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Singapore is a good place to reside and I detailed why I really like dwelling in Singapore in a earlier submit. Nonetheless, there may be all the time two sides to the story and I can’t have a submit singing Singapore’s praises with out offering the opposite perspective. Whereas life is usually fairly nice, there are some things I don’t like about Singapore. I wouldn’t think about these excessive points by any means however they’re simply observations I’ve made whereas dwelling right here.
This submit shall be an ongoing and altering submit. As I spend extra time on this metropolis, I’m certain new issues will come up that I dislike. As properly, issues that I beforehand disliked would possibly change to one thing I like sooner or later. That’s what being an expat is all about!
Singapore is a little bit of a boring place
Singapore is a little bit of a boring place. There, I mentioned it. Whereas Singapore is an excellent clear, protected, inexperienced, and a beautiful place to earn cash, there isn’t a lot happening outdoors of that. I do know many expats and locals alike that might echo my sentiment.
Life in Singapore could be fairly uninteresting on the weekends with out the everyday vibrant scenes you’ve got in different huge cities I’ve lived in. My first few months have been very lively as there was all the time new areas and new meals to find. After dwelling right here for nearly a yr, I’ve discovered that there isn’t as a lot else to do. As well as, it looks like spontaneity isn’t a factor in Singapore. Folks plan assembly up weeks upfront. Others would possibly want this however it’s only a unusual idea to me.
In contrast to my beloved wine markets in Frankfurt, Germany, there are few locations to go and have a drink on a Saturday afternoon. Certain the seashore bars in Sentosa are round, however you aren’t all the time eager to take a 20 minute Seize experience to spend lots of of {dollars} for a giant afternoon out. The ingesting tradition right here can also be fairly muted and folks simply don’t exit as a lot. That is truly good for me in my older age however one thing my youthful self would have hated. Singapore can also be a metropolis state so there may be nowhere to go outdoors of the town to get some nature. Whereas there are very good parks throughout the metropolis, you’re nonetheless firmly in a metropolis.
Fortunately, Singapore is so centrally positioned that it’s a fast flight to lovely locations like Bali, Lombok, Thailand, Vietnam, and extra so you may get out at any time when you have to.
Life is targeted round work and mentality is all about cash
Amassing wealth and accumulating cash are the core basic principals of the nation. Persons are obsessive about cash and materials possessions to the purpose the place it’s simply annoying and insufferable. As with different Asian cultures, displaying off is an indication of how far you’ve come. After all, I absolutely admire how necessary cash is and I wouldn’t be within the place I’m in with being financially impartial with out caring for cash. Nonetheless, I do know what quantity is sufficient and that there’s extra to life than merely the buildup of cash.
Singapore is a really profitable nation and its brief historical past is in a league of its personal. Folks in Singapore vastly admire what they’ve and the way they bought there. Most significantly, they don’t need that to vary or slip away. Folks in Singapore are extraordinarily targeted on their work and careers which is a testomony to the tradition and work ethic that they needed to must survive being a brand new nation. Let’s not neglect the price of dwelling in Singapore is outrageous so it’s solely becoming that obsessing over funds are par for the course.
Lack of neighborhoods and normal character
Singapore is a lovely metropolis in its personal distinctive means. A lot of the town heart and few surrounding areas are house to heritage neighborhoods that function conventional colonial structure that are completely beautiful. Nonetheless, outdoors of those areas, there actually isn’t a lot happening so far as neighborhoods and vibes go.
Nearly all of Singapore’s neighborhoods consist of huge HDB condominium blocks, a hawker heart, and for those who’re fortunate, a mall. Don’t count on vibrant neighborhoods like these you’d discover in New York or London. Singapore was designed to accommodate lots of people in a small area and eager about how one can make a neighborhood hipster and classy was not on their minds.
If you wish to discover an condominium in Singapore with a vibey neighborhood, I might suggest both Tanjong Pagar, or the world of Joo Chiat within the East.
Earnings inequality between nationalities
As with my time dwelling in South Africa, Singapore additionally has noticeably revenue inequality that’s on full show. Whereas it’s nowhere close to to the extent of place like South Africa, Singapore has a novel revenue disparity between its personal individuals and the overseas employees it imports for labor.
Beginning with Singaporeans themselves, the revenue disparity is kind of excessive which is a results of the tenacious capitalist society the founding fathers needed to construct. Any time you’ve got excessive capitalism on show, revenue inequality is an inevitable end result. Singaporeans as a complete have change into extraordinarily properly off however that is distorted by the extraordinarily wealthy and the remainder. Nonetheless, in comparison with different wealthy nations just like the USA, the poor individuals in Singapore have a lot better advantages and Authorities help within the type of pressured financial savings accounts (CFP), Authorities housing (HDB), medical health insurance, and low-cost prices of meals.
The extra apparent supply of division in Singapore is between the locals / expert overseas employees, and the not expert employees. Singapore is that this tiny bubble of utmost wealth in the course of SE Asia surrounded by nations with a lot decrease GDP per capita. As a result of it’s a extremely industrialized nation, they depend on importing low-cost overseas labor to do all of the guide labor. Development employees from Bangladesh and Pakistan, and home helpers from the Philippines all flood into Singapore to work. The development employees specifically have a tough dwelling situation being shuttled backwards and forwards between their dorm model camps at the back of vehicles to their work websites.
Nonetheless, it’s not all dangerous. Development employees receives a commission over $1,000 a month with their housing included which might be 2-3x what they’d receives a commission again of their house nations. The working situations right here, whereas not nice, is worlds higher than locations like Qatar.
Issues that different individuals dislike about Singapore however I like (or don’t care about)
It seems, there should not that many issues I dislike about Singapore. I feel as a complete, I’m typically very receptive to dwelling in new locations and as a human being, I all the time select to see the great facet in issues as a lot as I can. I depart the cynicism on the door and strategy issues with an open however excited thoughts. Subsequently, there are numerous issues that others would possibly actually dislike however these are issues that I don’t thoughts (and even like).
Singapore Climate is just too sizzling
The climate might be one of many issues individuals dislike probably the most. Expats and locals. Singapore is sizzling right here spherical with solely a wet and dry season. You may count on temperatures above 30 for a lot of the yr and humidity to be excessive. You’re dwelling within the equator in any case and are within the tropics.
I completely love the climate. I really like heat climate and heat locations. Certain I can’t put on a lot in addition to shorts and tank prime however that’s my sort of outfit anyway. It’s simple to placed on, doesn’t value any cash, and I can sweat in peace. I a lot want heat climate locations to chilly climate so Singapore is ideal for me. Do I miss the seasons? Probably not. Certain I might like to go snowboarding within the Dolomites of Italy as soon as in awhile however 99% don’t go for greater than every week a yr anyway. The remainder of the time I might simply be dreading life in a wet, gloomy, chilly, and darkish ambiance.
Value of driving a automobile
Driving a automobile in Singapore is pricey. Like stupidly costly. In all probability the costliest on the planet actually.
Automobile costs are 2-3x what they’re in the remainder of the world as a result of each automobile carries an enormous tax of 200-300% relying on the kind of automobile. Along with the loopy automobile prices, each individual should buy a COE (Certificates of Entitlement) which is solely a license to personal a automobile. This isn’t a drivers license. A COE in 2023/2024 is $130k SGD for 10 years. This implies you’re paying a further $1k a month for the privilege of driving a automobile. All in all, you’ll be able to count on to pay not less than $2.5k SGD a month for driving a easy and primary automobile.
The factor is, that is an absolute full waste of cash. YOU DO NOT NEED A CAR IN SINGAPORE. This metropolis isn’t huge and the general public transportation totally connects the town and is affordable. If you really want to get someplace quick, a Seize or taxi will do the job and they’re much cheaper compared to different costly cities like New York or London. In truth, for the worth of proudly owning a primary automobile, I may take a Seize to the Airport and again TWICE each single day of the month and nonetheless pay lower than proudly owning a automobile.
It merely is silly and pointless to personal a automobile in Singapore. Anybody complaining about the price of proudly owning a automobile in Singapore is simply not good with their cash and received’t be retiring early anytime quickly. However, it’s a very pointless luxurious to have in Singapore and that’s why I don’t even embrace it in my value of dwelling for Singapore evaluation.
Lack of democracy and freedoms
One of many issues Westerners love to speak about with Singapore is the way it features as a dictatorship, managed by one social gathering, the PAP (Folks’s Motion Celebration). Singapore is actually, a democracy with a number of political events. Sure, one social gathering has managed energy since Singapore gained independence within the Nineteen Sixties.
Does that make Singapore a dictatorship? Completely not. It simply appears that means as a result of there is no such thing as a opposition social gathering that has even come near contesting the PAP’s affect. The PAP, led by Lee Kuan Yew, took Singapore from actually nothing to one of many richest nations on the planet in the present day. On the time of independence, they have been a nation of uneducated and poor blue collar employees that was kicked out of Malaysia, left to fend for themselves. Singapore additionally had a number of racial teams with no financial future. in these conditions, I firmly imagine you have to have a strongman determine that is aware of what they’re doing with the great intention of the general public at coronary heart. Lee Kuan Yew was that individual and he helped foster Singapore’s meteoric rise to change into one of many richest nations on the planet in only a half century.
Individuals who say that Singapore is a dictatorship simply merely don’t perceive life outdoors of their very own privileged world. Simply because one social gathering has change into so profitable in elevating the dwelling requirements of its individuals doesn’t imply there is no such thing as a democracy. Certain the media here’s a bit biased in favor of the ruling social gathering and there are numerous examples of individuals talking out in opposition to the Authorities which have misplaced their jobs however the majority don’t care as a result of they know their nation has change into extraordinarily profitable and dwelling situations improved through the reign of the PAP. Outcomes matter ultimately.
By no means have I felt scared or nervous to say one thing about Singaporean politics, or to voice my opinion about one thing that I learn. There may be nothing oppressive in Singapore that you just wouldn’t discover in different developed nations on the planet.
In return, I reside in one of many cleanest and most secure locations on the planet. Certain there are cameras all over the place however I can depart my telephone on a desk at a hawker heart and know it’ll all the time be there after I come again. There’s many “democratic” nations the place I Would by no means ponder this!
Overcrowding in Singapore
Singapore is a nation of 5.7m individuals packed into an area of 214 sq. kilometers. That offers Singapore a inhabitants density of round 8000 individuals per sq. kilometer. As a rustic, that is likely one of the highest on the planet and as you’ll be able to count on, there are lots of people all over the place. Nonetheless, I all the time seen Singapore as a metropolis, and that’s truly not that top in comparison with many different locations. It’s truly decrease than New York Metropolis, and undoubtedly decrease than Hong Kong.
Whereas many individuals complain in regards to the overcrowding, I actually don’t discover it that dangerous. The MRT system (mass transit) is usually pleasant and its rush hour crowds are milder than these in different huge cities. In truth, I discovered that the crowds in New York Metropolis are a lot bigger and extra packed in collectively than in Singapore.
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