Singapore is an ethnically diverse, modern city with a lot to offer. If you’re thinking about moving there to live or work, this guide will help you get started.
Getting Around in Singapore
Getting around in Singapore is easy. The country is only about as big as New York City, but it has a good public transportation system and you can get almost anywhere within 1 to 2 hours.
You’ll find that most locals walk around town, but if you’re looking for an alternative, the city is small enough that one of the most efficient ways to get around would be by taxi. Taxis are plentiful and easy to flag down once you know where they are located (you can ask anyone where the taxis are). With a taxi ride costing about $4-$6 on average, this can be a very cost-effective way to get from point A to point B quickly—and even faster than taking public transport!
Employment Opportunities for Singapore Expats
If you are an expat looking for work in Singapore, there are a number of industries that are particularly attractive to foreign workers. The high standard of living and excellent quality of life make Singapore a great place to start your own business. If you have skills in the IT area or experience working in the financial sector, this can be an attractive option as well. Finally, if you’re looking to find jobs in healthcare services or tourism (two industries that have been growing rapidly), Singapore may be an ideal location for finding employment.
Buying a Property in Singapore
Buying a property in Singapore is a complicated process. There are three types of properties available: public housing, private condos and landed homes. Public housing is the cheapest option, but it comes with many restrictions on ownership and usage. Condos are more expensive than public housing, but they usually come with more freedom over what you can do with your home. You may like to consider upcoming new Condominiums such as Terra Hill Condo located at the west coast of Singapore.
Landed homes are the most expensive type of home available in Singapore; these properties require large down payments so that buyers can purchase land directly from homeowners who have been living there for quite some time (usually at least 30 years). In addition to this high cost, you’ll also have higher monthly maintenance fees than if you were purchasing any other kind of property in Singapore because these houses are often located outside of city limits where utilities such as electricity aren’t always readily accessible or cheap to maintain.
Living in Singapore
Singapore has a lot of green space
If you are going to live in Singapore, you will find that the city is one of the safest cities in Asia. It has a lot of green space and many parks. In fact, 18% of the country’s area is covered by forested areas! This makes it a great place to enjoy nature without having to leave the city limits.
Multicultural City to Live in
Singapore is also home to people from many different countries who speak different languages and have different customs. This makes Singapore an international city that offers something for everyone!
Singapore is a very safe country to live in
If you are worried about safety, don’t be. Singapore has an extremely low crime rate and it’s one of the safest countries in the world. You can walk around at night without any worries.
High Standard of Living
With a high standard of living, good healthcare system, excellent education system (from kindergarten all the way up through university level), low crime rates and cleanliness (you won’t see trash on sidewalks) why wouldn’t you want to live here?
Entrepreneurship
As an entrepreneur, you will find that Singapore is one of the best places in Asia to start your business. There are many resources available for new entrepreneurs, including government grants and loans. In addition, there are many different types of businesses you can start here:
You could start a traditional brick-and-mortar store that sells goods or services directly to customers (e.g., a restaurant).
Language (English)
English is the official language of Singapore, and it is widely spoken throughout the country. However, you may notice that local Singaporeans speak English differently than you do. Their distinct dialect has been referred to as “Singaporean English” or “Singlish.”
Even though this may seem like a strange language at first glance (like many other languages), it’s easy to get used to after spending some time here. With time you’ll find yourself speaking in your own version of Singlish too!
Understand that living and working in Singapore will be a little different from what you’re used to, but you’ll find a lot to like about the country.
Living and working in Singapore will be different from what you’re used to, but that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot to like about it. In fact, some of the more important differences are things that can make your transition much easier.
Public transportation is efficient here; though traffic jams can occur during rush hour due to limited space on roads built decades ago before population growth began outpacing infrastructure development plans, they usually only last an hour at most before clearing out again so getting around town isn’t much harder than driving yourself would be anyway!
Conclusion
We hope this guide has helped you get an overview of Singapore. The country is a great place to live and work as an expat, but there are lots of details that we didn’t cover here. We encourage you to learn more about these topics by doing your own research or asking questions from people who have already moved here.
