SINGAPORE: A healthcare worker is having difficulty deciding whether to take a higher-paying job in Singapore, which would mean a long daily commute, or stay in Malaysia, where she’d earn less.
On Monday (Jan 27), she asked the r/askSingapore community for advice, hoping to get some real-life insights from locals on whether the commute and extra pay are worth it.
She outlined two job options in her post: one at a private hospital in Malaysia and another at a public healthcare polyclinic group in Singapore. The hospital in Malaysia is offering a salary of RM6100, with the added benefit of good medical coverage for her and her family. The daily commute to work would take about an hour each way.
However, the job has several drawbacks, such as no bonuses, limited opportunities for annual increments, and only 14 days of leave per year. She also mentioned that the role offers “no career development”.
On the other hand, the Singapore-based opportunity offers a higher salary of S$4.4K, along with attractive benefits like performance-based bonuses (3.6 months), annual increments, 21 days of annual leave, and opportunities for further study in her field. She sees this as potential for growth.
However, the job has challenges: the work location changes daily, and she would be required to do home visits, making the workday unpredictable.
Moreover, the commute between Singapore and her home in Johor Bahru (JB) could take anywhere from two to three hours daily, depending on the traffic, adding significant uncertainty and stress to her daily routine.
“Also, I’m married with no kids, and if I do accept the Singapore offer, I will have to live in JB because my husband will be moving with me (he does not have a work visa in Singapore). So now I’m facing a few dilemmas… Does anyone have experience similar to mine? Is the commute between JB-SG worth it in the long run? Typically, how much/how long does it cost to commute, and what’s the fastest/best way?” she wrote.
“Is it better to simply avoid the hassle of working in Singapore entirely? I’m sure there are many essential factors I can’t think of right now, like how it will be when you have children, work culture, exhaustion, etc.
“Has anybody figured out a good way to go about this? Should I not take the Singapore offer despite the benefits? Honest feedback is very welcome,” she added.
“Since you don’t have kids, isn’t it the best time for you to hustle?”
In the discussion thread, many Singaporean Redditors encouraged her to take the Singapore job despite the long commute.
One Redditor pointed out that the annual salary package in Singapore would be approximately three times higher than what she would earn in Malaysia.
He added, “Since you don’t have kids, isn’t it the best time for you to hustle? If money and career development don’t mean much to you, then you can stick to Malaysia’s offer. If the daily commute is too taxing for you, you can consider renting and heading back during the weekends.”
Another Redditor shared that he knew several people who commute from Malaysia to Singapore daily and reassured her that it’s not as difficult as it may seem.
He said, “I’ve got plenty of nursing colleagues who live in JB and commute to SG daily. And with the upcoming RTS, it will be even more convenient.
“A compromise is to rent a small room here for the weekdays, then come every Friday evening and spend the weekend in Malaysia lor. Some colleagues do that.”
A third added a different perspective saying, “Sounds like working in SG for 5 years is equivalent to 10 years in Malaysia, excluding rent. The financial benefit is very tempting. But ultimately, it’s your choice if you want to hustle the money.”
In related news, a Malaysian man shared on social media how his life changed after he left his job in Malaysia, where he was earning RM10,000 a month, for a S$7,000 role in Singapore.
His experience offered further insight into the lifestyle and financial improvements one might experience by making such a move.
Read more: Man who traded RM10k job in KL for S$7k in Singapore says locals are “big on work-life balance”
Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)