SINGAPORE: Today’s Singapore news reports Asian Boss’s recent street interview, “Do Singaporeans feel rich?” where Singaporeans and foreign workers opened up about how financially independent they truly are.
The interview also debunked the misconception that all Singaporeans are wealthy, with some respondents describing themselves as ordinary individuals facing the everyday challenges of work and financial instability.
A retired restaurant manager said, “To earn SGD 3,000 or SGD 2,000 is still not enough to survive here, especially now, the high cost of living is going up and all that. The only thing that is not going up is the pay.”
He also talked about how social media often paints a false picture of life in Singapore, so people shouldn’t blindly believe whatever they see there.
He emphasized that Singapore has its fair share of “rich” and “poor” people, just like any other nation.
A medical dosimetrist, on the other hand, mentioned feeling scared to get sick in Singapore because she worries she doesn’t have enough money to pay for medical bills.
“It’s hard to survive. I feel like the struggles of living in Singapore, it’s real, especially in the last two years, pertaining to the cost of living,” she said. “Fundamentally, I don’t even feel like I have enough to grow old comfortably in Singapore.”
A domestic worker from the Philippines, who earned S$800 monthly, also said: “Not every Singaporean is all rich like that, but they are hardworking. That’s why they can maintain their lifestyles like that.”
Rich in life
Others, meanwhile, took a more philosophical stance, expressing that they feel rich in the sense that they are content with their lives.
A young lad said, “I have a lifestyle I’m happy to live. And I think being rich is not about how much money you make, but what kind of meaning you get in life. Because money, at the end of the day, is just a number.”
Two respondents echoed a similar sentiment, saying they feel rich because they do not rely on others for money or food and have everything they need and want.
The characteristics of rich people in Singapore
When asked about the characteristics of wealthy people in Singapore, respondents stated that those who can afford a home, a vehicle, and luxury products and those who can afford to eat at fine dining establishments are frequently regarded as wealthy.
They also regarded individuals who could afford to raise a family and hire a maid as wealthy by their own standards.
A young student also said that she could somewhat discern whether certain individuals were wealthy based on how they dressed.
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this video do not represent those of The Independent Singapore, Asian Boss, or the general Singaporean public