Living In Singapore

Singapore offers a very high standard of living but this can come at a price. In the 2012 Mercer cost of living survey Singapore remained in the list of top ten most expensive cities in the world in which to live, moving up two places on the previous year from position 8 to position 6. Expatriates who seek living conditions that are similar to that they enjoy in their home country will find that property prices are very high here, whether they rent or buy. Alcohol is also taxed at a high rate, entailing that those expats who like to visit bars and clubs will find that maintaining a social life here is expensive. It is also very expensive to own a car due to the heavy taxes that are imposed on vehicles.

On the whole, food and groceries are quite reasonable and expatriates who are prepared to dine in the local hawker stalls and shopping mall food courts will find that they can dine out very cheaply.

Our relocation guide contains detailed living costs across different types of lifestyles and living options. Because our guides are written by expats who live and work in the countries themselves, you can be assured that you have the information you really need when moving to Singapore.

Language :

The official language of Singapore is Mandarin Chinese and this is the language of the Singaporean Government. However, English is the most common language and is the language of business and trade. Children will generally be taught in English in schools but will also be expected to learn Mandarin as well. Other common languages in Singapore include Tamil, Malay and Cantonese.

Many Singaporeans speak a language that has come to be known as Singlish. Singlish is a mixture of English and other languages and can be difficult for English speakers to understand. That said, English speakers seldom experience any real problems communicating with people in Singapore

Climate :

Singapore lies almost on the equator and therefore enjoys a tropical climate with no sharply divided seasons. It has a year-round high temperature as well as high humidity and large amounts of rainfall. Temperatures usually range from 22 °C-34 °C (72°-93 °F). Humidity increases with rainfall, often reaching 100%. Its hottest months are June and July, while its monsoon season is in November and December