Singapore named the world's most expensive city

[d2xpeter]

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...

Spot-on, bro!
And in Australia, kids get free university education!

All these gilberts need to wake up and stop uttering gilberish. LOLLL!

 

[d2xpeter]

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.

Another spot-on bro.
All these ignorant gilberts here hv had their brains washed squeaky clean that they cannot think straight. LOLLLLLLL

 

[d2xpeter]

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.

Well said!
I feel that people nowadays are easily bought-in by the so-called statistics and reports.
Sad.

 

[An drew]

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

Like that I must ask my boss to cut my salary! :bsmilie:

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.

Like that we must ask the government to increase the population to 10 million. :bsmilie:

 

[Sion]

And in Australia, kids get free university education!

Where got free?

You know about HECS (Higher Education Contribution Scheme)?

 

[lkf73]

For the folks who do not drive cars, they will still face the effects of higher car prices, even if they don't pay for COE. Their doctors drive cars, their managers drive cars, the fish seller drive cars, ntuc needs trucks to transport their goods, taxis also need to bid for COE, etc. And these people will raise their fees to cover cost and we all pay for it.

Same for housing cost, result is higher rental. And we all pay for it too.

Frankly, if you don't drive car, own a HDB flat and receive the same pay 5 yrs again with 2-3% increment, are you worst off now than before? Extend this trend for another 10 years and I worry for my retirement.

To me, it's inflation and wealth gets redistributed to the govt and people who have more bargaining power. For low and middle income, we just see our "wealth" shrink.

 

[UncleFai]

The locals may actually welcome it. The survey is meant to guide HRs in companies on how much to compensate their expat staff. Hence, it does not include public transport, public housing or public healthcare (the stuff of "smelly locals"). As locals have been complaining about foreign talents taking their jobs, having this could make companies think twice about bringing in expats. Of course, some cheapo ones here will still hire expats - on local terms.

 

[Kit]

If you know how obscenely some expats are paid, the ranking means nothing to those companies.

 

[ArchRival]

Like that I must ask my boss to cut my salary! :bsmilie:

:bsmilie::bsmilie: Don't need you to ask, govt has been cutting CPF contributions from employers over the past few decades, i.e. wage cuts to make you more competitive.

Like that we must ask the government to increase the population to 10 million. :bsmilie:

Not i say one wor......i was merely quoting reputable leaders.

 

[ArchRival]

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:

Yeah...lets laugh at the 100+ people working at S- amk who lost their jobs just before cny. Think you should get anything above what your pals in Thailand are getting? Dream on!
:bsmilie::bsmilie:

 

[An drew]

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:

Yeah...lets laugh at the 100+ people working at S- amk who lost their jobs just before cny. Think you should get anything above what your pals in Thailand are getting? Dream on!
:bsmilie::bsmilie:

I think I have to insist that my boss cut my pay and CPF! :dunno:

http://www.straitstimes.com/breakin...nt-pay-rise-chemical-sector-may-see-layoffs-n
http://www.stjobs.sg/career-resources/hr-updates/hard-disk-firm-lays-off-over-500-workers/a/148491

 

[Sion]

Like that we must ask the government to increase the population to 10 million. :bsmilie:

We'll reach 10 millions soon if less people spend less time in photo forums and more time on the beds doing their duties for national population. :bsmilie:

 

[TANHK]

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.

Recently I stay one month in NZ, visited my brother who migrated there, home for him is 600m2 area, in comparison my home here is 120m2 but I paid three times more. He has 2 cars bought resale, and we know how crazy a car cost in Spore. He does not live in luxury, to keep cost down, he grow vegetables in the garden and packed lunch box. Eating at food court a meal is about NZ$10-14 but the portion is 1.5times larger than here. Eating out at restaurant is comparable to Spore but bigger portion. I do not know about the tax rate in NZ, probably higher in Spore when you hit a certain tier rate. Cost of living is cheaper I feel.
In Spore, if you are rich, it is a place to settle down and enjoy.

 

[TANHK]

If you know how obscenely some expats are paid, the ranking means nothing to those companies.

Not only expats, I think (some of) our local CEOs and senior management are over valued

 

[UncleFai]

DPM just responded "No such thing as free lunch, and we are worth it!"

http://www.straitstimes.com/breakin...ying-vibrant-means-spore-wont-be-cheap-place-

 

[NazgulKing]

You know, we may all talk about rising costs etc., but no one is gonna like it if the price of housing returns to "realistic levels". People will get mighty sensitive to such topics, even though they spend half the time bitching about it. The banks for one, have the biggest to lose.

See, people like Gilbert have found a way to capitalise on the system and profit from it. Obviously they will say that it's "still OK".

 

[An drew]

We'll reach 10 millions soon if less people spend less time in photo forums and more time on the beds doing their duties for national population. :bsmilie:

You can still spend time on photo forums as it just take a few minutes to fertilize an egg. The real solution is for our government to import women and allow multiple wives as this is ancient wisdom and practice in many cultures.

 

[kandinsky]

I do not know about the tax rate in NZ, probably higher in Spore when you hit a certain tier rate.

NZ's rates are actually higher across the board: http://www.ird.govt.nz/how-to/taxrates-codes/itaxsalaryandwage-incometaxrates.html

 

[daredevil123]

NZ's rates are actually higher across the board: http://www.ird.govt.nz/how-to/taxrates-codes/itaxsalaryandwage-incometaxrates.html

But healthcare is basically free.

 

[BBTM]

Told you all to walk liao. Saves $ since every things expensive. ;p btw, as long dont spend or spend wisely, your pocket wouldn't hurt that much.