08 Oct Compute Your Cost of Living as Singapore PR
Singapore is one of the countries in Asia that offer a high standard of living with excellent education, health care, housing, and safety. It is no surprise, therefore, that many foreigners who have lived in the country for some time decide to apply for Singapore permanent resident. But how much does it cost to live in Singapore?
The cost of living as a Singapore PR would, of course, depend mainly on one’s lifestyle. We have come up with a rough estimates of the costs as per our basic needs in a month living in Singapore. Here are some of the common costs to expect:
Accommodation
The amount one would spend on accommodation depends on the type of lodging they choose. If it is provided for by the company — and if the company does not remove this privilege when the employee becomes a Singapore PR — then this would, in essence, be free.
Renting a room in a government flat located in a suburban district would cost around $500 to $1,000 per month while renting a room in a condominium, also in a suburban district, would cost around $700 to $1,200 per month. Renting a condominium is around $2,000 to $5,000 monthly, with a studio unit costing around $1,200 to $2,000 per month. A government flat costs somewhere between $1,500 to $2,800 per month, while a private house would have a monthly rental of $3,000 to $15,000 monthly. Utility bills are usually separate from the rent.
Singapore PRs also have the option to purchase HDB flats in the resale market or a non-restricted residential property.
Healthcare
Upon becoming a Singapore permanent resident, an individual is required to pay regular contributions to the Singapore Central Provident Fund and their savings can be used for medical care. For computation purposes, though, it estimated that permanent residents have to pay around $24 to $38 per visit to a public clinic, but this is only for consulting a general practitioner for minor ailments and does not include medication. Going to a private clinic for the same purpose can cost somewhere between $25 to $55 per visit.
Transportation
Again, if the company you are working for provides transportation allowance, then the employee does not have to worry about travel expenses to and from work. On the other hand, if they take buses and trains, then they can expect to spend around $100 to $150 per month. Taxi fares is expected to be around $880 monthly, while buying and owning a car can cost somewhere around $1,650 to $2,000 per month, including loan installments, gas, insurance, parking, etc.
Food
Like in all other places, cooking at home is still the cheapest option for permanent residents. The estimated cost is $200 to $800 per month while eating at budget joints would cost somewhere around $15 to $25 per day. Having meals at mid-priced restaurants would mean $45 to $100 daily expense in food while it’s around $100 to $400 per day in fine dining restaurants.
Clothes and Shoes
The estimated expense for budget shoes and clothes would be $80 to $120 monthly while mid-range brands is $120 to $250 per month. Luxury brands would entail a $240 to $1,400 expense on clothing.
Communications and Home Entertainment
One should expect to spend $30 for a quarterly home phone rental, $30 to $60 per month for internet access (although this varies depending on the length of contract), $28 to $220 monthly for mobile phone subscription without the unit, and $27 to $65 for cable TV.
Going to the movies is around $13 to $14; each entry to a museum or art exhibit is $6 to $25; concerts, musicals, and plays cost somewhere from $25 to $300 per ticket; and going to theme parks and zoos cost $33 to $74 per entry.
Apart from these, one has to put into consideration the education of their children. Childcare is from $300 to $1,000 per month per child, Kindergarten is $300 to $3,000 monthly, public school is $370 to $1,150 per month, and public university (except Medicine) costs $2,445 to $3727 per month.
Again, these are only estimates for one adult and do not give the actual expenses one can incur. Prices are, of course, subject to change and one’s expenses would depend on how they live as a Singapore PR.
If you are thinking about becoming a permanent resident in Singapore, you can speak to a consultant at First Immigrations. We have already helped thousands of aspirants who are now enjoying their life in the Lion City. Call us at +65 6850 5087 or send us an email at [email protected].
