The Average Singaporean cost of living

[Mllcg]

this will cost inflation again not just a A or B answer.

 

example many restaurant hire waiter or waiteress at $1k to $1.2k thus if each headcount increase by $300 do you think the business owner wont increase menu price?

 

I personally believe education is the primary key as this should be the ground to improve individual life, as knowledge is power.

A billionaire can leave lotsa $$$ to his children, but those $$$ can be con, cheat or stolen from the billionaire children if they are not careful but not education and knowledge as this always stay in ur head.

 

society and civilisation evolve from knowledge thus educating the youth is the basic long-term foundation

 

the govt fails to compare with other countries like tokyo, hkg, usa, uk. etc.

 

agreed they have very expensive things.

 

even food alone in uk. one simple fish n chips costs u 7 pounds.

or tokyo, one lunch with drink can cost u about 10 singapore bucks

 

BUT, their pay scale matches their cost of living.

 

singpore is high living costs and LOW wage.

 

add to that, singapore house and car, is enough to drain all the money u have until u barely have enough for food.

 

let alone luxuries.

Edited April 18, 2011 by Mllcg

[D3badge]

the govt fails to compare with other countries like tokyo, hkg, usa, uk. etc.

 

agreed they have very expensive things.

 

even food alone in uk. one simple fish n chips costs u 7 pounds.

or tokyo, one lunch with drink can cost u about 10 singapore bucks

 

BUT, their pay scale matches their cost of living.

 

singpore is high living costs and LOW wage.

 

add to that, singapore house and car, is enough to drain all the money u have until u barely have enough for food.

 

let alone luxuries.

just for discussion sake

 

ok I will just compare the 4 countries you mention plus Singapore.

 

Tax rate

 

UK http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxation_in_the_United_Kingdom and their VAT now is at 20% highest income tax bracket 50% at GBP$150,000

 

US http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Income_tax_in_the_United_States their GST vary from states but sure can match 7% at least highest income tax 35% $373,651 (single) $373,651 (joint income) that mean married couple siao liao somemore Global Taxation remember American sign W9 tax form

 

Japan: I cant find figure thus cannot comment

 

HK: http://www.taxrates.cc/html/hong-kong-tax-rates.html highest 17% at HKD$120,001 around SGD$20,000!!!!!! which show Hong Kong Policy favour the rich!

 

SG: Highest 20% at SGD$320,000

 

Thus in term of gross salary might seem good, but come to Net Singapore Wages is not that bad. thus if you comment pay scale match cost of living?? not too sure as net $$ return not that fantastic only HK is known for high wages heaven and low tax thus the other financial centre in Asia.

 

Housing: Hong Kong and Japan out cause famous super expensive thus no need to say.

 

US and UK?? like I mention earlier go google see their housing loan rate unless u pay cash if not every 1% increase in housing loan easily increase the repayment amount. when ironic their central bank interest UK at 0.5% and US 0.25% thus you can imagine if central bank interest is at 4% what is your home loan rate.

 

Cars: do you know Japan and UK got their car ownership tax too?

 

thus if things get break down and not by face value, Singapore is not as bad as many describe

 

I do acknowledge there are some average Joe do get affected by inflation thus I think education is the best to upscale low-socio economic group for a better life

 

 

 

 

[Darthrevan]

40+ years old already still complaining like a fresh grad ah lol. If life's so hard here, go n be a m'sian worker lor, see if u still envy them lol. If a gd life is so unattainable, who r driving all the luxury cars n staying in all the private property, don't tell me Pap got so many members lol. Cannot make it yourself still wanna complain. Take a gd look at yourself instead of the world.

 

perhaps this group experienced mid-life crisis already..then upon comparing themselves with

[Skunk]

I think many of such whiners online r also fakers lol. He's probably not an engineer in his 40s, but a technician in his 20s armed with only a diploma n poor work ability lol.

 

All the grad engineers I know in their 40s of average ability, will not be whining like that. Sure , won't be very rich, but definitely not struggling in life at all, can easily afford a 5 room flat, a bread n butter car, kids, n cash savings in bank of at least $50k. Like that very miserable meh lol

[Freestylers09]

I dun understand 3-4k a month b4 marriage for 1,why cannot save for future

 

All got family problem, need to give sibling study etc?

 

Or where $ goes to?

 

I am once habitual gambler,heavy spender ,all stupid things that drain my pay but wake up now n realise i can save how much a month if i stop all craps to tackle future needs and find ways to make abit more

 

Sometimes we should ask ourself rather than complaint or what

[Ben5266]

this will cost inflation again not just a A or B answer.

 

example many restaurant hire waiter or waiteress at $1k to $1.2k thus if each headcount increase by $300 do you think the business owner wont increase menu price?

 

imagine you go WS servicing.... min labour cost $100

 

I personally believe education is the primary key as this should be the ground to improve individual life, as knowledge is power.

A billionaire can leave lotsa $$$ to his children, but those $$$ can be con, cheat or stolen from the billionaire children if they are not careful but not education and knowledge as this always stay in ur head.

 

society and civilisation evolve from knowledge thus educating the youth is the basic long-term foundation

[Ben5266]

I dun understand 3-4k a month b4 marriage for 1,why cannot save for future

 

All got family problem, need to give sibling study etc?

 

Or where $ goes to?

 

I am once habitual gambler,heavy spender ,all stupid things that drain my pay but wake up now n realise i can save how much a month if i stop all craps to tackle future needs and find ways to make abit more

 

Sometimes we should ask ourself rather than complaint or what

This thread attracted matured and sensible adults.

[Soya]

40+ years old already still complaining like a fresh grad ah lol. If life's so hard here, go n be a m'sian worker lor, see if u still envy them lol. If a gd life is so unattainable, who r driving all the luxury cars n staying in all the private property, don't tell me Pap got so many members lol. Cannot make it yourself still wanna complain. Take a gd look at yourself instead of the world.

 

 

It's always someone else's fault coz the whiners are the perfect breed. In la-la land, salary gotta be high but cost of housing gotta be low, benefits gotta be high but income tax gotta be low, education stds must be high but fees gotta be low, bldgs muz be world class but foreigners building them gotta be low, etc, etc.

 

Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell them that la-la land onli exists in their small minds.

[Lomobug]

I'm ready to be flame-d for this post...

 

Cost of living vs Standard of living...

 

What we want out of our standard of living?

 

Do our wifes need Kate Spades, Longchamps?

 

Do we need cars? If yes, just a safe and commutable one good enough?

 

How rich is rich?

 

How average is average?

 

These are some of the questions I keep asking myself whenever I feel that Singapore is liveable/non liveable.

 

I notice the crowds are always at restaurants, averaging meals of $15/pax, sales of branded/ luxury goods, places of indulgence...

 

Food court is such a pleasure to dine in cos its half empty!

Edited April 19, 2011 by Lomobug

[Tigerr1001]

difficult, families all here, just an avg engineer, in the 40's & no million dollar saving, which country wants you?

 

if i Malaysian, many choice, can stay KL or cheap cheap go Kuching.

 

Malaysian working here i admire/ envy most.

 

 

No need to envy, u see them good, they see you good. If want to envy, why not resign and go to get a job in Malaysia and try stay there. Dont complain about the poor transport there, dont complaint the high food cost there, dont complaint the high fuel cost there, dont complaint the safety there, dont complain the poor service in almost all govt agencies there especially the hospitals. Once you have experienced the living in Malaysia, then, only you will appreciate how nice you have been in Singapore all this while. If want to enjoy better life, work hard and make you way up to the top. Those people who have climb to the top, the sure they their fair share of hard work puts in. If they dont, they are the fish mongers or the waiter/waitress that you see in the restaurants....or the banglas you see working in the construction or the maid that you hire cleaning your house toilet bowls.

 

Cheers

[Csnewbie]

The Average Singaporean cost of living

 

cost of living not only take in material cost,

 

must take also intangibles like stress,happiness,feel of fulfillment,sense of security etc.

 

 

 

 

 

[Pokyman]

but its a fact that average cost of living is going up wrt pay .... i am sure most of us are getting hit harder in the pocket ... and the current discontent on the ground also speaks of this, rather than drawing up statistics whcih might not show the full picture.

 

Well, just upgrade ourselves, work harder and/or smarter, that is all we could do ....

[Booboon]

why complain

if we have to blame

blame us the stupid 66.6%

must have been blind

every year i vote for change but there is no change leh.

[Csnewbie]

but its a fact that average cost of living is going up wrt pay .... i am sure most of us are getting hit harder in the pocket ... and the current discontent on the ground also speaks of this, rather than drawing up statistics whcih might not show the full picture.

 

Well, just upgrade ourselves, work harder and/or smarter, that is all we could do ....

 

no matter how hard you work,there's always someone working harder.

 

at the end of the day,only A PERCENTAGE is having a good life.

 

reduce population is the only way to up living conditions,with limited resources.

 

current policies only benefit the gov't.

 

they once preached 2 is enough,isn't it.

 

why abandon that?Think for yourself.

 

 

[Hwt]

difficult, families all here, just an avg engineer, in the 40's & no million dollar saving, which country wants you?

 

if i Malaysian, many choice, can stay KL or cheap cheap go Kuching.

 

Malaysian working here i admire/ envy most.

 

Equivalents of (KL) and (Kuching) in Singapore:

 

(Orchard, District 10, Tanjung Pagar) and (Ubin).

[Tigerwoods]

the govt fails to compare with other countries like tokyo, hkg, usa, uk. etc.

 

agreed they have very expensive things.

 

even food alone in uk. one simple fish n chips costs u 7 pounds.

or tokyo, one lunch with drink can cost u about 10 singapore bucks

 

BUT, their pay scale matches their cost of living.

 

singpore is high living costs and LOW wage.

 

add to that, singapore house and car, is enough to drain all the money u have until u barely have enough for food.

 

let alone luxuries.

I thought Car is always considered as Luxury item ??

[Tigerwoods]

I'm ready to be flame-d for this post...

 

Cost of living vs Standard of living...

 

What we want out of our standard of living?

 

Do our wifes need Kate Spades, Longchamps?

 

Do we need cars? If yes, just a safe and commutable one good enough?

 

How rich is rich?

 

How average is average?

 

These are some of the questions I keep asking myself whenever I feel that Singapore is liveable/non liveable.

 

I notice the crowds are always at restaurants, averaging meals of $15/pax, sales of branded/ luxury goods, places of indulgence...

 

Food court is such a pleasure to dine in cos its half empty!

You see people eating in Restaurants or buying Branded things may be only once/month. We do have 5mil people now in SG.

I eat in restaurants too, once a year with my wife to celebrate Wedding Anniversary - if you see me last Saturday means U assume I go every day ??

I need car or else cannot work in my job now.

And who say Food Courts half empty ? EVerytime I need to breathe down the Necks of people to added pressure for them to eat faster...

[Mllcg]

I thought Car is always considered as Luxury item ??

 

to them it is.

 

to us its not.

 

our "first class transport"