How much in Singapore is equivalent to ,say, 20K RMB per month salary in Shanghai? Say, if I want to keep the same life standard as here...with 20K the monthly expense in Shanghai looks like -

5000RMB housing per month
3000RMB Food
2000 RMB Shopping
1000 RMB transportation

Saving is almost 50%.

Singapore rents are almost double those of Shanghai, and you get a lot less. Sing is a tiny place, and rents reflect that. In Shanghai, you have the option of living dirt cheap or like an emperor with loads of options in between. Not so in Sing unfortunately. A mate of a mate has started commuting from Malaysia to Singapore just to take advantage of the cheaper rents there. Lower taxes in Sing though.

Food - you can eat cheaply in Sing. I'd say it should be about the same as Shanghai. High end food in Sing is great quality and expensive. High end food in Shanghai is expensive but not great. Both have cheap eat options. I'd say the quality of food in Sing is heaps better than in SH though. Food quality in Sing is strictly enforced, like other regulations.

Shopping - probably 50% more expensive in Sing depending on what you buy due to the lack of cheapy places (e.g. no fake DVD stores), but foreign / quality products are cheaper in Sing than Shanghai.

Transportation - not too bad, but the MRT in Sing is similar to HK MTR prices. Taxis in Sing are comparable to HK also.

I'd say 20K RMB is worth half or just above half in Sing, rent being the biggest factor.

You thinking of moving out there?

Thanks Shangstar for the input. A mate of mine is considering to move out there from Shanghai.. She has no idea about the figure as the company there is asking her expectation..

My man Shangstar with the solid info here.

In the nutshell, both S'pore and Shanghai can get very expensive, equally, but Shanghai has wider options to go cheap. Much like Hong Kong vs. Shanghai comparison, the housing is a big factor.

Comp there is offering her like S$7K pm. She is asking like 9K but I told her it is a bit higher..maybe she could lower somewhere to $8K. Anyone been there with this range of salary? How would life be like with that??

I'd say the offer is quite low but it does depend on what she does. The offer works out to about 35,000 RMB a month in a city that is almost as expensive as HK. The general rule in Singapore, from what I heard, is that your rent should be no more than 1/3rd of your salary to avoid getting into financial difficulties. I think a small studio in town centre would cost up to 2,000 SGD a month. My friend rents only a room for about 1,400 SGD in the town centre. So I'd say 7,000 SGD is liveable, but more would make it less of a worry. Because Sing is so hot all year round, air con is a necessity - for a studio, electricity bills will run into 200 SGD a month, at least I reckon.

you can't really survive Singapore on a 20k RMB salary...

Shang got almost everything spot on except that if you really want to rent an entire apartment down town like in Shanghai instead of some smallish room, expect to pay at least SGD3,000 / 15,000 RMB.

jasonnoguchi wrote:you can't really survive Singapore on a 20k RMB salary...

Shang got almost everything spot on except that if you really want to rent an entire apartment down town like in Shanghai instead of some smallish room, expect to pay at least SGD3,000 / 15,000 RMB.

20K RMB in Shanghai that is what she is currently making and living quite a well life. Now she is getting an offer of 7K SGD...She is in doubt if she can have the same standard of living in SGD as in Shanghai (20K RMB pm).

With such a high base she has, she must be holding quite a high post. Probably higher than manager's level so i rate her with better living standard
I would tell her stay in Singapore!

5000rmb for housing ain't enough if she require better living standard, the apartment near my rented place (along Dagu Road/Chengdu North road) cost at least 8,000 rmb / month or probably higher due to the expo factor

5000rmb would line along with the chinese style apartment still with dirty lifts, poor maintenance, rowdy neighbours and sleepy guards

by the way there are cheap rents in Singapore as well, there are foreigners living in shared HDB flat. Some rent the whole unit and some rent a room shared with local family that only cost S$500 (Bishan area, 10mins walk to MRT)

^ I think you might have crossed your wires a bit The OP's friend is thinking of moving from Shanghai to Singapore. I don't think 7/8K SGD is a high base. It's more like entry level for a white collar. But you're right, HDB flats are available, but they are still expensive as there is so much demand for them. Importantly in Sing you dont want to be too far away from an MRT otherwise she'll be going to work sweating like a pig. Driving is extremely expensive in Singapore too.

In the nutshell 20k RMB in Shanghai goes further than 7k SGD in Singapore, for sure. I would push for 10+ than I would consider.

Shangstar wrote:^ I think you might have crossed your wires a bit The OP's friend is thinking of moving from Shanghai to Singapore. I don't think 7/8K SGD is a high base. It's more like entry level for a white collar. But you're right, HDB flats are available, but they are still expensive as there is so much demand for them. Importantly in Sing you dont want to be too far away from an MRT otherwise she'll be going to work sweating like a pig. Driving is extremely expensive in Singapore too.

$$7k is an entry level salary for white collar in SNG? That's 5k usd . What am I still doing in SH?

^ Yes, I'd say the same about HK, which is comparable with Singapore. Thing about both these places is that there's little space, but a lot of money, hence high rents which feed into other prices. Shanghai and other places in big countries are sprawling so accommodation is more affordable. Once you start earning about 10K SGD I think the tax benefits of being in Sing really start to make a big difference. Incidentally, there is no capital gains tax and no death / inheritance taxes in Singapore. Which is superb, but these conspire to drive up prices.

does anyone have an idea what range of price is the rent in SGP?
we already know for Shanghai price, from 4.000 to 6.000RMB you can have something nice if you well search
HK you still can find something decent for not so expensive, like a 2 bedrooms flat on Lamma Island for 7.000HKD
but in SGP? standard price and if you want to make it cheap (i dont mean living with 10asian in the same room but still something )

^ 4000-6000 RMB is about 800-1200 SGD. That will get you a small studio / bedsit near a metro station but not in the town centre, a single room in the town centre, or a small one bedroom apartment farther out. HK has Kowloon as well as Lamma, New Territories etc that provide accommodation outside of Central. I think with Singapore most accommodation is on the island itself. Not sure if many people live on the outlying islands. I was toying with the idea of moving there for the low tax rate so did some research hence how I found out this info. You can get an okay, nothing special, small one bed apartment in a HDB building (govt run) near the town centre for about 1500 SGD (8000 RMB). I also found a quote from a traveller about Singapore: "Disneyland with the death penalty"

I'd say the lowest rent for living and working in Singapore would be about 5000 RMB for a room in shared house.

The range really depends on what your needs lies on, i'm Singaporean and had ever rent a room out to a foreigner. Like i say most foreigner doesn't mind living in hdb so long as there's a good location.
besides they find Singaporean friendly and clean so it's fine for them staying a single place or shared

some hdb has good locations, like the one at Tanjong Pagar (CBD area) new and really nice exterior so not really necessary staying in condo or service apartments

as well most heartland area has mrt stations nearby, travelling on public transport works well, less pack like in Shanghai and mrt place is pretty clean and well managed

my friend rent out to an aussie, S$500 but in Yishun (North of Singapore) travel to CBD is around 40mins plus waiting time. air-conditioned, wifi, super single bed, 20inch samsung lcd tv and a dvd player on the 5th floor

SGD7K is definitely NOT entry level position but managerial/executive position. Entry level for graduates is SGD2K-SGD2.5K, depending alot on your industry too.
You can live comfortably as a single there, if you are not expecting to stay in downtown luxury apartments.

In all honesty, I would say it's penny for penny, dollar for dollar, if you don't wish to have a dip in living standards. Anywhere between 15,000-20,000SGD will provide you with the same lifestyle as 20,000RMB. However, you should also take in mind the obvious advantages that Singapore has - cleaner environment, better etiquette, less pollution etc. In Shanghai, I sometimes feel like I need to crawl back into my bed just to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, but in Singapore, I rarely feel this way.

^ you answered right way.... So, should I take 20,000RMB Lifestyle == 15K ~ 20K SGD lifestyle??
It is almost 5 x.

jillstarr wrote:In all honesty, I would say it's penny for penny, dollar for dollar, if you don't wish to have a dip in living standards. Anywhere between 15,000-20,000SGD will provide you with the same lifestyle as 20,000RMB. However, you should also take in mind the obvious advantages that Singapore has - cleaner environment, better etiquette, less pollution etc. In Shanghai, I sometimes feel like I need to crawl back into my bed just to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, but in Singapore, I rarely feel this way.

I am no expert on Singapore, have been there several times, and one of my best friend lives there.
I personal do not feel 20k RMB in Shanghai is equal to 15-20k SGD in Singapore.

20k RMB isn't all that much at all in Shanghai. You spend 10k on a decent apt in a decent location, something 120 sqm and close to city center. 10k left for your food and everything, you live an average life style in my opinion. Nothing extravagant at all.
If you want to live the above life style in Singapore, apt will probably cost you 5+ SGD, then your living expense.
I would say pound for pound, 20k RMB in Shanghai is like 12k SGD in Singapore, that's my best estimate.

In the nutshell, if the OP knows how Hong Kong is like. Look at it this way, Singapore is identical to Hong Kong in living expense, except accommodation where Hong Kong is more expensive than SIngapore.

btw, @jillstarr:

No, that def was not wagyu

5k for rental seems way too high, but anyway nice work homeland

Singapore tops ‘most competitive nations’ list
http://sg.yfittopostblog.com/2010/05/21 ... ions-list/

^ agree with your point about food. From what I gathered, Singaporeans are passionate about their food and it shows at all levels, from street hawkers to high end. Here won't ever be like that because the temptation to take short cuts and use dodgy ingredients in order to make an extra 1 jiao profit will always be too great.

Not to mention you need to set aside 10k rmb for casino...

prEttyNDistress wrote:I've been to Singapore twice for training...my daily allowance is US$80 per day.. I only used up around 20-30 USD/per day. :p and the rest is my money....

I love the cheap hawker's stall in Singapore..food is really great and even though it's cheap food but have high standards... I really wish Shanghai will have the same kind of set-up like the hawker's stall..


While I was there I get to meet some of my friends who works in call centers there...I say their salary is around SGD2,500 / month...gosh!! I have no idea how they survive that well...they told me their rent is 500sgd and they spend around 10-15sgd per day on food and stuff...

...and here are people having a hard time managing 7,000sgd/month..I guess once a person moves up a higher level at work, one is about to splurge more on living.....oh well....

i concur.
i'm a regular in sg both for biz (and pleasure.)
and i'd take singapore anytime over shanghai.
don't know the op's preferences but here are mine:
- better mannered people
- easy access to nice beaches (sentosa, bintan)
- easy access to cheaper stuff (malaysia, indonesia)
- great food
- clean/hygienic
- less to no pollution (air, water, noise)
- better mannered people
- 4 worlds in 1 (british, indian, chinese/peranakan, malay) very diverse culture and my palate benefits the most

did i mention better mannered people?

imho

In SIngapore, what you see is what you get. Not so here. But i have to say, Shanghai is more "interesting" however you may interpret the word!

fWerrF wrote:btw, @jillstarr:

No, that def was not wagyu

didn't think so either.

Shangstar wrote:In SIngapore, what you see is what you get. Not so here. But i have to say, Shanghai is more "interesting" however you may interpret the word!

I've lived in Singapore for almost 4 years now (I was studying for a year and then working for one of the largest communication agencies in the world) - I believe it's comfortable & convenient but plain BORING. I'm trying hard to get a job else where in Asia (specially in Shanghai), as Singapore kills your soul.

AT the risk of sounding overtly emotional, the society here is full of zombies who just work and follow rules and drink in the evenings. Not a very disturbing lifestyle i know but that's it! HOW can you live without any real culture, energy, dreams, opinions....... ?

u need friends, mate

You can always go to zouk or something.

I guess I am one of those zombies who like to stay at home and not go out and save $.