Singapore named the world's most expensive city

[ArchRival]

Don't worry, when 6.9 mil pop come in, cost of living will go down.
A very dense, well-planned city is actually the most sustainable way of life for human beings.
Living in a dense city is the cheapest way of providing food, water, healthcare, education, jobs.
Simply because you have to move around less.
And in Singapore, this is the model of the future.

 

[Yutaka Go]

Yay, I must ask my boss for pay increase and transport allowance. :thumbsup:

The 1st thing he will do is to move the company to a cheaper country :bsmilie:

 

[Yutaka Go]

Of course I am.

The most expensive means the best. :bsmilie:

The most expensive means most people can only buy 2nd hand used goods :bsmilie:

 

[hanzohattori]

The 1st thing he will do is to move the company to a cheaper country :bsmilie:

You laugh but I know for a fact that this is true. I know few companies already doing this and an acquaintance is thinking to.
ok now I can :bsmilie: too

 

[9V-Orion Images]

It's just additional information. Maybe you can share why you think Gilbert's points are nonsensical?

(Otherwise, people may look at your post and think "ya ya ya the usual nonsense post from d2xpeter. LOL! :bsmilie:")

LOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL.

Don't mind me, just trying to understand why someone will always type like this to conclude his statement.

 

[daredevil123]

It's just additional information. Maybe you can share why you think Gilbert's points are nonsensical?

(Otherwise, people may look at your post and think "ya ya ya the usual nonsense post from d2xpeter. LOL! :bsmilie:")

For one, Gilbert do not know how the tax system in USA works. I pay more taxes here in SG than in USA, and I made more in USA. It is not just the tax rates, but what is deductible. in USA, if I am a homeowner, all interest paid in home loans are tax deductible. There are also a lot of tax shelters one can use. It is a whole strategy.

And on GST, Singapore taxes GST on all goods and services. In a heavy sales tax state like California, yes the percentage is higher (7.75% to 8.25%). But sales tax do not affect everything. For one, services are not charged sales tax. Out of state sales are not charged sales tax. Food and produce are not charged sales tax. and the list goes on.

But the killer is just price of cars. You cannot leave out price of cars like other countries. that is unrealistic. Price of housing is also exorbitant in Singapore, and so is the cost of doing business.

BTW, we pay the highest electricity prices in the world now. While power stations are reporting record profits. Transportation fares keep going up and CEO of our subway system complained it is not viable to operate... while at the same time they give out record dividends and booked record profits...

 

[Yutaka Go]

You laugh but I know for a fact that this is true. I know few companies already doing this and an acquaintance is thinking to.
ok now I can :bsmilie: too

I have never dispute the fact that companies are moving to cheaper countries.

I am laughing at those people, who think they still have bargain power over their pay :bsmilie:

 

[Yutaka Go]

For one, Gilbert do not know how the tax system in USA works. I pay more taxes here in SG than in USA, and I made more in USA. It is not just the tax rates, but what is deductible. in USA, if I am a homeowner, all interest paid in home loans are tax deductible. There are also a lot of tax shelters one can use. It is a whole strategy.

And on GST, Singapore taxes GST on all goods and services. In a heavy sales tax state like California, yes the percentage is higher (7.75% to 8.25%). But sales tax do not affect everything. For one, services are not charged sales tax. Out of state sales are not charged sales tax. Food and produce are not charged sales tax. and the list goes on.

But the killer is just price of cars. You cannot leave out price of cars like other countries. that is unrealistic. Price of housing is also exorbitant in Singapore, and so is the cost of doing business.

BTW, we pay the highest electricity prices in the world now. While power stations are reporting record profits. Transportation fares keep going up and CEO of our subway system complained it is not viable to operate... while at the same time they give out record dividends and booked record profits...

You forgot to mention that SG PM is also the most expensive to maintain :bsmilie:

 

[ricohflex]

Tell us something that we do not already know.

Nevertheless, SG always aims for higher achievements.

The target figure of $1 Million for COE for small car.

 

[ricohflex]

Should merge the two threads on same topic.

 

[edutilos-]

But the killer is just price of cars. You cannot leave out price of cars like other countries. that is unrealistic.

Thanks for the comparative effort displayed in your disagreement with the link. I really haven't been to the US or know much about their tax systems, though it seems that every state has a different policy, so it would probably be very hard to do a proper comparison, it seems?

Re cars: as mentioned earlier, everyone will have a different opinion on this. I personally haven't had a need for a car. It would definitely be very convenient but I don't think it should be viewed as a de facto must-have? So I have to disagree with you that leaving out the price of cars is unrealistic.

 

[daredevil123]

Should merge the two threads on same topic.

Threads merged.

 

[daredevil123]

Thanks for the comparative effort displayed in your disagreement with the link. I really haven't been to the US or know much about their tax systems, though it seems that every state has a different policy, so it would probably be very hard to do a proper comparison, it seems?

Re cars: as mentioned earlier, everyone will have a different opinion on this. I personally haven't had a need for a car. It would definitely be very convenient but I don't think it should be viewed as a de facto must-have? So I have to disagree with you that leaving out the price of cars is unrealistic.

Re tax: It is ok if you don't know. I am telling you now. I was living in California, with one of the highest state tax rates. Federal tax is the same within all states of USA. So it is possible to get even lower tax rates than what I experienced. Like Texas for example, there is no state tax at all.

Re cars: you personally do not need one, doesn't mean everyone doesn't need one. Especially folks with children and older folk.

So what about housing? Electricity? GST? GST hits the mid to low income folks the most. Because it is not based on income level. And for people making less, the sales tax of necessities (both products and services) the percentage is so much larger than high income individuals.

Pricing of healthcare is also starting to skyrocket. in 2013 alone, a doctor's visit at TTSH has gone up more than 30% hike. while service levels have dropped, very long wait times. Even the wait at the pharmacy is now as long as 1 hour at times (my max wait was 2 hours). My mom had to go for an op, and the next available appointment in 9 months. And doc says although her condition needs surgery soon, there is nothing they can do with dates. They "strongly" recommend that my mom go see private practice to get it sorted out. Which we did in the end.

And as for polyclinic dental, the next appointment waiting list is more than 12 months.

All I can say are the things I experienced. Each and everyone should come to their own conclusions. I have mine.

Of course, There are also many who are very supportive of the current status quo, a big fraction of them are probably people who benefit the most from how the current things are being run.

人不为己, 天诛地灭

Sometimes, if people never lived overseas, they really do not know that at times, the grass is indeed greener on the other side.

 

[edutilos-]

Sometimes, if people never lived overseas, they really do not know that at times, the grass is indeed greener on the other side.

Well, my experience was in London so that would have been *quite* different from yours. I'm sure you have friends or know of the issues there.. There's probably no need for me to elaborate. I don't think America is perfect either, but then again nowhere really is. If it was, then it would probably become overpopulated and faced with all sorts of issues too. :bsmilie: Jokes aside, like what you say, everyone will come to their own conclusion, and that conclusion really does depend on your priorities, your fit with the system, and all sorts of factors. That's the dilemma of all governments I guess (which is also made up of a mix of people too).

Btw, just out of curiosity, if America is a greener pasture to you, why do you choose to return? Family?

Anyways, I haven't really addressed every single point you raised, not because I didn't read it, but because I think it's a good sharing of info and we can just leave it at that.

 

[hanzohattori]

Well london is expensive, the underground cost at least 2 quid for ride in city area.

 

[daredevil123]

Btw, just out of curiosity, if America is a greener pasture to you, why do you choose to return? Family?

Yup. Family. Need to take care of them. And need a car for that too.

And I know UK well. My brother lives there for past 20 years.

Of course there are problems everywhere. But Gilbert's explanation is just BS and needs to be called out.

 

[edutilos-]

Yup. Family. Need to take care of them. And need a car for that too.

I see.

On cars, referencing stats on the issue here (as of 2013), 45% of households own at least one car. Of course ownership and "needs" are not exactly intertwined, but the same reply could be given to a statement that families with children and/or old folk *need* a car (i.e. just because a family with children and/or old folk needs a car for whatever reason, doesn't mean that this should be applied as a blanket statement to all families either). I hope we can agree (at least) that it does cut both ways.

In any case, thanks for sharing!

 

[edutilos-]

Well london is expensive, the underground cost at least 2 quid for ride in city area.

Yes, it was frozen for 1.50 quid for the longest time and I guess it was just not sustainable anymore? And now apparently there's peak and off-peak timings, I gather. It's 2.20 quid off-peak.

 

[daredevil123]

I see.

On cars, referencing stats on the issue here (as of 2013), 45% of households own at least one car. Of course ownership and "needs" are not exactly intertwined, but the same reply could be given to a statement that families with children and/or old folk *need* a car (i.e. just because a family with children and/or old folk needs a car for whatever reason, doesn't mean that this should be applied as a blanket statement to all families either). I hope we can agree (at least) that it does cut both ways.

In any case, thanks for sharing!

But the fact remained that prices has risen a great deal the last 3 years (as shown by our CPI reported by our own govt (excluding property and cars), sometimes as much as 5% a month). And the numbers from our own govt also show that income has risen very marginally in the last 10 years. With inflation calculated, our real income is actually shrinking by quite a bit. These are facts. And if we factor in property... wow. Did not even have to factor in cars.

 

[edutilos-]

But the fact remained that prices has risen a great deal the last 3 years (as shown by our CPI reported by our own govt (excluding property and cars), sometimes as much as 5% a month). And the numbers from our own govt also show that income has risen very marginally in the last 10 years. With inflation calculated, our real income is actually shrinking by quite a bit. These are facts. And if we factor in property... wow. Did not even have to factor in cars.

This report does not seem to agree with what you say: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/real-income-up-for-most/1001958.html

This too: http://sbr.com.sg/economy/news/singapores-real-income-growth-surged-in-2013