Singapore is one of the world’s most popular destinations for expats and global relocations. A gateway to the rest of Asia, Singapore’s commercial influence is strong and thriving. It’s important to consider the pros and cons of relocating to a country abroad before deciding whether the country is the right fit for you. Here are some of the pros and cons to relocating to Singapore.
Pros
Diversity
Singapore’s population is derived from an influx of immigrants from all over Asia who flocked to the country when business began booming during British occupancy in the 19th century. Today, the country acts as an international hub and is ethically and religiously diverse. As a base for many multinational corporations, there are opportunities aplenty for expats.
Travel connections
Singapore is the gateway to the rest of Asia with short flights available to India, China, Malaysia, Thailand and more. Singapore is also relatively close to Australia, one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. With one of the world’s largest airports and with connections to major airports around the world, there’s no excuse not to travel beyond when living in Singapore.
Safety
Singapore is often voted one of the safest countries in the world to travel alone. Security cameras monitor every street corner in the city, limiting the amount of crime throughout the country. The country’s strict laws mean the city is also very clean.
Public transport
Owning a car is too expensive for most people in Singapore but thankfully, the country’s public transport network is modern, well-maintained and relatively inexpensive. Mass Rapid Transit and Light Rail Transit Trains service the entire length and width of the city and bus services exist throughout the city and between Singapore and Malaysia.
Cons
Cost of living
Singapore ranked in the top 50 of the world’s most expensive countries to live in with prices on average 50 percent higher than those in New York. It is also ranked in the top five countries in Asia for expenses and is the most expensive country in the world to own and run a car. For a breakdown of cost of living in Singapore, visit the Expatistan website.
Been and seen
Many people who have relocated to Singapore for work complain that once they have spent a week travelling around the country, they’ve seen it all. Singapore isn’t a very large country and so, it lacks variety in regards to shopping centres and attractions.
Crowding
Singapore is not a large country in terms of land mass and the country is pretty much the city. Due to its small size and population of 5.6 million, crowding occurs everywhere. Whether it’s roads, paths, shopping centres or public transport, you can expect long queues and large crowds wherever you go.
The local laws
Singapore’s laws differ greatly from other western countries in their strictness and tightly policed rules. There are cameras located on every street corner in the city to monitor illegal activity. In Singapore, it is illegal to smoke in public, sell chewing gum, feed pigeons, leave a public toilet unflushed or connect to someone’s WiFi without their permission.
Singapore is a strict and sanitised country with connections to the rest of the world. Its diversity and safety unsurprisingly help make it a popular destination for expats.
