Potential Job in Singapore...
Discussion
CoffeeMate said:
Hi All,
Again thanks for all your reply’s!... and nope.. I haven’t been put off... yet! Ha!
Again thanks for all your reply’s!... and nope.. I haven’t been put off... yet! Ha!
at least you are going in eyes open now!!CoffeeMate said:
Still waiting to hear about my full package, once I know I will post again and get your opinions if that’s ok?
If it all works out then I could be there early next year! Daunting!!
at least you are going in eyes open and with the right info now!If it all works out then I could be there early next year! Daunting!!
CoffeeMate said:
Do you all have a regular meet up?
Thanks
occasionally, but generally we are like herding cats!Thanks
XJSJohn said:
Pah, pussies, the lot of them 
All the other advice already given above seems to be good stuff.
However, this being Pistonheads, nobody said much that I could see about motoring costs.
I've been here (Singapore) around 15 years now. I have run 2 Ford Focus, and one Toyota Corolla. I maintained both properly and do around 20,000km per annum. Total ownership costs (depreciation, taxes, the dreaded COE, insurance and maintenance) will cost around S$1300 to S$1400 per month for a 1.6 litre car (Toyota Corolla/Altis, Honda Civic etc). Than then if you live in a HDB apartment you might face difficulties getting a season parking space these days... Fuel is cheaper than UK by about 25% to 30%. Diesel cars are stung with a huge annual road tax (5 time as much as petrol cars) so they don't exist other than taxis and commercial vehicles.
The max legal limit (not strongly enforced at all) is only 90km/h on expressways. However, the trip computer in my Focus now indicates that the average speed over 1 month's use is typically around 30km/h. Previously (6 years ago) it was more like 36km/h. The population has gone up from 3 million when I came here to 5 million today, and the number of vehicles has risen from around 400,000 to around 600,000.
Basically if your salary is only around S$80,000 p.a. you won't be realistically be able to afford to have a car here, especially if you had to support a partner or wife. Even at S$120,000 p.a. I don't think it's a sensible option.
Working here could be a great experience, but you're probably going to have to make some huge lifestyle adjustments.
The current COE price (about S$55K for cars up to 1.6 litres most of last 6 months) means that even second hand cars are very expensive. Renewing COE for older vehicles reaching 10 years old is not viable unless you are very rich and have sentimental attachment to your old car. I have heard stories of people deciding to "scrap" (or probably just re-export) their extremely well preserved classic VW Beetles, Minis, some *VERY nice* old Alfas etc rather than pay $82,000 for a new 10 year old COE.
However, this being Pistonheads, nobody said much that I could see about motoring costs.
I've been here (Singapore) around 15 years now. I have run 2 Ford Focus, and one Toyota Corolla. I maintained both properly and do around 20,000km per annum. Total ownership costs (depreciation, taxes, the dreaded COE, insurance and maintenance) will cost around S$1300 to S$1400 per month for a 1.6 litre car (Toyota Corolla/Altis, Honda Civic etc). Than then if you live in a HDB apartment you might face difficulties getting a season parking space these days... Fuel is cheaper than UK by about 25% to 30%. Diesel cars are stung with a huge annual road tax (5 time as much as petrol cars) so they don't exist other than taxis and commercial vehicles.
The max legal limit (not strongly enforced at all) is only 90km/h on expressways. However, the trip computer in my Focus now indicates that the average speed over 1 month's use is typically around 30km/h. Previously (6 years ago) it was more like 36km/h. The population has gone up from 3 million when I came here to 5 million today, and the number of vehicles has risen from around 400,000 to around 600,000.
Basically if your salary is only around S$80,000 p.a. you won't be realistically be able to afford to have a car here, especially if you had to support a partner or wife. Even at S$120,000 p.a. I don't think it's a sensible option.
Working here could be a great experience, but you're probably going to have to make some huge lifestyle adjustments.
The current COE price (about S$55K for cars up to 1.6 litres most of last 6 months) means that even second hand cars are very expensive. Renewing COE for older vehicles reaching 10 years old is not viable unless you are very rich and have sentimental attachment to your old car. I have heard stories of people deciding to "scrap" (or probably just re-export) their extremely well preserved classic VW Beetles, Minis, some *VERY nice* old Alfas etc rather than pay $82,000 for a new 10 year old COE.
to add some more on whether to own a car or not ..
I thought about getting one when I arrived - figured that the monthly fixed costs ( COE , depreciation , tax etc ) are around $1000 minimum assuming newish COE .... If u live somewhere with good public transport connections you are unlikely to need it mid week ..
And for $1000/ month for a bit of occasional wknd use .. I'd rather use the money for long wknd breaks instead .
...of course if you live a long way out / away from public transport / have family the balance is rather different
I thought about getting one when I arrived - figured that the monthly fixed costs ( COE , depreciation , tax etc ) are around $1000 minimum assuming newish COE .... If u live somewhere with good public transport connections you are unlikely to need it mid week ..
And for $1000/ month for a bit of occasional wknd use .. I'd rather use the money for long wknd breaks instead .
...of course if you live a long way out / away from public transport / have family the balance is rather different
MadDog, looking at your profile, I suspect I should know you, but don't recognize the name 
, got a lot of mates in the oil and gas industry here!
Anyway, yea the car thing out here is getting expensive, and is a com ex beast at the best of times!!
You don't just buy a car here, you buy a car, a COE to drive it, and a pre agreed tax rebate when the car is exported out.
For example, my 370Z has a 30k COE, at current age a PARF rebate of 50k and a value of about 160k, so a car value of 80k too
Although cars are bloody expensive here, finance is 1.8% interest, you can finance for up to 10 years and at 100% too, although 5 years seems to be the sweet spot for finance versus depreciation.
Eta - budget motoring wise, the wife has a 4 year old fiat punto, that works out to just under $1k a month with finance, insurance, road tax, parking at work, petrol etc
, got a lot of mates in the oil and gas industry here!Anyway, yea the car thing out here is getting expensive, and is a com ex beast at the best of times!!
You don't just buy a car here, you buy a car, a COE to drive it, and a pre agreed tax rebate when the car is exported out.
For example, my 370Z has a 30k COE, at current age a PARF rebate of 50k and a value of about 160k, so a car value of 80k too
Although cars are bloody expensive here, finance is 1.8% interest, you can finance for up to 10 years and at 100% too, although 5 years seems to be the sweet spot for finance versus depreciation.
Eta - budget motoring wise, the wife has a 4 year old fiat punto, that works out to just under $1k a month with finance, insurance, road tax, parking at work, petrol etc
Edited by XJSJohn on Monday 5th December 01:46
There really is no need or point in owning a car here. I'm saving up my car money for something more exotic when/if I leave. Sitting in a never ending traffic jam watching over a grand a month dissappearing out of your bank account is economic suicide.
Totally O/T but we did manage to steal a car in Bintan on Saturday night. Which was fun. Until the golf club followed us to Nirwana Gardens to ask for it back....
Totally O/T but we did manage to steal a car in Bintan on Saturday night. Which was fun. Until the golf club followed us to Nirwana Gardens to ask for it back....
Bing o said:
There really is no need or point in owning a car here. I'm saving up my car money for something more exotic when/if I leave. Sitting in a never ending traffic jam watching over a grand a month dissappearing out of your bank account is economic suicide. .
it does depend ... where i live its either a car or rely on taxi's all the time as no public transport etc, however my rent is very low and it is one of the nicest spots in Singapore, so the savings in rent are put to the car, and i get to live somewhere nice!
XJSJohn said:
Bing o said:
There really is no need or point in owning a car here. I'm saving up my car money for something more exotic when/if I leave. Sitting in a never ending traffic jam watching over a grand a month dissappearing out of your bank account is economic suicide. .
it does depend ... where i live its either a car or rely on taxi's all the time as no public transport etc, however my rent is very low and it is one of the nicest spots in Singapore, so the savings in rent are put to the car, and i get to live somewhere nice!It's a good point, at least the money you put into a car is not completely 'dead' like rent is. And you bought a decent car - I couldn't justify spending 100k on a s
tty jap hatchback with no BHP.
An article this morning that gives an idea of the average earning power of someone on an overseas posting, and some insight to cost of living (note related article, Singapore is 6th most expensive city in Asia)
http://business.asiaone.com/Business/News/My%2BMon...
http://business.asiaone.com/Business/News/My%2BMon...
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