“Without money, can you even get married?” — Singaporeans say high cost of living has made marriage and having kids no longer a priority

SINGAPORE: “Without money, can you even get married?” is the question one Singaporean raised on social media after a study revealed that young people prioritise careers and financial security over marriage.

The study, called the Youth Study on Transitions and Evolving Pathways in Singapore (Youth Steps), was conducted by the National Youth Council (NYC) and the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) Social Lab. It followed over 3,000 young people aged 17 to 24 from 2017 to 2022.

According to The Straits Times, the study showed that young Singaporeans prioritise having a successful career and good health for the next five years, while marriage and homeownership are lower on their list.

The report revealed that Singaporean youth’s top five life goals are being in good health, having a successful career, accumulating wealth, ensuring financial security, and maintaining strong relationships with family and friends.

Marriage is ranked sixth, while home ownership is ranked eighth. It was also found that in 2022, two in five individuals aged 22 to 29 had never been in a relationship.

Young Singaporeans online were quick to answer why this is happening, with many noting, “Without money, who dares to get married?” and others adding, “Without money, who dares to marry me?” Another added, asking, “Without money, can you even get married?”

Some commenters highlighted that financial pressure makes it difficult to consider marriage and family life.

One commenter said, “These youths are just being realistic. You can’t have a kid without a good job. You worry if you can even pay the mortgage for any flat you can afford. Things are too expensive and it’s putting a heavy strain on people that are starting out from zero.“

Others said it’s just how the “hierarchy of needs” works. “Only a fool will maintain the perspective that a hyper competitive and expensive environment will not affect things like marriage and birth rates,” one commenter remarked.

Another commenter pointed out that many men don’t want to be the sole breadwinner while their partner stays home, and many women don’t want to date someone with a low income who can’t support the family.

One user observed, “Over the years, the value of getting married has fallen. Last time, maybe in the days of our grandparents, if you don’t get married and have a family, you look bad to others. It implied a lot of negative things. It implied you are socially unwanted, a ‘leftover’.

Nowadays, it is normal not to get married, it’s normal to get married later, and it’s normal not to have kids. The stigma against not conforming to the ideal of starting a family quick and young is much lessened. Without that pressure, it is likely people would deprioritise it.

And with the high cost of living, wanting a better career and income isn’t just to look good to others socially, but also a form of personal wellbeing.”

Meanwhile, others were glad that being in good health was at the top of the list. Some commenters pointed out that this is because everyone has “no money for treatment,” so people focus on staying healthy and eating cheaper, nutritious food. /TISG

Read also: 7 in 10 S’poreans feel it’s “unnecessary to get married” or “have children” due to stress and cost of living

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