$175k - good salary in Singapore?

[FiftyShadesOfNifty]

DH would be a SAHD at least to begin with so we'd only have the one salary. It would be a local role so no expat extras though schooling has been mentioned (DD1 would be starting in Sept 2016 when she's nearly 5).

I know it's a bit "how long is a piece of string" but is that salary enough for a decent enough lifestyle?

We eat out approx once a week, don't have expensive hobbies (aside from the girls' swimming/toddler groups/minigym etc), probably wouldn't run a car, but would like to make the most of travel within the region 2-3 times a year.

Ok thanks. That narrows the gap a teeny weeny bit more!!

Why would we go? Well. It's a good career opportunity for me (though I'm not yet convinced the timing is right given my DDs are so little still) and we've lived abroad before and loved it. It would be a change of scenery when we've got slightly itchy feet and we LOVE Asia so would welcome the chance to visit/live there again. It feels easier to move the children whilst schooling etc isn't at a vital point.

So we're going for the experience rather than the cash but we also don't want to be miserable because we're skint and can't afford to make the most of living there.

Sorry to hear about your unexpected expenses, hope it all gets sorted soon.

Go if you can. Believe me it gets so much harder when schooling comes into play :-( If you're happy to eat local much of the time you'll save a bundle on groceries. Cinema is one of the few things that's cheaper than the UK. We went for a smaller place but in a central location (district 9, by the river). Don't regret that as it was fabulous with lots to do but you could probably get decent accommodation further out for 4k to 5k as someone else has said.

And I guess you never know, if it's a good career opportunity you could get a promotion in a year or two before school fees come into play, although my understanding is that they increase every year anyway.

Good luck and keep us posted!

You could definitely find property in a very decent condo around $5000
I worked in property when we were in Singapore, if you have an idea of work location/potential schools I'm happy to help you round up the best you can get for your buck.

We are all wary of china produce because of the very high level of pesticides. The soil and water are heavily contaminated by a whole array of s**t. Meat is mass produced and pumped full of hormones, antibios etc etc etc.....

You can shop in fairprice supermarkets which are cheaper than coldstorage or jasons whn you need to stock up on a few comfort items.
There are some great local wet markets which cater to western tastes ( herbs/salads etc....) and have locally grown produce and even decently priced organic produce from Malaysia.
Generally speaking food from Malaysia is very safe as they run the Halal certifications for south east Asia and have stringent quality control.
Lower environmental footprint too!
Meat from thailand under the label "pure" is great too and affordable. Its Singapore so everything is very clearly labelled and controlled.

I really think you should go now rather than later. Schooling is the biggest problem in an expat life. Much easier to apply in early years than contend with debentures, selective tests & the many extra curriculars you feel compelled to take to keep up with the other kids.

There are a number of value holidays nearby in thailand, malaysia, bali etc....and lots of free/cheap ways to entertain kids along the east and west coast parks, children's garden,communal splash pools with slides, local government sports facilities are easy to book and run lots of classes etc.......

OP it's definitely doable on that salary. The big costs are rent, international schooling and health care.

Rents are dropping and very negotiable (the advertised price is not the final price). You can find a three bedroom apartment on the east coast for $4K or less.

Local school is possible (you are not guaranteed a place, but there are expat kids in local schools). A friend has her daughter in a local kindergarten and pays around $300 a month. But you need to be comfortable with the local school system (I am not).

You don't need a car if live somewhere well connected by public transport. Our first apartment was really poorly connected so we did pay hundreds a month on taxis. Now we're much better located and spend around $150 a month on taxis and the rest on public transport, so around $200.

My DH only has some health care costs covered. We top the rest up with insurance we pay for ourselves. It is expensive, but nowhere near $1K a month. There are a lot of options with varying levels of coverage. Dental coverage costs a fortune, but if you need major dental work it can be done much cheaper in places like Bangkok, in well-regarded international clinics.

We live in a three-bedroom apartment. Our utilities are around $300 per month, and that includes us running the air-conditioning most of the time.

We are a family of three, plus a helper and our groceries come in under $1K a month. That’s including a lot of organic fruit and veg, some wine and nothing from China. Where you shop and what you buy has a huge impact on grocery bills. If go to Cold Storage or the Marketplace and fill your trolley with exactly the same stuff you'd buy at home, then you'll probably spend thousands every month.

Terror who is your insurer if you don't mind me asking? The cheapest I can find is $10k. We're a family of 5.

The quote I have is with no maternity and no dental, but outpatient cover as well as hospital with a 225 excess per condition, so not all singing all dancing.

Thank you all for your input, it's been very useful.

I've applied for the role and now just have to wait and see.

Fifty, good luck!

Salted we went with Cigna, but it will be more for you because you've got the three kids. They count each child individually so it makes it cheaper for us only having the one. In Australia we had a family policy and I think it didn't matter if you had one kid or ten - the premium was the same. If only it was the same here.

We chose different levels of cover for each of us - maternity and top hospital for me, mid-range hospital for D & H. Outpatients for H only, not us. No dental. I can't remember what the excess is, off hand. But with the limited plan through DH's work, we can cover our outpatients, dental and costs up to the excess level through that. Is your DH still working for the same employer? He should have access to that too, unless you're using it to cover other costs.

Can you ask for a breakdown of different options? I was amazed to see how much the premiums for different options varied.

This is so interesting and helpful for me - my other half is in Singapore at the moment with his current job and there's a good chance he'll be offered a role out there. Have been deliberating it as it's very daunting with a little baby (5m) but would hopefully mean I could be a SAHM.
Everything sounds scarily expensive but as we aren't at the salary negotiation stage yet I want get a feel for if it will be doable for us.
Sorry for hijacking the thread but can I just check that I should be budgeting for about $1000 for healthcare on top of whatever basic healthcare is included by the company?
Is $1000 about right for two adults and a baby? Was hoping to try for baby number 2 while we are out there - would that require extra separate insurance?
So much to think about! Thanks for sharing all your knowledge. ??

Elliekins you will need to make sure you get maternity included in your insurance. Most insurers will have a 10-12 month waiting period to claim on maternity, so you can't use it if you're already pregnant. Premiums vary wildly, depending on what level of coverage you choose, so it's worth researching your options.

I would recommend your DP negotiates for health insurance. Some people have it covered if they have an 'expat package'. It can also include things like health insurance, schooling, an annual trip home for the whole family and rent (entire or subsidised). These types of packages are less common these days.

My DH is employed on a local contract, meaning none of those types of perks. But his employer offers a scheme where you can use a fund towards health costs, education, insurances etc. I have friends working for different employers with a similar scheme, but I have no idea how common it is generally.

I don't think you need to allow 1000 for two adults and a baby. We're a family of two adults and three kids and our best quote (thanks to Terrir's advice!) is 9500 per year. This doesn't include maternity, though... You can reduce the premium if you increase the excess you're prepared to pay for each diagnosed condition (eg if you're happy to pay the first 1000 for any single medical issue, you can lower the premium). Maternity is likely to add quite a bit to the premium, though. You could consider self funding the birth (maybe 8-10k in a public hospital, but guessing a bit), but if anything goes wrong it quickly become expensive. Good luck. The best option is to get good international health cover in your package.

This has been so helpful. I'm considering a potential job offer in Singapore. They told me they're putting together a package to offer me so I'm trying to get an idea of what's reasonable and whether we could live on one salary until dh finds work - I think it'll be in the same region as yours op.

Well I wouldn't on that salary: I'd want more. I know I'm a dick but I like things.

It's a non profit organization so their pockets aren't too deep. But.on the other hand I have 3 kids so I think it might be the education costs which will be a deal breaker. I live in NYC now and London before that so I'm used to eye wateringly expensive cities!

Shakshuka you shoukd budget S$15,000 + a year per child for schools

I think you may need to double that figure Laptop.

Agree. My oldest is secondary age and the cheapest ive seen is $27000.

But since schools here in nyc charge usd $40000+ that seems almost a bargain!

Do any foreigners use local schools? I wouldn't for my oldest but would consider for primary school age if it'sopossible.

oops sorry I was thinking USD converting from HK. Yes.

You cant use local schools unless you are a permanent resident. pre schools yes.

Are they in IB schools now or US curriculum?

You don't have to be or to use local schools

You can use local school here (it starts at age 7) but the SG Government makes it very clear that they don't guarantee places for foreigners (holders of employment passes). The cost is about $500 per month if you're lucky enough to get a space. There's no catchment areas for foreigners or sibling priority for entry so you're kids could end up at different schools. There's a very good FB page called Singapore Expats in Local Schools with more info.

That's a bit harsh!

I wouldn't have more than one in primary at any one time because I have a big gap between number 2 and 3 (who's not even 1 yet) .

I heard all the primary schools are very good even the less popular ones so it'd be a question of choosing a neighbourhood with a school with places

School places in local schools in Singapore are allocated to citizens first and expats last. You normally get places (if there are any left) in the schools that no-one else has requested. Having said that, there are expat kids at local Singapore schools, ask the Facebook groups.

Also be aware that many kids in Singapore take tutoring from age 5 or 6 in mandarin, maths, English etc. Learning is very different, much of it by rote. My dd was in a local nursery and the regimented style even at 1 year old was too much for me!