Advice for moving to SINGAPORE

[HellHathNoFury]

Hi All,
we are very interested in moving to Singapore but have 2 main questions -
I have seen 3 bed rental properties for $5000 per month, this seems quite crippling based on the wage we're likely to get. Is this rental cost typical or am I searching in the wrong places?

Also, we are looknig at a permanent move, one not really sponsored by a company - what's the visa situation like there? I have looked it up on the web but can't make head or tail of it, there are so many different options.

Anyone moved out there already and have any advice on the housing/visa side of things?

www.expatsingapore.com/content/view/1136/71/ is full of useful information. Housing is very expensive. You can get a 3 bed flat for 3500 sgd per month but it will be well out of the central areas. HDB flats are cheaper but are more basic.

Thanks FleurDelacour

I looked at that site (among many others) but HDB says only SG citizens can live in them?
sigh
Looks like it might be too expensive for us really. For an afforbale amount we'd end up in very high density housing which is fine, but if we are a long way from the city we might as well stay where we are.

I am in Singapore, moved here about 1 1/2 years ago - there are a couple of other mnetters who have moved out here in the last couple of years too.

Rentals at the moment are shockingly expensive, they have all gone up by between 60 to 100% in the last year or so. $5K for a 3 bed is par for the course if you want to live centrally, with facilities eg. swimming pool, gym etc

Do you know what it is you want to do when you get out here? The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has a website and I think they have recently introduced a new employment pass which is not tied to your employer.

Think it is called an EPEC (but don't have full details)

Are you coming with kids? If you are, you need to thin about schools, international or local. International schools are expensive $20K a year-ish, local schools are free but as a foreigner, you will go to the bottom of the list for getting your child in.

Let me know if you need anymore information.

cheers

HDBs aren't just for Singaporean citizens, foreigners can rent them but there are probably restrictions on purchasing them.

Thanks Rojak that's really useful

I didn't realise the schools cost so much as well - I don't think it's going to be for us ( we both work in IT so work isn't such a problem) we were looking for more of a lifestyle move (and a cheaper cost of living).

I love it there but I think I may have to stick to holidays!!

Hi,

I am in Singapore (moved here about 1 year ago). We are paying about 5k for a large 3 bed flat that is very central and has all facilities but this is paid for by rental allowance from my husband's work. Yes rental has gone up massively especially since we have been here and we have to renegotiate in January next year.

However, depending on when you come the property market has slowed down a bit with the credit crunch and is only likely to get worse (or better if that makes sense). Also a lot of people bought property to make a quick buck and are now stuck with it and so will have to rent which hopefully means that supply of rental properties will increase meaning that prices might just go down a bit. They are building the IR (integrated resort) which also means that supply may increase in 2009 to outstrip demand meaning that prices might drop (we are hoping anyway).

Ditto Rojak you can get an HDB as a foreigner and many are very central. It really depends what you want East Coast is generally cheaper and a bit greener(my aunt has a great place for about S$3,000 (a 4 bed semi detatched that is huge) but it obviously doesn't have pool and gym - so depends what is important to you. They have a dog so works for them.

Remember nowhere is really a long distance here and unlike London the public transport works and taxis are cheap!

Other than the rent which can be a problem almost everything else is cheaper (I won't mention cars as they most definitely aren't)and way of life is so much easier and certainly much safer than in the UK. I can't advise on work permits but MOM website should help with that.

Hi,

I think widening your search to east coast and also towards the west (clementi and further) might be a good idea.

Just want to put the emphasis on schools again. That will definitely be your main regular output.

To give you an idea, my Ds 4 years old at the british school is about S$16,500 a year.