No harm in trying, but as someone else said, if you're going to be here on an employment pass (EP), it's likely the CPF portion has already been factored in your total salary package.

Good luck, and it sounds like you're getting a good deal! An expat package is really hard to come by in these times.

SGD 3,500 to SGD 4,000 can comfortably get you an HDB rental, or a small condominium in the fringes. It would be hard for you to get anything near the city for this - but, if you work away from the city, this may work well in your favour.

For reference, one of my condominiums near the prime districts of 9, 10 & 11 (1 room, loft style) is tenanted out to an expat for a Pharma company for SGD 3,500 per month - and that's definitely not suitable for a family of 3.

Usually what happens is that a salary is given eg $5,000. From there, you deduct your 20% whilst the employer tops up 17%. The 20% you take away to put into CPF is included in the $5,000 but not the 17% the employer contributes.

However, as you’re not a PR, your salary will not be deducted and your employer won’t be contributing the 17% which is likely already factored into your offer salary.

This post has been edited by hksgmy: Sep 7 2023, 04:56 PM

Hi TS, have you come to a decision yet?

Congratulations! I hope your company agreed to all your conditions!

It’s been a while, just wondering how TS is adapting to life in Singapore?

Thank you for the update! See, not everything about Singapore is bad.

Are you staying in a rented HDB, rented apartment/condo or renting just a room?

Sorry for the intrusiveness, but I want to demonstrate to the disbelievers here that Malaysians CAN carve a niche out for themselves living in Singapore, and not all is doom and gloom as what the popular narrative would have potential job seekers believe (ie. pigeon hole, squashed by MRT, boring, etc etc).

Happy for you!

They are making efforts to mitigate housing costs but only for Singaporeans. They are building many more HDB homes and rolling out subsidies for home purchases, but these will possibly have a secondary knock on effect in reducing rental costs because more Singaporeans will move out of their rental units and into their own homes.

Inflation is higher than it has in the past few years, but that’s the same all over the world, thanks to the export of inflation from the US. Can’t be helped.

I’m lucky as we own our own home, and have not been held hostage to the rising rentals.

Excellent! Happy to hear that you’re fitting in and settling down so quickly!