Foreigner asks how Singaporeans can survive on S$2.5k salary with the rising cost of living

SINGAPORE: A foreigner who saw job advertisements with a S$2,500 salary took to social media to ask how Singaporeans who were only earning this much were coping with the rising cost of living.

“We thought this is a normal salary for these jobs right now. Then we started to think about costs of living and we checked propertyguru to have an idea about how much renting a flat is. We could not find any decent accommodation that a person who earns 2.5K can afford,” the foreigner wrote on r/SingaporeRaw on Thursday (Feb 8).

The foreigner explained that he and his partner were on vacation in Singapore for four days when they came across job advertisements  posted at McDonald’s and a random retail store.

“We also checked flats with two bedrooms, something normal for a family with a kid, and all rentals are 3K minimum. How is this possible? Are there flats for a small family for less? How much is the income for a small household, let’s say for a couple? Do you have public schools and health care or is everything private? Sorry if these questions sound basic. Thank you for any clarification,” the foreigner asked, genuinely curious.

“S$2,500 income is not sustainable for anybody unless they’re living with their parents or have inherited their property.” 

While some Singaporean redditors confirmed that they could not live comfortably on that kind of salary, others argued that it was possible to survive on a S$2,500 salary since citizens can enjoy many perks in the country, such as more affordable public transportation fees and food.

One redditor said, “$2.5k McDonalds income is not sustainable for anybody in Singapore unless they’re living with their parents or have inherited their property, and don’t even think about starting a family with that income. It’s the norm to live in multi-generational households here, if I were to explain this to a Westerner.”

Another redditor commented, “Most people in Singapore, especially the middle class and below, stay with their parents until they get married or they reached the age of 35.”

Meanwhile, one redditor pointed out that no matter what developed country you live in, it is really impossible to live comfortably if you only work as an average fast food worker for the rest of your life.

On the other hand, some redditors argued that they can, in fact, cope with the cost of living in Singapore since someone earning that salary only had to “pay 2% income tax; the SG housing system tries to ensure everyone can afford their own home; healthcare and schooling for locals are heavily subsidized and very affordable; food in SG is very affordable, meals costing <$5 are very common, and public transport is cheap.”

Despite rising living costs in Singapore, the country remains the top choice for Asian expatriates, earning the prestigious title of ‘Most Liveable City’ for the tenth consecutive year.

“With excellent infrastructure and facilities, low crime rates and little exposure to socio-political tensions, Singapore remains a very attractive location for expatriates. However, other locations in the region have improved, and the gap between Singapore and other locations has fallen,” says ECA’s General Manager for Asia, Mark Harrison.

Read more: Despite rising cost of living, Singapore still most liveable city for Asian expats for 10th year in a row