SINGAPORE: Singaporeans have warned a 21-year-old foreigner not to pursue an internship in the country if the company only offers her S$1K monthly.
The warnings came after the young woman, originally from Argentina, shared her concerns on the r/askSingapore subreddit on Monday (Jan 20), just a day before her scheduled interview.
In her post, she explained that while she was eager about the opportunity, she hesitated to take it because of Singapore’s notoriously high cost of living.
“They said they’d pay me at least S$1K/month, but I’ve been talking to other interns who are already there, and they told me their salaries barely cover rent (it’s around S$1500 but not more), so they end up needing financial help from their families,” she explained.
Hoping to gain insight from locals, she asked if S$1K was a typical salary for IT internships in Singapore and sought advice on living costs, including rent, food, and transportation.
“Do some internships pay more? I’d love to live alone in a studio apartment, but that’s probably way more expensive than sharing a place. What’s the general cost of living like?” she said.
“I don’t want to get sweet-talked into accepting an offer that’ll leave me broke and starving over there. Any advice or personal experiences would be super helpful!”
“S$1k is impossible to live on in Singapore”
In the discussion thread, many locals pointed out that while S$1K is a standard salary for IT interns in Singapore, it’s not enough for a foreigner moving to the country and paying for everything herself.
They explained that rent alone would take up most of her paycheck. In addition, she’d still need to cover transportation, food, and other day-to-day expenses, which could quickly leave her struggling to make ends meet.
One individual said, “It’s the normal rate for interns. However, most interns already live in Singapore, so paying rent is unnecessary. S$1k is for food and maybe a little savings. If you don’t already live here, S$1k is nothing. You can’t even rent a room with that much. Stay wherever you are if you don’t live in SG.”
Another commented, “Studio apartment rentals cost around S$3K… even a random public housing room costs minimally S$500-S$600. Sorry to break your bubble, but I wouldn’t do it if I were you.”
A third said, “Don’t take this internship! It’s a trap for cheap labour. S$1K is impossible to live on in Singapore.”
In other news, a foreigner took to social media to ask Singaporeans if it’s worth relocating to Singapore for a monthly salary of S$11K.
On Sunday (Dec 15), the foreigner posted on r/askSingapore. He shared that he is currently employed as a software developer in Vancouver and earns a net monthly salary of C$5K.
However, he is contemplating leaving this job. His friend, who happens to be a recruiter, told him there is an opening for a position in Singapore that pays S$11K monthly.
Featured image by Depositphotos (for illustration purposes only)