Singapore the Garden Paradise

Visas and Immigration.

Work Visas are critical for foreigners who want to move to Singapore. There are a few options:

• Employment Pass - Normal white collar visa up to 3 years. Requires company sponsorship. Typically salary needs to be top third vs local role, based on position and tenure.

• Personalized Employment Pass - Higher end visa up to 3 years. No company sponsorship required. Salary requirements needs to be top 10% of Employment Pass (~$180k USD)

• Overseas Network and Expertise Pass - New visa introduced in 2023. Outstanding talent up to 5 years. No company sponsorship required. Salary requirements are meaningfully higher - 30kSGD per month (~$270k USD annually).

Employers and employees can apply via the Ministry of Manpower. Typically, you can apply for Permanent Residency after 6 months to 1 year, with higher probability given to ethnic-Chinese applicants.

Healthcare

While Singaporean citizens benefit from universal healthcare, foreigners need to pay for private insurance. For private health insurance, there are several popular options:

• AIA

• Aviva

• AXA

• Great Eastern Life

Please also see this Quick Guide to Singapore Insurance. Healthcare costs will vary depending on the type of service. Private hospitals will be significant (e.g. $12-15k USD for appendix surgery). On the other hand, public hospitals will be significantly lower (e.g $3-4l USD for appendix surgery)

There are both large hospitals and 6,000+ health clinics (of which 57% are Western). The first stop is usually at a General Practitioner. While locals have CPF, foreigners can register on-site.

Housing and Neighborhoods

PropertyGuru and 99.co are the main rental platforms. Hmlet and Cove are also used for short term rentals. There’s a huge range of prices depending on where you want to live and your lifestyle. It can range from ~$1k USD for shared flats in more affordable neighboorhoods to $4k USD for luxury units near central business district.

There are different types of housing, in increasing costs: shared flats, public housing (“HDBs”), condos, landed houses. Note that rental prices have been increasing at an incredible pace since the end of 2021 and still rising.

Younger professionals tend to live closer to the Central Business District or other notable areas. Some of the trendier districts include:

• Tiong Bahru - trendy neighborhood known for its unique blend of shop-houses, hip cafes, and boutique stores

• Tanjong Pagar - vibrant district with a mix of heritage buildings nestled between modern skyscrapers; offers a diverse range of dining options and lively nightlife

• Joo chiat - culturally rich neighborhood famous for its colorful Peranakan shophouses, authentic eateries serving traditional Peranakan cuisine, and vibrant street art

• Robertson Quay - riverside enclave with a relaxed atmosphere, popular for its waterfront dining, wine bars, and art galleries; many of the more wealthy Western expats tend to live here with families

• Holland Village - bohemian neighborhood known for its laid-back vibe, international cuisine, quirky boutiques, and bustling nightlife; attracts a lot of Western expats

• East Coast Park - seaside area along the eastern coast of Singapore; more of a family vibe with lots of outdoor activities, such as cycling, jogging, volleyball, etc. Many Western expats with families will choose to live here.

Heartland areas are typically further away from CBD and will be more dominated by locals with fewer expats:

• Kovan - Northeast residential neighborhood with a cozy atmosphere and a mix of local eateries, coffee shops, and small businesses catering to the community.

• Toa Payoh - well-established residential town known for its central location, modern amenities, and vibrant hawker centers offering a variety of local delicacies

• Bishan - suburban town with green landscapes, big parks, recreational facilities, and a bustling heartland mall for residents' convenience.

• Jurong - industrial area to the West with lots of open space and a size-able lake. There’s a handful of shopping malls and parks with biking paths

Transportation

The public transportation is very clean, efficient, and accessible, whether it is subway or buses. Car ownership is notoriously expensive. While it can be used as a social status, it is somewhat unnecessary. Grab is the predominant ride sharing app used in Singapore.

Given how small Singapore is, there is lots of international travel. Luckily, Chiangyi Airport is often ranked as one of the best in the world, not to mention one of the busiest