What Singapore has to offer that is so expensive?

[cougar]

Just went Genting and back, took the cable car ride, RM 10 two way, half an hour of ride, cool crisp air, birds chipping, lush rainforest. THe last ride on Sentosa's cable car, S$20+ (with Sg IC discount already i think), 15min, see buildings, ships, cars, harbour, container ports.

 

Seriously wtf are we paying through our noses here in Sg, everything is botox. With affluence in the next few years, neighbouring real estate definitely worth more than Sg's botox city, all investors are buying here is akin to a flat in a production island, there's nothing natural here.

[xXxRatedxXx]

Just went Genting and back, took the cable car ride, RM 10 two way, half an hour of ride, cool crisp air, birds chipping, lush rainforest. THe last ride on Sentosa's cable car, S$20+ (with Sg IC discount already i think), 15min, see buildings, ships, cars, harbour, container ports.

 

Seriously wtf are we paying through our noses here in Sg, everything is botox. With affluence in the next few years, neighbouring real estate definitely worth more than Sg's botox city, all investors are buying here is akin to a flat in a production island, there's nothing natural here.

 

You should go to genting and enjoy more often then.

[JSCJL]

Take SG flyer see constructions, constructions and yet, more constructions.

[LTC]

Take SG flyer see constructions, constructions and yet, more constructions.

 

Damm... I just bought flyers ticket so that I can bring my son...

Now my son will think y I bring him see construction site?

[wait4me]

Damm... I just bought flyers ticket so that I can bring my son...

Now my son will think y I bring him see construction site?

i feel should bring your son go see nature..

much better ..

[DeusExMachina]

 

What Singapore has to offer that is so expensive?

 

 

 

 

Useless politicians?

[cougar]

Useless politicians?

 

ya, thanks to them, Sg has lost all natural resources (imagine we have to recycle our water to drink, just because of some argument), including true bred Singaporeans. All imported (grass, sand, people), this country is losing its identity real fast.

 

With population of 6.5million, that few sq km of natural habitat is as good as nothing. The quality of living here is force fed botox to look good.

[cougar]

Take SG flyer see constructions, constructions and yet, more constructions.

 

And Sg flyers tickets without discount costs $50 for 20min ride, last time my wife got some for $10 which we went for, otherwise we will never pay that kinda money.

 

All these inflated prices are for their foolish investments, recuperating their construction and maintenance costs.

[di_andrei]

Safety, low taxes, and cheap food.

[Jehuty]

Safety, low taxes, and cheap food.

 

Dafuq? Safety? Well unlikely to get mobbed or get shot at, other than that, the roads are just as dangerous if not more.

 

Low taxes? Much of what you pay isn't called taxes but it works out the same way. Here we make fining people an art, we invest millions into technology and manpower to fine people because it is part of the gahmen's policy to take back whatever we work for.

 

Cheap food? $5 can feed 2 people until content in Msia or Thailand, you're getting just desserts for 5 bucks here.

[thrasher]

Damm... I just bought flyers ticket so that I can bring my son...

Now my son will think y I bring him see construction site?

 

Should've spent the cash and go to marina bay sands sky garden. Better view and no time restriction

[haoKR]

ya, thanks to them, Sg has lost all natural resources (imagine we have to recycle our water to drink, just because of some argument), including true bred Singaporeans. All imported (grass, sand, people), this country is losing its identity real fast.

 

With population of 6.5million, that few sq km of natural habitat is as good as nothing. The quality of living here is force fed botox to look good.

 

u mean sg has 6.5m ppl ?

sg only 5m ppl

[di_andrei]

Dafuq? Safety? Well unlikely to get mobbed or get shot at, other than that, the roads are just as dangerous if not more.

 

Low taxes? Much of what you pay isn't called taxes but it works out the same way. Here we make fining people an art, we invest millions into technology and manpower to fine people because it is part of the gahmen's policy to take back whatever we work for.

 

Cheap food? $5 can feed 2 people until content in Msia or Thailand, you're getting just desserts for 5 bucks here.

 

So let's check those facts a little: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate

 

Singapore is the 12th safest country (out of 181) in terms of traffic accident deaths relative to the population, and 34th safest by accidents relative to number of vehicles. I can pull out crime statistics, natural disaster statistics, virtually by any statistical measure Singapore is one of the safest countries in the world.

The same applies to taxation, just look it up yourself. Yes there are fines. But if fines take up a significant proportion of your annual income, I suggest the problem lies with you, not the system.

Food. Yes, it's by no means the cheapest in the world. Yes $5 can feed a family for a day in Malaysia and Thailand. It can probably feed a family for a week in Somalia - yet, I wouldn't like to go and live in Somalia. Relative to people's incomes, food is VERY cheap in Singapore.

[Jehuty]

So let's check those facts a little: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate

 

Singapore is the 12th safest country (out of 181) in terms of traffic accident deaths relative to the population, and 34th safest by accidents relative to number of vehicles. I can pull out crime statistics, natural disaster statistics, virtually by any statistical measure Singapore is one of the safest countries in the world.

The same applies to taxation, just look it up yourself. Yes there are fines. But if fines take up a significant proportion of your annual income, I suggest the problem lies with you, not the system.

Food. Yes, it's by no means the cheapest in the world. Yes $5 can feed a family for a day in Malaysia and Thailand. It can probably feed a family for a week in Somalia - yet, I wouldn't like to go and live in Somalia. Relative to people's incomes, food is VERY cheap in Singapore.

 

Meh I do not disagree that Singapore is safe from crime, at least the ones the police can do anything about. I still think Singapore is expensive as far as cost of living goes, there's much to go through your income before I even get to food.

 

Singapore's a fine place to live in, if you're a little well off. Well if you're on the lower income side, all the best.

[B20]

there shouldnt be a need for comparison... its a never ending thing...

[DeusExMachina]

So let's check those facts a little: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_traffic-related_death_rate

 

Singapore is the 12th safest country (out of 181) in terms of traffic accident deaths relative to the population, and 34th safest by accidents relative to number of vehicles. I can pull out crime statistics, natural disaster statistics, virtually by any statistical measure Singapore is one of the safest countries in the world.

The same applies to taxation, just look it up yourself. Yes there are fines. But if fines take up a significant proportion of your annual income, I suggest the problem lies with you, not the system.

Food. Yes, it's by no means the cheapest in the world. Yes $5 can feed a family for a day in Malaysia and Thailand. It can probably feed a family for a week in Somalia - yet, I wouldn't like to go and live in Somalia. Relative to people's incomes, food is VERY cheap in Singapore.

 

 

All those nice things about cheap stuff has been wiped out by

 

- Hideously expensive public housing. $350K for a 100 sq meter pigeon hole. Even more for landed private properties, but that's private sector. So LL.

- Ridiculous vehicle prices. $70K for COE, 140% ARF on vehicles. You're looking at $100+K Honda Civics

- High fuel prices. May not be the highest in the world, but still one of the...

- Rising tranport prices amidst falling quality of ride and operational reliability. If they want us to take pubic transpork, why isn't it heavily subsidized further (or is that avenue already covered by high COEs?)

[Blahhh]

I have to agree that SG's food is cheap in relative to what people earn. Don't get caught up with comparing food in other countries like Msia or Indo; it's an unfair comparison because our money is simply stronger.

 

For example, I was eating mee bakso at a roadside stall in Jakarta, it cost me 12,000RP. Converted to SGD, it's roughly $1.80 very cheap. However, if you're an Indonesian earning the average wage of 1.5mil IDR, it will be expensive for him to eat outside and mind you - it was just a roadside stall. In Singapore's context, imagine earning 1.5K SGD and a bowl of laksa is $12.

[LTC]

The cost of standard of living in Singapore is "remarkable" mainly due to the influx of foreigner...

Cannot really compare with other countries how much their laksa cost...

The only reason if any on why I want to look at other countries is because I want to FO from sg...

6.5 or 7 million population is probably the target before next GE.

Took MRT few days back... Mrt freaking packed with people on platform unable to board.

First class public transpot indeed... Lol...

[di_andrei]

All those nice things about cheap stuff has been wiped out by

 

- Hideously expensive public housing. $350K for a 100 sq meter pigeon hole. Even more for landed private properties, but that's private sector. So LL.

- Ridiculous vehicle prices. $70K for COE, 140% ARF on vehicles. You're looking at $100+K Honda Civics

- High fuel prices. May not be the highest in the world, but still one of the...

- Rising tranport prices amidst falling quality of ride and operational reliability. If they want us to take pubic transpork, why isn't it heavily subsidized further (or is that avenue already covered by high COEs?)

 

I agree with all your points, I just think it's useful to have a balanced view, the TS started by asking what Singapore has to offer for being so expensive. The answer is plenty of things.

Your point about public housing is a particularly good one, the prices are insane considering the aim of public housing in the first place.

Comparatively, cars are also ridiculously expensive, however, for most people - cars in Singapore are a luxury, not a necessity. There was another thread here about how "most Singaporeans will never own a car because of COE". Well, most people of the world will also never own a car, and compared to them Singaporeans don't really need cars - public transport is good enough and far better than in most places around the world. Yes, there is a downward trend but nothing that cannot be fixed.

[fufu]

I agree with all your points, I just think it's useful to have a balanced view, the TS started by asking what Singapore has to offer for being so expensive. The answer is plenty of things.

Your point about public housing is a particularly good one, the prices are insane considering the aim of public housing in the first place.

Comparatively, cars are also ridiculously expensive, however, for most people - cars in Singapore are a luxury, not a necessity. There was another thread here about how "most Singaporeans will never own a car because of COE". Well, most people of the world will also never own a car, and compared to them Singaporeans don't really need cars - public transport is good enough and far better than in most places around the world. Yes, there is a downward trend but nothing that cannot be fixed.

 

u r only half rite. ppl in SG buy cars to join in the jam. so to add...

 

public transport is good enough in sg. but i think they have to improve their reliability and services and BE ON TIME if they are increasing transportation fares. the fares and service provided are not justified thats y the anger from the public.

 

have u ever felt so relieved that u at least own ur own ride when u have to wait for more than an hr to get a cab? even if u call cab.. the phone just stay ringing for more than 20 mins!

[Sephiro]

yea man! so when my pay going to increase? =(

 

check with your boss. lol

last 2 years i got the letter of increment of 1% of 1.6K pay.

I stared at the letter for 5mins...

[cougar]

Sg is offering everything more expensive than our neighbours. Thats the costs underneath and the willingness of consumers paying those prices. So are we willing suckers or we dont have a choice, balls got squeeze left right centre? Despite the low unemployment, the inflated prices profits must end up in someone's pockets, since the same item costs half across the causeway. Not everyone can afford to drive across to buy their goods, making cars costly is a deterence for us to benefit in that area. Making local housing expensive means most of us no chance of saving for retirement. Remaining in Sg seems to make u poorer and poorer, whereas i see M'sians working here gets richer and richer when they goes back home.

[Jehuty]

Singapore is a monetary blackhole, to survive is one thing, to break the cycle of debt is another. If you're lucky enough to have the opportunity to have a house in JB or anywhere else but here, that's all good but in order to do that, you'll need a fair amount of cash. Cash which does not come by easily given how Singapore is like.

[DeusExMachina]

Cash which does not come by easily given how Singapore is like.

 

Of course it doesn't. Cheng Hu make sure you're up to your necks in debt. Just enough not to die, but enough to keep you struggling such that you don't have time to take part in such trifling activities like being a political activist, or a catalyst of change......

[Jehuty]

Of course it doesn't. Cheng Hu make sure you're up to your necks in debt. Just enough not to die, but enough to keep you struggling such that you don't have time to take part in such trifling activities like being a political activist, or a catalyst of change......

 

Not to mention you can't take out your CPF if its not above a certain amount or a certain age...which makes it almost redundant, its like savings you can't really use.