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Singapore: Pleasant but costly

Below is an article on Singapore as written by the Political and Economic Risk Consultancy (PERC), an organisation that conducts frequent surveys and studies about expatriate life in Asia. The article is reproduced in full.

Most negative features:
a. The high cost of living
b. Lack of sports facilities and limited forms of entertainment

Most attractive features
a. Safety
b. Cleanliness
c. Efficiency

Singapore is a very pleasant place for expatriates to live. Indeed, few Asian cities are more well ordered. Perhaps the first things a newcomer notices are the pleasant tree-lined avenues, clean streets and free flowing traffic. Judging from the responses to our survey over the last few years, the country's more well-established expatriates have similarly positive views about other aspects of living in the country. The educational facilities open to foreigners are well regarded, as are the nation's healthcare services. What our respondents really appreciated, however, was the high level of personal security. On this variable, Singapore was well ahead of just about every country except Japan.

Even so, there were some areas that were found to be lacking. Judging from our survey responses, Singapore is not the place for the fun-loving expatriate. The country's nightlife was regarded as being by far the worst in the region - a reputation triggered at least partly by strict laws relating to public entertainment and censorship. Several of our respondents also remarked on the problem of transient friendships inherent in living in a regional centre, where expatriates rarely stay in a country more than two or three years before being posted elsewhere. The result, they noted, is that many of the relationships formed with local Singaporeans as well as other expatriates tend to be rather superficial and "money motivated".

Thanks at least partly to repeated statements by government leaders about the continuing need for foreign talent despite the economic downturn, Singapore was one of the few places in Asia where our respondents were more positive than last year when it came to cultural compatibility with the local population. Compatibility problems do exist, however, and they are worth noting. A significant number of expatriates say that they find it difficult to form genuine friendships with middle class Singaporeans. Unlike Filipinos, who are widely seen as having a strong internationalist outlook, foreigners often complain that local citizens are ignorant of international affairs and too Singapore-focussed to pay attention to the foreigners in their midst. This attitude contrasts strongly with the approach of the upper reaches of Singapore's political and business elite, which is very open to Westerners and acutely aware of the country's shortcomings even as government leaders consciously attempt to find specifically Singaporean solutions to national problems.

Expatriates were not especially enthusiastic about sporting and other recreational facilities, probably because they are so expensive. Fortunately, numerous public sports stadiums and swimming pools dot the island, almost all of them clean and well-maintained. City planners have also been careful to provide jogging tracks in housing estates.

Membership of established social and sports clubs frequented by expatriates, however, requires a generous allowance. Becoming an ordinary member of the American Club, for example, will set you back around S$25-35,000. (editor's note: the American Club has clarified that they offer 7 different categories of Membership ranging in price from S$6,000 for annual memberships to S$ 61,000 for Transferable Associate memberships).

Fortunately, many such clubs offer term membership for about S$4,000 a year. Other social clubs with a significant expatriate membership include the Pinetree Club, the Dutch Club and the British Club. Some expatriates avoid these clubs altogether, preferring instead to seek out cheaper facilities in the neighboring Malaysian state of Johore or on the Indonesian island of Bintan that they can visit with the family on weekends.

Most expatriate complaints about life in Singapore have to do with the cost of living, particularly housing and education. Americans who prefer a close approximation to US-style living conditions tend to rent houses in the northern suburb of Woodlands, not far from the American School's new campus. According to relocation specialists such as Asian Relocation Management, suitable houses with private swimming pools in this district can be rented to about S$11,500 per month. This is considerably cheaper than a comparable dwelling in choice districts closer to the city center, where monthly rentals can reach S$28,000.

Expatriates wishing to get a taste of the Singaporean lifestyle without compromising on living standards may wish to consider renting an apartment close to Holland Village in the West of the city. Renowned for the variety of its shopping, which includes supermarkets, restaurants, pubs and specialty boutiques, this area is surrounded by an unusual mix of government flats and modern condominiums to suit a wide range of budgets. Here expatriates and Singaporeans from all walks of life rub shoulders in a relaxed setting among renovated shophouses that recall some of the flavor of the Singapore of earlier days.

In recent years Singapore has been blessed with an increasing variety of schools catering to the children of expatriates. A short list would include the American School, the United World College, Dover Court, and schools catering specifically to Australians and Canadians. One of the more interesting is the Overseas Family School, which takes in children from no less than 26 nationalities. Discipline is strict and the school takes account of the requirements of both the US and British school systems. One problem with such multinational schools, however, is the difficulty of catering to the varying expectations of parents regarding homework and the amount of academic pressure regarded as desirable.

Heavy taxes and government quotas have made passenger vehicles very expensive. A brand new Honda Accord, for example, can cost around S$150,000. However, this does not include the compulsory certificate of entitlement (COE) regularly auctioned off by the government as a means of holding down the local automobile population. Currently, this can add another S$35,000 to the total bill. Second-hand automobiles are cheaper, of course, but even they can still set you back around S$90,000. Faced with prices such as these, many expatriates have turned to rental schemes. Rental costs normally range from about S$2,800 to S$3,200 a month depending on the model and age of the car. Renting has become an especially attractive alternative since late last year when regulatory changes made it possible to use such automobiles for weekend drives into Malaysia.

Source: Monster Singapore
http://www.monster.com.sg