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Local here:
Singapore's rather sterile as compared to Western countries. On one hand, there are very low crime rates and you can pretty much walk around anywhere at any time without fear of harm. However, it could be more restrictive as a result.
English's the primary language used, followed by the regional languages (Mandarin, Malay, Tamil...). The language, however, is often interspersed with Chinese dialects and Malay to form 'Singlish'. It might take time to understand the vernacular but it wouldn't be as difficult as learning a new language.
There are plenty of housing options available depending on your budget. Suppose you're working in the city, you could rent a place nearby (which would be more expensive) but save on commute. Alternatively, you could live in the heartlands but spend slightly more time travelling but plenty of affordable food options, amenities, etc nearby. As a reference, it takes about 45min approx to travel from one end of the country to downtown via the train. Usually, the main modes of transport are public transport (bus, train - which are very affordable compared to other countries), and taxis/ride-hailing. Cars are very expensive and you'll need to purchase a certificate of entitlement (~S$100k) before you can buy a car. For most, there are no issues just relying on trains and buses (country's pretty small anyways).
Perhaps a concern you might face is the weather if the APAC country you're working in is in North Asia/Oceania. It's hot and humid year-round.
Let me know if you’re going to move, my dad’s an independent real estate agent primarily working with expats/private properties so would be helpful for you
As opposed to the Local opinion, I am an expat, living here and working in the Corporate Banking space in Singapore for the last 8 years.
Quality of life is excellent, so much so that I have rejected offers to move to Europe (London/ Amsterdam). The other big part to consider is that there are negligible taxes on capital gains (equities/ crypto). Huge for me as I am saving and investing aggressively to retire in the next 7-10 years. Singapore is the travel hub in Asia and gateway to Oceania, East Asia etc. Now that Covid is getting over and travel is becoming easier, you could literally travel and explore a new country every other weekend. I personally stay in Downtown, avoiding all commuting to office and its just a 5 min walk for me to get to work (if I am WFO). Rents are a bit expensive here but for USD 2.5-3K/ month, you could get a nice Bay facing 1 Bedroom condo. If you want more space than for the same amount you could get a 2 bedroom condo further in the city and probably commute for half an hour to work. In case you are single and are from a Western country, gorgeous women will be throwing themselves at you just because of those 2 afore-mentioned reasons and dating hot women is super easy. Public transport is cheap, easy to use and everywhere.
The only downside is that its very hard to integrate yourself with the Locals but yeah there is a flourishing and thriving expat community that you can be part of.
If you don’t mind me asking, how did you make the move to Singapore? Do you think the visa situation now compared to when you arrived makes it all but impossible? Or is it easier than said on the internet?
Thanks for the insight btw
No problem at all mate. I made the move back in 2014 when the visa situation was good. Please dont hear the naysayers too much. If you are working for a top tier firm and are determined to make the move happen, now is a good time to try moving as the government is more friendly as the country is reopening after strict lockdowns in Covid
I wish my firm was more willing to explore Asian investments when I read stuff like this.
Removed for anonymity.
Are you sure about the capital gains bit though? I was under the impression if one is a tax resident of Singapore and have investments starting out in Singapore (rather than their home country), then the tax rate levied on their Singapore investments (such as brokerage accounts/ crypto accounts) would be based on Singapore's rates. Possibly what you are saying would be applicable to the investments already made in your home country? Why not have 2 separate pools of investments to take advantage of the tax laws in Singapore? Lots of expats I know take advantage of this.
I'll definitely have to look into this further, that's a great suggestion. Unfortunately, I'm from a relatively tax-unfriendly jurisdiction...
Edited for anonymity
Four floors…
I would like to move to Singapore. It is my dream country.
Singapore is literally the most developed country (per capita) on the planet, barring anomalies like Monaco or Liechtenstein.
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