How Do Expats Feel About Living In Singapore? | Street Interview

*The views expressed in this video do not represent that of Asian Boss or the general Singaporean public.*

Did you know that almost 30% of Singapore’s population is made up of foreigners? But why do so many people choose to move to Singapore and where do they come from? We hit the streets of Singapore to ask expats about their experiences of living and working in Singapore.

0:00 - Preview
0:18 - Intro
0:35 - Where are you from and how long have you been in Singapore?
2:10 - Definition of expat
3:18 - Why did you move to Singapore?
5:48 - What’s your job?
6:58 - Living costs in Singapore
8:39 - Nest parts about living in Singapore
10:08 - Challenges of living in Singapore
11:39 - Different treatment based on nationality
13:48 - Have you considered leaving?
15:17 - Advice to those wanting to move to Singapore

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[pgrossmsk]

'be aware that this is multi ethnic and multi cultural, so be a bit humble ' some wise words from the denmark guy :)

[awakeinnight]

I used to be an expat in Singapore for almost 4 years before I decided to leave. The biggest deciding factors for me in leaving Singapore were the astronomical rent price increases after the pandemic and the stagnant anti-work-life balance culture in my former company. My salary then didn't reflect the inflation and barely increased while living expenses were shooting up. I decided to start over in a different industry and took on a remote job then moved back home. I still love to visit Singapore though, the culture, food, and infrastructure are top-notch.

[yangtzeling]

As a smoker myself, I’d like to say that the rules regarding where to smoke is basically consideration to others.
I welcome any rules that involves consideration for others.

[hibikino]

The people of Singapore are amazing. On a previous holiday I foolishly left my phone in the taxi and didn't realise until they had already left for about 10-15 minutes. I frantically tried to contact the taxi company who managed to track down which of their vehicles had dropped me off. Turns out the driver also was desperately was trying to figure out a way to contact me since I wasn't local and didn't have a phone number provided. Embarrassing that it happened in the first place but was also amazing to experience the integrity and honesty of Singapore.

[drstrr]

"So, be a bit humble."
I like that one.

[gwendee]

I work as a Parkour coach with Lion City Parkour and we have a fair share of expat students, both adults and kids (I guess due to the nature of our sport being more commonplace and accepted overseas). Really sad when parents tell me that they are leaving due to the high rent and cost of living, especially due to the kids' international school fees rising. Had to say teary goodbyes to many families just this year alone. Most expats I've come across at my workplace are amazingly kind and friendly, and we're sad we have to say goodbye especially after having known them for years and even watching their kids grow up.

However, all - if not most - of them rent condos in expensive areas rather than HDBs, send their kids to international schools, drive their kids to school when they live just nearby, and always eat out at restaurants, shop at fancier grocery stores in their expensive neighbourhoods (as compared to Giant/NTUC) etc. They are shocked when I let them know how cheap our meals in kopitiams are, that are really delicious still. Some have been asking me what the local education system is like, how much it may cost for them etc (I assume this is a sign they're highly considering sending their kids to local schools), and I've also been encouraging some to try out my favourite food stalls around their areas. This could be something expats in Singapore could consider. A restaurant meal costs $20++ and up even, as compared to my usual lunch places of $5-$8 a meal... with a drink! Singapore may be expensive and there's no denying that inflation is hitting all of us hard, but if you live like locals do, you'll realise it's a lot cheaper than most think.

[henrikmellin]

I really like the variety of nationalities in these interviews!

[kayflip]

Asia in general gets more and more trendy each year. Business opportunities, tourism, expats, weekend getaways, food, safety etc. YouTube covers all of this stuff and foreigners want to experience the lifestyle.

[thinkpadx]

Big respect to the brave foreign workers who have come to Singapore to make a better life for their families back home. Many have given up jobs in other sectors to be helpers in Singapore. Hope they get good jobs with fair pay and good employers.

[Maestro]

"Be a bit humble"

Yep. Applies everywhere.

[renai]

I am an expat from Taiwan, working & living in Sing for many years. So far find very comfortable here, only complain is on housing. Many Sing’s friends also don’t expect outsiders to be able wholely merge with the local, this will take many years to happen. Just be open minded and don’t anyhow make noise when you see something done differently from your hometown. Sing is the most western country seen by the East and is also the most easy eastern country to live in by the western people, imho.

[kris]

0:10 "i feel like the rules here are so strict", yep, that's why it's safe, secure and expats love this country.

[azabujuban-hito]

My dad is half singaporean chinese- half german white and my mom is german white. They used to live in Zurich, Switzerland ( I was born and grew up there ).
My parents moved to Singapore in 2005, bought a house and got a PR a few years later ( me too ). They would never go back to Zurich again except for a holiday because Singapore is still much cheaper than Swiss.

[vikramganasen]

It is okay. People move in and move out, its been happening for thousands of years. We need more Singapore type of countries in this world if you ask me.

[abcxyz]

People who don't have to pay rent: Yeah this place is great, you can live frugally and easily make ends meet.
People who have to pay $3000-6000/month rent: Yeah we'd love to stay but it's too expensive.

[alamtompel]

I deeply resonate with the experiences of the Danish Grandpa and the Filipina Ate in the video!
Singapore, like many other places, has a distinct hierarchy when it comes to how different groups of expats are treated by both locals and other foreigners.

Take, for instance, the case of construction workers and maids - they are seldom referred to as expats, both in public perception and media portrayal. They are often labeled as "immigrants" or "migrant workers, " and in the case of maids, they are simply referred to as "maids" or "domestic workers".
The term "expats" seems to be reserved for Caucasian immigrants or non-Caucasian high earners in glamorous industries like Finance, Tech, Law, or Medicine. Immigrants with diverse backgrounds working outside of these fields are often just termed as "immigrants, " "foreigners, " or simply "FT" (foreign talent). If they hold Permanent Resident status, they may be categorized by their country of origin - "Indonesian PR", "Indian PR", and so on.

Interestingly, even immigrants from mainland China are commonly addressed as "mainlanders" or "PRCs, " setting them apart from the broader expat category.

In my experience, just like in many parts of the world, expats are not treated equally in Singapore due to a combination of economic status and racial or national origins. This might not be a significant issue for some foreigners, including myself, But it can be a substantial problem for others, particularly those working in construction or as maids.

As an immigrant, I love Singapore, and it is indeed a great country to live in.
But It's also crucial to acknowledge and address these disparities in treatment to ensure a fair and inclusive environment for everyone!

[entiro]

It's very telling about the country that the major issue people complain about are regarding cost of living issues, which is not unique to Singapore but happening everywhere else in the world.

[eugenehsu]

I like the wise old man, his wisdom words has made me thinking a lot

[keyzin]

the wise words from the man that stay 34 years in Singapore is something else

[niallkorenskaya]

I have lived in Singapore for 13 long years, one of the best country and hope will come back one day, love from Australia