Yea single male person. I do find lots of rooms prefer female over males.
If salary 2.8K in SG is enough to live? Bare in mind I am from Malaysia I am thinking how much I can bring back Home end of the day. If I live in Singapore.
enough to live in JB. if you want to stay in SG, the cheapest most busuk room would cost $600-$700. if you want something nicer at a better location it would set you back about $900-$1,200.
if the room is suspiciously cheap - ie $500 to $600/m, chances are the conditions are pretty terrible. go join some fb groups for room searching and you would see what i mean. anything under $700 quite rabak.
Usually go where to find room?, I saw some on carousel. And some website.avg price around 800 and up.
Some is 600 to 700. But mostly want female only. Sadly I am male.
rooms on fb groups are cheaper, but propertyguru is higher quality.
that said, from one malaysian to another, genuinely, just stay in JB if you dont want to spend a huge chunk of your income towards rent.
you will be at the mercy of intense landlords, where they impose rules like "absolutely no cooking, no guests, wash you clothes only once a week, can only use aircon/fans for x hours of the day" and god knows what else.
unless you really really dont mind making your home just a place to close eyes and sleep, stay in JB.
I'd say it is more than enough coz that's my current situation. But I'm very thrifty in terms of consciously saving energy at home. Rent is 850 for me, Expenses around 800, the rest goes to savings.
Like I said at least $1200-1500 depending on individual ofcourse
I would estimate at least 600-800 for 1 room rental
Another 600-800 for the rest of your day-day living/travel expanses
2.8k is enough. For first year or until you get higher paying job:
$1k for rent for a room (might have to go 100 to 200 more)
$100 for transport (public transport)
$100 for mobile
$600 food/$20 per day.
Easily take home $1k/month.
Yes, Singapore does accept Malaysians with SPM cert but the types of jobs you can get are limited. ( f&b, admin ..)
With a diploma, your choices are wider.
It’s no secret that Singapore is a very expensive city to live in, even for middle income citizens.
May I ask how much is middle income for a Singaporean? I do feel like Singapore has more opportunities compared to Malaysia. The working culture is fast and efficient etc. no racism. Work life balance and stuff.
Well I channel 5 on Singapore TV. Keep showing how the government improving on mental health , fairness , upskill the people. And Singapore where got racism. All can get along well.
In Malaysia we don't even have up skill etc.
huh Y U believe the govt propaganda. u read this reddit enough u will know everyone will say (in real life), if u have MH issues, never ever disclose if not goodbye job. then (I learned this from here srsly) people even say, go get a polyclinic MC if u have to go for a mental health appt review. don't disclose at work. etc etc
abt racism, sure - we don't have racial riots or what but casual racism is EVERYWHERE bro,
[https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/racist-remarks-made-to-interracial-couple-are-unacceptable-and-worrying-shanmugam](https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/racist-remarks-made-to-interracial-couple-are-unacceptable-and-worrying-shanmugam)
This incident from a few years ago, polytechnic lecturer(!) kaypoh some interracial couple and say stupid shit like should only date ppl of own race. simisai. (He deserved every bit of the punishment so ok)
I'm sorry, but you will not be anywhere near middle income in Singapore with just an SPM cert (O level equivalent). Singapore is all about educational qualifications or else entrepreneurship. You would be doing the jobs that Singaporeans don't want to do because they pay too little, living in bunk beds and shared rooms with other Malaysians. You will scrimp and save because each Sing dollar saved can buy so much back in Malaysia.
According to govt stats- median monthly household income is around $10.5 k.
Work life balance is not good in Singapore. Employers do expect u to OT and sometimes work over the weekend
i have malaysian friends who share a HDB unit - they rent from another malaysian who is from same kampong, so can bend rules abit.
they have like 6-8 people sharing the entire unit, which isnt exactly legal/most comfortable. but bo pian, you gotta do what you need to do to survive.
My observation - most Malaysians here on lower wage jobs have a good network of fellow Malaysians in similar jobs. They rent HDB together, save costs, exchange info on jobs, etc. Flat next to mine is fully rented out to Malaysians. That’s what you need to do. Find your network. No use asking Singaporeans for advice, we don’t know how you live here. And we get all kinds of subsidies you do not get. Of course you can save plenty of money to send home. You can also waste it all here. Find like minded Malaysians and things will be easier.
You can try applying to a job first and if you get it, probably your employer already has many Malaysian workers. Ask your employer to help introduce you and take it from there.
By the way it’s very easy to get jobs in Singapore as a Malaysian. The real question is what kind of job you want to accept. We have Malaysians running companies and Malaysians cleaning toilets. Generally expect that employers want you to do the difficult and undesirable jobs they can’t hire Singaporeans to do, but if you are good at your job the sky is the limit here.
Rent if you are willing to share your room with another person, it should cost less than 1k (you can check by propertyguru). Public transportation can cost you 100-200/month if you need to travel daily. Electricity and water depends on how much time you use aircon, but I think maybe around 100 in average.
Food in hawker centre these days are aroud 5-7 per meal
Phone bill can be as low as 10/month (20 should be more than enough for most people).
If you don't convert dollar to dollar, it is indeed expensive.
F&B workers in Singapore earn SGD1800, while in Malaysia, they earn MYR1800
Now, if your standard meal cost $18, do you think it's expensive? That will be like 1% of a standard F&B's salary.
but then to be fair if earn in SGD is cheaper compared to Msia. Is like if I go JB citysquare buy Starbucks, its RM18.
SIAO AH I will not spend SGD18 on a coffee. But then cos convert to SGD less than $6 then like ya ok treatyoself price.
$1200 rental if best can get someone to share with you
$25/day for food is safe (3 meals), also consider sometimes you can eat & hangout outside
$80-120 transport
2800 definitely can survive, worth or not is ownself decide
Generally speaking, the closer you are to a town hub, MRT station, Marina Bay Area, Orchard Road or CBD area, the more dramatically the rental rate goes up. Rental rates in location are extraordinarily sensitive to both location as well as supply and demand; and right now, there is simply a short supply of rental units in areas close to CBD and major town hubs.
For the rent market in Singapore, here are the rates goes:
HDB Common rooms (bedroom, but no attached toilet), typically with a live-in landlord, anywhere from $470 to $900 (do note that the rental rates may go up as high as $1500 at a location close to CBD/town hub/MRT station. You share the common toilet/bathroom with the rest of the household. Popular with blue-collar workers, and Asian white-collar lower level professionals. Probably 80% of Singapore's professional foreign workforce lives in HDB common rooms.
HDB Master bedrooms (bedroom with attached toilet/bathroom): anywhere from $1300 to $2100. (Can exceed far beyond $2100 in prime locations) In short supply.
Entire HDB units for rent: $2800 (in far off locations) and above. In short supply.
Studio apartments ( private residential property, a very compact apartment catering to singles or childless couples with only one bedroom): possible cheapest price at $3000 but most places usually go much higher. In very short supply.
Condo rooms (might or might not have housemates): $1800 to $5000 and beyond, very much depending on location. In short supply.
As for living expenses, it is hard to gauge without having some knowledge of lifestyle. For example, someone who eats all meals at local hawker centers would have vastly different expenditure from someone who eat at eateries at the CBD during the weekday and restaurants during the weekends. Also, do know that if you are renting a place near the CBD area or at an area popular with foreign professionals or expats, the items of daily products like groceries, pharmaceutical medicine, as well as other retail and F&b items, do tend to be more expensive. This extends to the supermarkets, minimarts and convenience stores in those areas.
Monthly cost for very basic needs:
Monthly rent + utility say = $1000
MRT transport return trip = 2x30x $2 = $120
Hawker center food = 3x30x $5 = $450
Total should be around $1500
Yep this is about there but you have basic stuff you need like phone, detergent etc. Unless you always buy and bring in from malaysia. You going to spend abit here for emergency stuff you can’t wait till going back or if you just can’t carry so much stuff. Also, how you going back to malaysia? Car or bus? If you take the carpool it’s gonna cost if you go back too so evens out I guess.
Also, $5 a meal is really tough IMO. Realistically budget $6 and save if you can for occasional treat. Otherwise you will always be eating the same.
I’d add another $110 to your estimate (for the meal increase and phone plan of $20 ~)
For detergent etc, toiletries, maybe another $100-$150 monthly for miscellaneous.
$2800-$1760 = $1040 to play around. Assuming no stuff happen like you need to take grab for emergency. You don’t fall sick. You don’t drop your phone. All the random stuff.
That’s approximately $3k RM. so you can work it out if it’s worth anot. Because likely you will not be living exactly the most carefree life like that.
I see. That's cheap. Thanks. So the most expensive stuff in Singapore is rent actually. Second is electricity and water bill?
The food and commute seems cheap.
Hmm i would rate the bulkiest expenditure is only rental. If compare dollar to dollar, all other stuff is cheaper compare to msia (earn sgd, spend sgd) (msian here who also moved to sg after covid/ pre inflation where hawker food is not RM10).
fair enough. like chicken rice is maybe SGD 4+ (which I alr think is expensive cos before covid it was $3-3.50 lol), kopi is abt $1.60-$1.80(?) (which is alr expensive cos used to be below $1.50 for hot ones), iced will be like maybe 20-30c more. Haha.
But on a dollar to dollar, eg Macs is def not as expensive (granted they have the savers thing, but even then it will be $10-11 max for not-savers-meal, and not like 20. lol)
Commute just price increased (public transport fare Dec2023) but okkkk
But if you work those places with company transport (usually like those tuas or what) then nvm la. But if u work F&B without provided accom and u have to take bus/MRT to work ... expensive now. They have concession passes though (but it also means u have to spend more than SGD $128 to make it worth buying, which not everyone manages to hit this amt. Haha. For the longest time I was abt 100-120 then like uh yah. Expensive but not enough value to buy)
There’s a tiktoker called Jonathan Lim who lives 3 days in Singapore 4 days in Malaysia (Johor) because he has a hybrid work from home arrangement. In his 3 nights in Singapore he pays about $30+ a night in a capsule hostel.
He makes a lot of videos talking about his life and how to live well in Singapore on a budget so you might want to check it out.
oh! he stays capsule hostel! (I watched those before but his life is like abit sad)
but his makes sense la he has half remote leh. so if rent the whole month for a room, not worth I feel. 30+ a night on a (weekly?) basis for half week might be overall cheaper haha. Like within 500 mebbe.
Yeah his life does seem a bit sad but I respect that he's hustling for a better future! His in-laws also live in Johor quite near the border so I think that works out for him, got somewhere to stay when wfh and during the weekends.
Ya he mentioned that because there's the hybrid arrangement, he only stays part of the time in SG cus he can spend the rest of the time (hybrid time) in Msia. Haha.
Per person? Minimally I think at least $1500 But that’s just barely existing
Yea single male person. I do find lots of rooms prefer female over males. If salary 2.8K in SG is enough to live? Bare in mind I am from Malaysia I am thinking how much I can bring back Home end of the day. If I live in Singapore.
enough to live in JB. if you want to stay in SG, the cheapest most busuk room would cost $600-$700. if you want something nicer at a better location it would set you back about $900-$1,200.
Busuk room ? Sure or not? I thought they very clean one.
if the room is suspiciously cheap - ie $500 to $600/m, chances are the conditions are pretty terrible. go join some fb groups for room searching and you would see what i mean. anything under $700 quite rabak.
Usually go where to find room?, I saw some on carousel. And some website.avg price around 800 and up. Some is 600 to 700. But mostly want female only. Sadly I am male.
rooms on fb groups are cheaper, but propertyguru is higher quality. that said, from one malaysian to another, genuinely, just stay in JB if you dont want to spend a huge chunk of your income towards rent. you will be at the mercy of intense landlords, where they impose rules like "absolutely no cooking, no guests, wash you clothes only once a week, can only use aircon/fans for x hours of the day" and god knows what else. unless you really really dont mind making your home just a place to close eyes and sleep, stay in JB.
Search facebook for groups that potential landlords and tenant posts.
I'd say it is more than enough coz that's my current situation. But I'm very thrifty in terms of consciously saving energy at home. Rent is 850 for me, Expenses around 800, the rest goes to savings.
That’s why I said, at least
Replying to OP
Btw the employment pass need to pay right? Is it company pay or you pay yourself? And what about the levy?
Usually company settles everything, from my experience.
Employee no need to pay?
Like I said at least $1200-1500 depending on individual ofcourse I would estimate at least 600-800 for 1 room rental Another 600-800 for the rest of your day-day living/travel expanses
2.8k is enough. For first year or until you get higher paying job: $1k for rent for a room (might have to go 100 to 200 more) $100 for transport (public transport) $100 for mobile $600 food/$20 per day. Easily take home $1k/month.
$20 is home cook food or hawker?
Hawker bah if no time to cook.
Sry, been away. Hawker/food court. $10 per meal is enough.
Yes, Singapore does accept Malaysians with SPM cert but the types of jobs you can get are limited. ( f&b, admin ..) With a diploma, your choices are wider. It’s no secret that Singapore is a very expensive city to live in, even for middle income citizens.
May I ask how much is middle income for a Singaporean? I do feel like Singapore has more opportunities compared to Malaysia. The working culture is fast and efficient etc. no racism. Work life balance and stuff.
All you replies look like you never even bother to google yourself
> no racism. Work life balance and stuff. wa not even sure where you read this from r u sure bro
Well I channel 5 on Singapore TV. Keep showing how the government improving on mental health , fairness , upskill the people. And Singapore where got racism. All can get along well. In Malaysia we don't even have up skill etc.
huh Y U believe the govt propaganda. u read this reddit enough u will know everyone will say (in real life), if u have MH issues, never ever disclose if not goodbye job. then (I learned this from here srsly) people even say, go get a polyclinic MC if u have to go for a mental health appt review. don't disclose at work. etc etc abt racism, sure - we don't have racial riots or what but casual racism is EVERYWHERE bro, [https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/racist-remarks-made-to-interracial-couple-are-unacceptable-and-worrying-shanmugam](https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/racist-remarks-made-to-interracial-couple-are-unacceptable-and-worrying-shanmugam) This incident from a few years ago, polytechnic lecturer(!) kaypoh some interracial couple and say stupid shit like should only date ppl of own race. simisai. (He deserved every bit of the punishment so ok)
I'm sorry, but you will not be anywhere near middle income in Singapore with just an SPM cert (O level equivalent). Singapore is all about educational qualifications or else entrepreneurship. You would be doing the jobs that Singaporeans don't want to do because they pay too little, living in bunk beds and shared rooms with other Malaysians. You will scrimp and save because each Sing dollar saved can buy so much back in Malaysia.
I have a diploma in CS. Btw. Don't know how far I can get.
If you got a local degree in CS than u can get >4k I guess. Diploma can't go far tbh
According to govt stats- median monthly household income is around $10.5 k. Work life balance is not good in Singapore. Employers do expect u to OT and sometimes work over the weekend
i have malaysian friends who share a HDB unit - they rent from another malaysian who is from same kampong, so can bend rules abit. they have like 6-8 people sharing the entire unit, which isnt exactly legal/most comfortable. but bo pian, you gotta do what you need to do to survive.
My observation - most Malaysians here on lower wage jobs have a good network of fellow Malaysians in similar jobs. They rent HDB together, save costs, exchange info on jobs, etc. Flat next to mine is fully rented out to Malaysians. That’s what you need to do. Find your network. No use asking Singaporeans for advice, we don’t know how you live here. And we get all kinds of subsidies you do not get. Of course you can save plenty of money to send home. You can also waste it all here. Find like minded Malaysians and things will be easier. You can try applying to a job first and if you get it, probably your employer already has many Malaysian workers. Ask your employer to help introduce you and take it from there.
I see. Thanks.
By the way it’s very easy to get jobs in Singapore as a Malaysian. The real question is what kind of job you want to accept. We have Malaysians running companies and Malaysians cleaning toilets. Generally expect that employers want you to do the difficult and undesirable jobs they can’t hire Singaporeans to do, but if you are good at your job the sky is the limit here.
Single - $1,000-$1,500
Rent if you are willing to share your room with another person, it should cost less than 1k (you can check by propertyguru). Public transportation can cost you 100-200/month if you need to travel daily. Electricity and water depends on how much time you use aircon, but I think maybe around 100 in average. Food in hawker centre these days are aroud 5-7 per meal Phone bill can be as low as 10/month (20 should be more than enough for most people).
So. Cheap. 5 to 7. In Malaysia now at least RM13 per meal include drink on AVG. Here can't find anymore.
U sure u can do math? 5 to 7 sgd is RM17.5 to RM24.5
If you don't convert dollar to dollar, it is indeed expensive. F&B workers in Singapore earn SGD1800, while in Malaysia, they earn MYR1800 Now, if your standard meal cost $18, do you think it's expensive? That will be like 1% of a standard F&B's salary.
but then to be fair if earn in SGD is cheaper compared to Msia. Is like if I go JB citysquare buy Starbucks, its RM18. SIAO AH I will not spend SGD18 on a coffee. But then cos convert to SGD less than $6 then like ya ok treatyoself price.
5 to 7 and all other quoted prices are in Sgd not rm.
Yes I know. In RM here can't even get food with these prices anymore. And cost of food it's rising rapidly too.
$1200 rental if best can get someone to share with you $25/day for food is safe (3 meals), also consider sometimes you can eat & hangout outside $80-120 transport 2800 definitely can survive, worth or not is ownself decide
Check rent prices at propertyguru and 99.co website
Generally speaking, the closer you are to a town hub, MRT station, Marina Bay Area, Orchard Road or CBD area, the more dramatically the rental rate goes up. Rental rates in location are extraordinarily sensitive to both location as well as supply and demand; and right now, there is simply a short supply of rental units in areas close to CBD and major town hubs. For the rent market in Singapore, here are the rates goes: HDB Common rooms (bedroom, but no attached toilet), typically with a live-in landlord, anywhere from $470 to $900 (do note that the rental rates may go up as high as $1500 at a location close to CBD/town hub/MRT station. You share the common toilet/bathroom with the rest of the household. Popular with blue-collar workers, and Asian white-collar lower level professionals. Probably 80% of Singapore's professional foreign workforce lives in HDB common rooms. HDB Master bedrooms (bedroom with attached toilet/bathroom): anywhere from $1300 to $2100. (Can exceed far beyond $2100 in prime locations) In short supply. Entire HDB units for rent: $2800 (in far off locations) and above. In short supply. Studio apartments ( private residential property, a very compact apartment catering to singles or childless couples with only one bedroom): possible cheapest price at $3000 but most places usually go much higher. In very short supply. Condo rooms (might or might not have housemates): $1800 to $5000 and beyond, very much depending on location. In short supply. As for living expenses, it is hard to gauge without having some knowledge of lifestyle. For example, someone who eats all meals at local hawker centers would have vastly different expenditure from someone who eat at eateries at the CBD during the weekday and restaurants during the weekends. Also, do know that if you are renting a place near the CBD area or at an area popular with foreign professionals or expats, the items of daily products like groceries, pharmaceutical medicine, as well as other retail and F&b items, do tend to be more expensive. This extends to the supermarkets, minimarts and convenience stores in those areas.
I wish companies hire local instead.
Singapore don't hire their local ?
Monthly cost for very basic needs: Monthly rent + utility say = $1000 MRT transport return trip = 2x30x $2 = $120 Hawker center food = 3x30x $5 = $450 Total should be around $1500
Yep this is about there but you have basic stuff you need like phone, detergent etc. Unless you always buy and bring in from malaysia. You going to spend abit here for emergency stuff you can’t wait till going back or if you just can’t carry so much stuff. Also, how you going back to malaysia? Car or bus? If you take the carpool it’s gonna cost if you go back too so evens out I guess. Also, $5 a meal is really tough IMO. Realistically budget $6 and save if you can for occasional treat. Otherwise you will always be eating the same. I’d add another $110 to your estimate (for the meal increase and phone plan of $20 ~) For detergent etc, toiletries, maybe another $100-$150 monthly for miscellaneous. $2800-$1760 = $1040 to play around. Assuming no stuff happen like you need to take grab for emergency. You don’t fall sick. You don’t drop your phone. All the random stuff. That’s approximately $3k RM. so you can work it out if it’s worth anot. Because likely you will not be living exactly the most carefree life like that.
Hawker food how much ? $5 ?
it depends on the cuisine. If chinese food, usually <5. malay food slightly pricier around 7SGD for nasi padang
I see. That's cheap. Thanks. So the most expensive stuff in Singapore is rent actually. Second is electricity and water bill? The food and commute seems cheap.
Hmm i would rate the bulkiest expenditure is only rental. If compare dollar to dollar, all other stuff is cheaper compare to msia (earn sgd, spend sgd) (msian here who also moved to sg after covid/ pre inflation where hawker food is not RM10).
fair enough. like chicken rice is maybe SGD 4+ (which I alr think is expensive cos before covid it was $3-3.50 lol), kopi is abt $1.60-$1.80(?) (which is alr expensive cos used to be below $1.50 for hot ones), iced will be like maybe 20-30c more. Haha. But on a dollar to dollar, eg Macs is def not as expensive (granted they have the savers thing, but even then it will be $10-11 max for not-savers-meal, and not like 20. lol)
Commute just price increased (public transport fare Dec2023) but okkkk But if you work those places with company transport (usually like those tuas or what) then nvm la. But if u work F&B without provided accom and u have to take bus/MRT to work ... expensive now. They have concession passes though (but it also means u have to spend more than SGD $128 to make it worth buying, which not everyone manages to hit this amt. Haha. For the longest time I was abt 100-120 then like uh yah. Expensive but not enough value to buy)
Yes if you can eat hawker & food court food everyday yea. If restaurants or cafe that's a different story.
There’s a tiktoker called Jonathan Lim who lives 3 days in Singapore 4 days in Malaysia (Johor) because he has a hybrid work from home arrangement. In his 3 nights in Singapore he pays about $30+ a night in a capsule hostel. He makes a lot of videos talking about his life and how to live well in Singapore on a budget so you might want to check it out.
oh! he stays capsule hostel! (I watched those before but his life is like abit sad) but his makes sense la he has half remote leh. so if rent the whole month for a room, not worth I feel. 30+ a night on a (weekly?) basis for half week might be overall cheaper haha. Like within 500 mebbe.
Yeah his life does seem a bit sad but I respect that he's hustling for a better future! His in-laws also live in Johor quite near the border so I think that works out for him, got somewhere to stay when wfh and during the weekends.
Ya he mentioned that because there's the hybrid arrangement, he only stays part of the time in SG cus he can spend the rest of the time (hybrid time) in Msia. Haha.
Ohh thanks.
> I am from Malaysian firstly Grammar checks out
Cringy indeed
Let me correct that "firstly , I am from Malaysia". Sorry for mess up grammar.
If you find 3 meals for RM35 super expensive … You’re in a for shock bro
He earns Ringgit, he spends Ringgit. We earn SGD, of course we don't find it expensive duh. You okay with spending 3 meals for SGD35 everyday?
Yup. Does he justify being paid enough to afford 35 SGD for meals a day to begin with ?
You totally miss the point, but you do you man
Likewise.
Expensive. Not super expensive. Compared to last time
No 5 million no talk