Living in Singapore: an expat guide

Before committing to a great change in life such as moving, you need to thoroughly research the destination that has piqued your interest. Familiarizing yourself with your new city will help you quickly become one of the locals. If you’re choosing to settle in the great city of Singapore, you’re in the right place. Read on to learn more about the city from the perspective of an expat.

1. Accommodation

At the top of our list, and it should be at the top of yours too, is finding a place to live. The best advice we could give you regarding the move is to figure out what your new address will be before you pack up your suitcases. You should also know what you’re getting into – the cost of living in Singapore is pretty high so be ready to have an adequate amount of money prepared for the accommodation.  Just like every other city, Singapore has many different neighbourhoods to offer which cater to various needs of their citizens. The neighbourhood called Tiong Bahru is best suited for those of you who pride themselves to be artsy and hip, whereas Sentosa might be the best fit for those of you who like more luxurious things in life. 

2. Lifestyle

Singapore, such as any big city, has a pretty busy lifestyle. The city is budding with life both from tourists and locals on any part of the day. However, since it’s one of the top wellness destinations in the world, it has many things to offer to those of you who like to unwind from time to time. With a spa parlor at every corner, we recommend you get the best out of Singapore by getting a massage every so often. One of the best places you can get the very trendy lymphatic massage in Singapore is Face Holistic. We guarantee you will feel fresh and ready to combat all of the remaining stresses of the move. If you like to recharge your batteries in another way, you may choose to visit one of the city’s many pubs, galleries or sightseeing spots.

3. Visa

Another crucial part of every out of country move is of course the inevitable amount of red tape you’ll need to cut through. Luckily, when it comes to Singapore the bureaucratic obstacles are not so tedious. You’ll need to ensure an Employment Pass in order to live in Singapore as an expat. For this to be possible, you have to have a secured job in Singapore and an employer who will vouch for you. It is also possible to move your entire family with you by the means of them getting a Dependents Pass. Of course, if you’re planning to study in Singapore without getting a job, that is possible too with other various types of visa. The best advice we can give you is to do some research at your own local Singapore embassy or consulate. 

4. Schools

Providing your children with the best possible education is one of the many plights of parenthood and by moving to a foreign country this becomes an even more taxing responsibility. Fortunately for you, Singapore, as one of the more popular destinations for anglophone expats, prides itself with many international English speaking schools. What is a bit of a downer though, is that most of these schools are private, so you should have a nice chunk of money saved up if you’re keen on your children continuing their education in these schools. On the other hand, there are public schools which are great as well, but there is a chance that your kids will experience some cultural and language barriers. Although English is a first language in some public schools, Singaporeans speak the peculiar variant known as Singlish.