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  • Should I move to Singapore?

    post deleted
    Last edited by SQtraveller; 20 August 2017, 04:03 AM.

  • #2
    You could do far worse...

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    • #3
      Singapore's a great hub to base oneself in Asia
      Le jour de Saint Eugène, en traversant la Calle Mayor...

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      • #4
        Yes, do it. Tax rate is just fantastic and the food is awesome. The biggest downside is the humidity but you will spend most of your life inside! Spent a few years there and would happily be sent back.

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        • #5
          One could hardly go wrong choosing to live in Singapore IMHO. It is such a modern, clean, orderly and safe city. Not to mention the food, shopping, efficent public transport etc
          Cabin Crew, takeoff stations...

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          • #6
            No - don't.

            You should just not do that, under any circumstances.

            Just give me your contact details and I'll go there instead of you.
            Think about it, you'll be happily living in the UK and at the same time you'll have me flying SQ, enjoying the local food, getting acquainted with beautiful Asian girls, taking pictures, writing TRs and attending all DOs there instead of you.
            You'll have the pleasure to simply enjoy all these things from your computer screen if you remain in the continent, so why bother go down there?

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            • #7
              [in my serious-face mode now]

              Your question, SQtraveller, raises a generally important issue: making the decision to go (live & work) abroad or not.

              Typical factors that would affect anyone's choice on moving to any place:
              - your age;
              - salary and benefits you would be getting there;
              - the life you will or not be able to live there (are there things to do or are you going somewhere where you'll be practically in the middle of nowhere?);
              - whether you are or will go there single or with family;
              - financial ability and time availability to visit back home (or even other destinations) while at the new location;
              - the actual place you are about to move (there are places and places);
              - how you view your self-development through this 'movement', how you believe it may make you richer deep inside, how precious you may consider such a move taking into account it is just a small step of a longer journey in life;
              - how you view your career development through this 'movement' (this is much easier to answer than the previous point);
              - etc.

              All in all, and when talking about a place like Singapore, you really can't go wrong. It may certainly not be the perfect place (no place is, trust me) but hei, we're talking about beautiful Singapore here. Multi-cultural, diverse, vibrant, clean, safe, food is great, nice people, direct connections to almost anywhere in East and West, etc.

              Do the math (i.e. test yourself answering all above questions with SIN in mind), then you should have an answer pretty quickly...

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              • #8
                Originally posted by SQtraveller View Post
                I have been given an opportunity to move Singapore from London for work at the end of the year.
                Do you think Singapore is a good place to base myself in Asia? I am so desperate to leave the UK that I may be looking for all the good in Singapore and all the bad in the UK.
                Just curious... what is so bad in the UK that makes you so desperate to leave?

                I'm a Singaporean and I've been living and working in the UK since 1998. Except for family and food, I'm not exactly missing Singapore much.

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                • #9
                  phaleesy and SQtraveller:

                  You guys have just proved the saying that "the grass is always greener on the other side"

                  SQTraveller, at the end of the day it will be your priorities that will determine the proper answer to your original question. N_Architect has given a good analysis (in his serious post) on how to evaluate the pros and cons of this move.

                  FWIW, I prefer SIN because it is great for children and their education plus the reasons mentioned by spw21 a couple of posts back. Having said that, I also love UK as I am an anglophile. But then, I am from NZ and like you and phaleesy, I prefer the greener grass of other places .

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                  • #10
                    solitaire, I'm not sure if the UK is 'the other side' for me, considering that I've spent most of my adult life studying and working here.

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                    • #11
                      To be honest Yes, I did the same and its great. However be mindful that it doesnt work out for everyone. Some find it too lonely but if you have a job already then you will get to know others and expats are more friendly than Londoners.
                      The standard of living is higher, safer, cleaner etc but some find it too sterile again I don't and like the place.
                      Tax rate is fantastic but condos are expensive as are little things like beer but eating out can be cheaper.
                      To be honest with the state of the UK at the moment I would go, even if its for a year as time goes so quickly here that it will fly. Plus transferring money back to the UK at the moment is certainly in our favour

                      If you are up routing partner and kids then that's a different matter as will require a lot more thought. I can't comment on that side as just myself and girlfriend came out.
                      You can fly to places like Thailand on a Friday night, sit on a beach for two days and be at your desk Monday morning which is fantastic. I know Europe is on your door step now but flying from Changi is thousands of times better than a London airport, my record is leaving the condo and being in a departure lounge in 30minutes and I live 20minutes from the airport!

                      I could go on but I think you would regret not giving it a go, just make sure you look into all costs first and get as best a package as possible.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by 225 View Post
                        The standard of living is higher, safer, cleaner etc but some find it too sterile again I don't and like the place.
                        Tax rate is fantastic but condos are expensive as are little things like beer but eating out can be cheaper.

                        The "standard" of living is not exactly what i call higher but safer and cleaner yes.

                        SQT: At the moment it is a question without answer because you have to consider many things and i don't know enough about you to advise accurately. You have to consider that rental is maybe GBP1,500 per month upwards for a modest 2-3bedroom apartment out of the city and beer is maybe GBP4-5 a pint BUT I think my overall income tax rate last year, all in, was something like 10%. The cheapest bottle of wine you'll buy is about GBP7-8 per bottle.

                        Do you need international schooling for kids......currently runs about GBP9-12,000 per year depending on their age. Don't kid yourself you'll put kids into a local school, it won't happen and if it does it won't be a "good" school. Having said that, a run-of-the-mill state school here might be better than the comprehensives back home now.

                        If you can get that kind of stuff covered by the company's package then workwise, and yes given the way the UK is at the moment and will head in the next year or two I would say take it but just make sure to do your sums first. Remember, there is no government pension, social security or NHS to bail you out of trouble either.

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                        • #13
                          I think everyone's nailed it on the head. It's all dependent on your situation and where you see yourself in your master plan of life.

                          I was offered a position up in Seattle for a year to work with a major OEM (pretty much all of you here have been on one). I took it in a heartbeat, and although the work was difficult, I say it was one of the highlights of my life so far.

                          Now I could get some other placements like that...darn this super-narrow field of work!

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by scooby5 View Post
                            The "standard" of living is not exactly what i call higher but safer and cleaner yes.
                            I would say it is, but it depends on what you class as a higher standard of living. I'm certainly better off financially and I didn't exactly go to Champagne brunches etc whilst living in London. We eat out a lot more, live in a nice condo with pool etc, transport is a god send compared to my London commute.

                            Don't get me wrong there are downsides as with anywhere, family and friends being 20hrs away is a factor for example but it was a good move for us.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by 225 View Post
                              I would say it is, but it depends on what you class as a higher standard of living. I'm certainly better off financially and I didn't exactly go to Champagne brunches etc whilst living in London. We eat out a lot more, live in a nice condo with pool etc, transport is a god send compared to my London commute.

                              There is, albeit symantics, a difference between "Standard of Living" and "Quality of Life" and finances don't really come into it too much.

                              Building standards, for example, at condos costing in the region of half a million pounds are a disgrace, the size is generally small and for rentals we have to worry about being turfed out every two years.

                              My condo is in this price bracket and is 5-yrs old way out of town. All the drawers from the inbuilt cabinets are falling apart, the kitchen is a disaster with things flaking and pealing, the aircons must have constant servicing otherwise they drip water all over the floor but one thing really nice about ours compared to others is that the windows are great and cut out a huge amount of noise.

                              Whilst condos do come with pools and gyms these only add to the quality of life, not its standard.

                              Instead of spending GBP35,000 on a nice BMW 5-series, for example, we now have to make do with a Toyota Corrola at the same price.

                              Before coming South to Singapore I was 5.5yrs in KL and whilst the standard of living there was lower, my quality of life was better because I had more free time, there was more space, there were more activities to get involved in during the weekends or evenings.

                              Others have said and i agree...... no place is perfect. You have to weigh up as an individual what you gain for the price you will pay. Comparing London with Singapore, I would say the Standard of Living is higher in London but the Quality of Life (if you can afford it) is better here.

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