why they take holiday and went away from their cities into the country side.. Likewise in SG, they venture out because, to them is so convenient to fly around.. just get out of the country... but for those n ot so fortunate and low income people, where to go?

As a local, amidst those problems, not only foreigners face, at least you have a choice to return to your own country.. We have no where to go.. and we learn to adapt unless we can migrate... There is really nothing left for us given teh country size with nothing but PEOPLE... But if you country doesn't really feel like home.. I think you have to think and find a way out for yourself, its yourn personal decision.. No point feeling trapped in SG.. Ultimately, some make it good in SG, some not.. there is no right and wrong about this.. its both sides of the story..

Stress are every where.. its only how you learn to manage, not get used to, numb maybe? hope it won't get the better of you... Another thing, don't think earning other people's money is easy (referring to general, not SG), it will never be... the labour market is getting tight and equally if not hihgly competitive... Given the China/India effect, the way SG goes... its not going to be any lesser.. So people coming into SG from less or not so competitive environement will feel the heat. Worse, just annnounced a finding on the most expensive places i nthe world, SG had jumped up >10places to 9th... so can imagine how life will be?

However, there many jobs are that less stressful.. However, if you choose a job that pays you 5K... well don't expect to be paid for sitting down taking your own time carrying out your job... Its a known fact, the world situation has changed, if they pay you 2K, be prepared that they will squeeze 3K out of you... in order to make that 2K worth spending...

I agree. Even in MYS the job market is getting very tight and every year thousands of grads are unemployed. It's not a trap in Sgp.

This post has been edited by darrenboy: Nov 27 2007, 12:12 AM

me not recruitment agency...
but i know some1 can help u with it...
my pay ok ok only la...
but the job i'm working provide good benefit...
they borrow me phone, mp3, n laptop go home...
as the reason "product training"
lol...

jeezzz just so i thought SG was a good place to earn quick big bucks

omg , got borrow u 32" LCD tv, dvd player as product training or not?

no la...
so heavy how to bring back how meh???
but i got play with those 50 over inches lcd and home theatre...
haha...at there la...
soon borrow digi cam...
i just changed my phone...
3.2 megapixels...
wanna curi the 5mp...but my fren edi stole it...grrr

haha...
have u receive my pm, i need the job urgently..
so bore sit at home

Assuming a person is earning RM4500 a month now in Penanng Malaysia. How much offer do you guys think a Singapore employer must give before it is worth it to start a career in singapore taking into account the higher room rent, food cost and car purchase cost. I heard that room rental in Singapore has escalated up to 80%? True?

This post has been edited by Drian: Nov 28 2007, 11:34 AM

Hi,

Yes room rental has risen a lot in SG.....

What field are you in ?

Very agreee...
damn expensive compare wif MY..

room rent = much higher compare to penang.
food cost = dun think it is more expensive than penang
car purchase = no need car at sg unless got family, baby. You can access everywhere with public transport.


All compare above is dollar to dollar. If you convert and compare, for sure every daily expenses in singapore will be much higher than msia.

So the person should expect at least 5K sing to actually have a standard of living better than before?

Not sure why you think need at least 5K sing to have a standard of living.

In general, the living standard in singapore is much lower than malaysia.
For my concern is : after deduct the daily expenses you mention ( basic food and staying). The other left over money will have double value compare RM. This mean when u buy gadjet, travel, electrical item, clothes and etc,your spending power is much higher then in msia.

For me if u earn RM4.5k and can get SGD4.5k. You can have much better life than msia. Even 4k also can have better life than msia.

Just my 2 cents

Whatever your quoted comparison may be ... I am not so sure about earn that amount than can have better living.. But I do agree with you, the cost of living in SG is much lower, not the standard of living.. You don't need to earn 4K to have good living.. depends on what you define as good living.. 4K if alone is already alot of $$ left. can go restaurants every weekend after deducting rental, daily spending.

Yes, rental has gone up.. but again, the rental rate will depends on where you stay.. My anuty told me last night, for 3RM flat in Marine Parade =$1800, standard rate for that area, but I understand its not all that price. some other area is lower.. if yo just rent a room, could be cheaper.. say $500, daily expense, unless you working in CBD, Shopping mall area, eating will cost a little more.. but compare $ for $ with MY mall, generally is slightly lower.. better still if you work in heartland.. like at my work place, plate of chicken rice $1.5, most stall $2 and some $2.5 likewise for noodle too.. $2.5 - $3

I think that is cheap enough compare to MY $ for $... eating I believe is not a problem, its others like rental will be the concern and as for transportation, I have a family of 5, don't own a car.. still can travel on taxi over weekend and MRT buses... can't compare to MY.. so that kind of ease your mind a little..and I don't even earn 5K...

very much depends on your need. .... Just sharing with my colleagues this morning.. about how some Singaporeans react to inflation and price going up... they complain things go up by 10-20% more.. but then when they went to restaurants and pay those prices, yes, even prices had gone up, they never complain, yet... comes to this small little thing.. SUCKS mentality.. they can have..

received...
finding job for u...
u will received call or email from the person incharge...

Ok lets assume that the guy is going to stay there for long term and he currently has a 1100sf apartment, a car etc.
Can he have the EXACT standard of living in Singapore? Does he have to "downgrade" the living standard just to survive in Singapore?

From what I can see, a 1100sf cost around 500k SING which means that it will cost around 2.5K repayment alone to get an apartment this size.

---

Added on November 29, 2007, 1:19 pmBecause you're thinking from a fresh graduate point of view.
You're thinking from currency exchange point of view and not long term standard of living.

Assuming that you're NOT going to come back to Malaysia (except for CNY, holiday etc) and settling down there and that you're standard of living requires a 1100sf apartment, a small sized car(honda city), as well as some entertainment and enough savings. RM4500 can achieve all these I think in Malaysia but can 4500 sing dollars achieve all these? That's my question.

This post has been edited by Drian: Nov 29 2007, 02:06 PM

Hi guys,

This is my first time posting here although I have been reading this thread quite a bit. Quite interesting.

Anyway, i need some help getting over to SGP. I used to work for one of the biggest IT companies in the world but have since left for a smaller company. I have been applying since the beginning of the year. Some got reply and mostly no reply. Those with replies, no follow-thru from them even though i keep inquiring about the position.

I have 3+ years in IBM AS400/iSeries doing support, upgrades, maintenance and everything hardware. I have looked thru Jobsdb, JobStreet. There are positions available but mainly on the software/programming side. I don't have much experience doing software.

That said, i could really use some help getting over to SGP. Would really appreciate it if i could some help.

Thanks.

FYI, I am not a fresh graduate and I have 5 yrs working exp. I previously work in MNC company in KL and just come over here not too long. Even though I din earn that much compare to you, i still can survive with my salary and have some saving for myself. I do have long term plan to settle in singapore as well.

BBmar, i think need your help to explain.

PS: you do not have to go back to malaysia to enjoy the currency exchange effect.

This post has been edited by jimmy79: Nov 29 2007, 09:13 PM

What I really want to say, its not necessary more expensive a living in SG as compared to MY.. forget about the exchange rate.. it will never be a fair comparision.. afterall.. there are things in MY that are more expensive than SG... then how to compare? however, $ for RM, you have more spending power than earning in MY because you have more $$ to buy things you want. Of course, you compare housing, its going to be SG more EXP.. but MY and SG situation is never the same, the same with HK too. Just like I mentioned.... there are things that are more EXP in MY than SG.. should we compare those too? This is a case of situation causes the change.. However, if it is EXP.. .why more foreigners choose to buy in SG adn not MY then? There is something else to just the price..

Living in SG, lots depending on your living life style... if you are single... 3K alone is already more than enough..of course, who won't want better pay.. if given. Once upon a time, I used to earn a just above the lower wage group...and of course, can't afford to go restaurants, hotel to eat .. maybe once a blue moon... but besides normal living and expenditure, I still manage to save a little every month.. living expenditure is something.. depending on how you define it.. so lets not just argue on that part, just put it spending on essential... LIVE AS YOU CAN AFFORD..

In many of the earlier post in this same thread, Malaysians had posted similar things here about living cost.. in SG.. not that is EXP, but rather citing a lower cost index due to spending power. Actually.... it should not even use the word "LIVING STANDARD".. .it means many things inclusive.. like transportation, medical care, infrastructure, ease of all sorts of things.,.. not just to property... Just put it this way... its also well known fact.. that you hardly find the word maintenance in MY vocabulary.. just take a look at SG HDB, at least every 7 yrs..it has to be painted by law, buildings has to undergo major facelift and renovation? every 20 yrs, inspection and check... regular maintenance and upgrading, etc... .all this adds on to living lifestyle... its also means enhancing standard of living... have more facilities and amendies, fitness park for all, elderly too a place for themselves.. people getting around with ease.. this is what the chinese are doing learning from SG experience adapting to their environment...

So on the whole, it just can't compare based on property... or even car. I have lived for years without a car, my work does not needs a car, in fact I cycle to work everyday and even for my daily buying necessities, which save me quite abit on transport cost..and convenient of avoiding taxi... I do not have to go Orchard to shop as within the bus journey of 15 mins I can find 1.. or better still .. just walk less than 5 mins I can eat at food court, MacDonalds, KFC, Shop&Save, etc.... just a small mall right in front of my HDB ground floor lift..

What's the point, as I had travelled several times a yr in Johor and find many so call condominium... so run down, some abandon, some....lack of surrounding supporting facilities and shops, with below targeted people living there, car being an essential items..... etc... all this adds up.. If you find an appartment with so many facilites, definitely, the property prices will also rocket upward.. ----- No offence.. I don't mean to belittle MY.. just quote what I saw...

This post has been edited by bbmars: Nov 29 2007, 11:50 PM