S'pore ranks no 14 as the most expensive city in the world
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Someone please toss me a link to the actual data.
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really hope the government knows what they doing...... later we become the most expensive city in singapore, all of singapore is so high-tech that even train move very fast. they should really reconsider soon.
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We're still considerably cheaper than other Asian cities like Seoul and Hong Kong, but I'm certain we'll get there soon, so don't despair.
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Our 3 spot 'hike' up the 'most expensive city' ladder must be thanks to our recent price hike exercise.
At this rate, we should easily surpass Tokyo and Seoul by 2009. -
Not cheap, a Singapore stint
Singapore more expensive to live in than New York; fifth most costly in Asia: Survey
Christie Loh
[email protected]
THE by-product of a long-running economic boom has inevitably materialised.
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For the fourth straight year, a comprehensive survey shows Singapore scaling the ladder of expensive cities, raising concerns about whether rising costs will start to put off businesses and foreign talent.
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On a global scale, the Republic has overtaken New York to become the 14th most expensive city, up from 17th last year. Asia-wide, Singapore moved up a notch to fifth place behind Osaka, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Seoul.
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Pushing the island up the rungs were housing rental hikes, higher transport costs and costlier groceries, said Mercer Human Resource Consulting, which yesterday released the annual Worldwide Cost of Living Survey of 143 cities.
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The results are of interest to multinational companies and governments, which buy the reports to determine compensation allowances for their expatriate staff.
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Already, some foreign investors here are having second thoughts.
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"We have heard of at least one case where the company plans to staff a particular Asia-wide role in Hong Kong instead of in Singapore, given the difference in costs under new rents," Mr Fermin Diez, Mercer's worldwide partner and market development director for Asia-Pacific, told Today.
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Several of his multinational corporation (MNC) clients have also started worrying about the burden on current expatriate staff here and the impact on profitability.
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As leases run out, "everyone balks at the rapid rise in rental", said Mr Diez.
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Overall private home rents surged 14.1 per cent last year from 2005, official figures showed, but landlords in prime areas have reportedly asked for as much as 50 per cent more.
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Some MNCs are now providing their expatriate employees with extra funds to cover their rental differentials, he said.
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Meanwhile, other Asian capitals may look more alluring.
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Mercer's survey shows that all cities in this region slid down the table, except Singapore and Indian cities. This trend was part of a major reshuffle in the 2007 rankings, due mainly to the weakening US dollar and the stronger Euro, explained Mercer.
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While Moscow remained the most expensive city for the second consecutive year, several European capitals — such as London, Paris, and Copenhagen — have moved closer to the top.
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Mercer compared the cost of some 200 items including transport, food, clothing and entertainment.
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Expats paid in US dollars – whose value slumped to the lowest since 1997 last year – would have less spending power in, say, Singapore, where the currency has strengthened.
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And even though cities — say in China — may be cheaper, some are often viewed by expats as "hardship postings", said Credit Suisse First Boston economist Sailesh Jha, an American citizen living here for the past five years. Pollution, for instance, is causing some expats to move out of Hong Kong.
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Since 2004, Singapore has gone from 46th place on the Mercer survey to 34th, then 17th, and this year 14th. The ascent mirrors the economy's steady recovery from the 2003 Sars crisis to the present good times of perkier wages and bigger profits.
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But although the horizon looks clear for Singapore over the next 12 to 24 months, it remains to be seen if the rosy picture would stay intact three to five years down the road.
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"For any company wishing to expand in Asia, it'll need to measure costs of relocation versus strategic value in nurturing growth of the company," said Mr Diez.
Singapore more expensive to live in than New York; fifth most costly in Asia: Survey -
mr mah once said...
cant afford 5 room get 4 room...
cant afford central go suburban...
cant afford tampines get woodlands..
so if u cant afford SG...
go MY...
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MBT's words are little more than background noise to me eversince he flip-flopped at the recent elections over a challenge by SDA to build cheaper flats. By refusing to release the cost figures for standard HDB flats, he basically exposed himself for the fraud he is, unable to take on a simple challenge thrown his way. Floored by a newbie he was.Originally posted by GHoST_18:mr mah once said...
cant afford 5 room get 4 room...
cant afford central go suburban...
cant afford tampines get woodlands..
so if u cant afford SG...
go MY...
No wonder there was such a big hoo-haa over the recent articles in ST forum over the fact that HDB flats are sold at 'discounts' and not 'subsidised' rates as HDB sneakily portrays. -
deleted
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For those who want the table of the Top 50, this is the page:Originally posted by Kuali Baba:Someone please toss me a link to the actual data.
http://www.mercerhr.com/knowledgecenter/reportsummary.jhtml/dynamic/idContent/1095320 -
time to demand higher pay for middle and low income group people
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he is just short of saying, earn super high pay you will be able to afford to buy all types of HDB flats!!!Originally posted by GHoST_18:mr mah once said...
cant afford 5 room get 4 room...
cant afford central go suburban...
cant afford tampines get woodlands..
so if u cant afford SG...
go MY... Increase the price of HDB flat is one of the contribution to the high cost of living here. Damn it!! -
And for comparison, here are the Top 50 for the Quality Of Living survey. We're 34th - tops in Asia but behind a whole bunch of cities Down Under if Australasia is taken into account.
http://www.mercerhr.com/referencecontent.jhtml?idContent=1128060
And we're 50th in Health & Sanitation - the ranking is on the same page. -
if we earn super high pay...Originally posted by rane:he is just short of saying, earn super high pay you will be able to afford to buy all types of HDB flats!!! Increase the price of HDB flat is one of the contribution to the high cost of living here. Damn it!!
then they will benchmark their salary to the market again...
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Has anyone read this?
The giant and the tiny red dot
Chee Siok Chin
11 Jun 07
Singapore is a tiny country less than 700 square kilometres and where just over four million people reside. Compare this with China's 1.3 billion people and a land area of over nine million square kilometers, and the question of what the island-nation can teach the world's most populated country comes to mind.
Yet, there has been no shortage of such advocates. Listen to what economist and strategist, Mr. Arjuna Mahendran, says about the matter:
"Singapore is a small country of 4.3 million people, and is very efficiently run by a government of competent technocrats. It is considered a role model for other Asian countries in the field of urban planning. ChinaÂ’s leaders starting with the late Deng Xiao Ping used Singapore as a model to fashion the development of Shanghai and other urban centers."
India is also jumping in. Mahendran points out that "India is using SingaporeÂ’s expertise to re-develop her major cities" as well as those in Indonesia, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand and even the Middle East.
There is no doubt that Singapore is an extraordinarily influential city-state. It is often seen as a model of economic success by not only its neighbours, but also beyond.
Rich government, poor people
The economic success that Singapore often boasts of, however, is overstated. The real wealth lies with the ministers who have recently increased their salaries to between 1.5 million to 2 million US dollars year. Before this increase, ministers in Singapore were already the highest paid public servants in the world.
Whilst the island's leaders increased their already inflated salaries, however, the General Household Survey showed that the average household monthly income for the 30 percentile of lowest wage earners dropped by an average of 12 per cent.
At the same time, the top 10 percentile of households saw an increase of almost 15 per cent in their incomes.
The Gini Coefficient had increased from 0.49 to 0.522 from the year 200 to 2005, making income disparity in the country one of the highest in the world.
The question of whom all this economic success benefits necessarily arises. In truth its economic policies serve only to benefit the rich whilst those living in need are told that welfare should be treated like a dirty word.
The elderly are told to work beyond their retirement age and for less pay if they do not have enough money to see them through their remaining years.
The Peoples' Action Party (PAP) has been so successful in propagating its non-welfarism policy that Singaporeans think it is perfectly all right when see elderly women and men cleaning public toilets, collecting empty cans and cardboard boxes to sell, and going from table to table hawking packets of tissue at food centres.
Dependent thinking
This lack of compassion and conscience arise due to the fact that the local media have been hijacked by the ruling party. Newspapers, magazines, television and radio networks are controlled by the government.
This is the reality. The "success" the Singapore Government boasts about is attained at the cost of the freedoms, rights and dignity of its people.
The legal system is used to silence dissent; countless civil lawsuits and criminal prosecution have been successfully brought against opposition members.
Draconian laws have been enacted to ensure that power of the ruling party is deeply entrenched and prevails. Laws that prohibit public gatherings, protests, speaking to public audiences, producing political films and the use of summary judgments in defamation suits are just some of the regulations that serve to punish those who are deemed as hazards to the PAP's hold on authority.
Even the police force have been brainwashed to believe that they are personal protectors of members of the PAP.
Less authoritarian?
When compared to countries is Asia such as Burma, Cambodia, China, Vietnam and Laos, Singapore appears to be less authoritarian and less audacious in the way it deals with freedom fighters.
But the PAP's tactics are no less effective in curbing human rights and quelling any perceived threats to its power.
The situation that we face in Singapore is no less difficult. Politicians and democracy advocates have been sued, bankrupted, run out of the country and jailed in our struggle for democracy, social justice and human rights.
Teacher of the unfree world
But what has this Singapore-style government got to do with the world's Goliath?
It has been reported that China's former leader, Deng Xiaoping had openly expressed particular admiration for SingaporeÂ’s approach to "social order" as the best blueprint for the rapid development of ChinaÂ’s own cities. By the 1980s the Chinese Communist leaders, tired of the Western notion of urbanism, were also beginning to embrace the Singapore model.
Former president, Jiang Zemin is also an admirer of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew. According to Hong Kong's Ming Pao newspaper, Jiang told Lee during their meeting that he admired him for his role as Singapore's elder statesman.
The economic blueprint for any country cannot be designed in isolation of political and social development. The Singapore model has shown that economic success cannot be achieved without the suppression of rights and basic freedoms.
China's human rights record is drawing much criticism and attention from democratic societies. Sanctions, resolutions and outcry by governments and NGOs affects the Chinese Government more than it cares to recognise or admit.
The Singapore model on the other hand draws little criticism much less affirmative action from these similar bodies. One reason is because it endears itself to Western multinational corporations by creating an environment highly beneficial to such foreign businesses but, as I have pointed out, with devastating results on the locals.
It also placates the West by making soothing noises of being committed to transparency and the rule of law, but in reality practicing the opposite. This creates the illusion of legitimacy for the government.
Unfortunately, this falsehood has either been overlooked or accepted as fact by the international community.
Worryingly, countries like Taiwan and Russia are picking up a thing or two about how to undermine democracy while appearing to supporting it.
Taiwan's presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou from the Kuomintang Party had cited Singapore as a model for Taiwan. He said "Singapore is different from us (Taiwan) as its emphasis is not on democratisation. Nevertheless, it is professional, corruption-free and efficient, which is worth our learning."
A country cannot stifle democracy without seriously violating basic human freedoms. Yet, Ma looks to this city-state as an example for one of Asia's most established democracies.
Russia's current strongman Vladimir Putin is said to be looking at Lee's model of promoting economic development in isolation of the democratisation process.
Ousted former prime minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, ran the country using the Singapore model. Analyst Shawn Crispin wrote that in Thaksin's public speeches and weekly radio addresses, the former Thai leader had frequently invoked Singapore's style of governance. It proved unpopular with Thailand's democracy and freedom activists, which eventually led to his downfall.
The dangerous truth
Since it opened its doors to foreign trade and investments, the role that China plays in the world's economy has hugely increased. If it does a Singapore-type expansion, there will be a heavy price to pay for all involved, both politically as well as economically.
There is no doubt that Singapore is often seen as a model of economic success. The dangerous truth is that its governance presents a threat to democracy all over the world.
If a few countries begin to import, even in part, Lee Kuan Yew's style of governance, the struggle against tyranny is in for a rough and prolonged ride.
Chee Siok Chin is a member of the SDP's Central Executive Committee. -
What's more about the news that S'pore is 14th:
This news only made it to page 3!!! On the front page is the Malaysian sensationalistic trial of Baginda, which is of little consequence to SÂ’pore.
Consider that Singapore was placed 17th last year (see http://blueheeler.wordpress.com/2006/06/28/no-enough-lah/). Singapore has ‘climbed’ a global-ranking, and it doesn’t make front page news??? We actually beat New York, which is in 15th place….. And how often can you say that Singapore beats NY in ANYthing??? And this did not make it to the front page???!!!???
I suppose the ST (and the politically-sensitive people who own the STÂ….) wants to DOWNPLAY that the cost of living in SÂ’pore is rising faster than some poor SÂ’poreans can manage. AndÂ….I bet you that come 1st July, when our GST goes up from 5% to 7%, we may even beat Paris, St Petersburg and Milan (13th, 12th and 11th respectively).
...But donÂ’t count on that even making the STÂ….. -
Well, as usual propaganda plays a major role in the media!!!!Originally posted by blueheeler:What's more about the news that S'pore is 14th:
This news only made it to page 3!!! On the front page is the Malaysian sensationalistic trial of Baginda, which is of little consequence to SÂ’pore.
Consider that Singapore was placed 17th last year (see http://blueheeler.wordpress.com/2006/06/28/no-enough-lah/). Singapore has ‘climbed’ a global-ranking, and it doesn’t make front page news??? We actually beat New York, which is in 15th place….. And how often can you say that Singapore beats NY in ANYthing??? And this did not make it to the front page???!!!???
I suppose the ST (and the politically-sensitive people who own the STÂ….) wants to DOWNPLAY that the cost of living in SÂ’pore is rising faster than some poor SÂ’poreans can manage. AndÂ….I bet you that come 1st July, when our GST goes up from 5% to 7%, we may even beat Paris, St Petersburg and Milan (13th, 12th and 11th respectively).
...But donÂ’t count on that even making the STÂ….. -
Originally posted by ShutterBug:
Hi, ShutterBug, thanks for posting such an interesting article. I have not read this before. Where did you read this from?
Has anyone read this?
[b]The giant and the tiny red dot
Chee Siok Chin
11 Jun 07
Singapore is a tiny country less than 700 square kilometres and where just over four million people reside. Compare this with China's 1.3 billion people and a land area of over nine million square kilometers, and the question of what the island-nation can teach the world's most populated country comes to mind.
Yet, there has been no shortage of such advocates. Listen to what economist and strategist, Mr. Arjuna Mahendran, says about the matter:
"Singapore is a small country of 4.3 million people, and is very efficiently run by a government of competent technocrats. It is considered a role model for other Asian countries in the field of urban planning. ChinaÂ’s leaders starting with the late Deng Xiao Ping used Singapore as a model to fashion the development of Shanghai and other urban centers."
India is also jumping in. Mahendran points out that "India is using SingaporeÂ’s expertise to re-develop her major cities" as well as those in Indonesia, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand and even the Middle East.
There is no doubt that Singapore is an extraordinarily influential city-state. It is often seen as a model of economic success by not only its neighbours, but also beyond.
Rich government, poor people
The economic success that Singapore often boasts of, however, is overstated. The real wealth lies with the ministers who have recently increased their salaries to between 1.5 million to 2 million US dollars year. Before this increase, ministers in Singapore were already the highest paid public servants in the world.
Whilst the island's leaders increased their already inflated salaries, however, the General Household Survey showed that the average household monthly income for the 30 percentile of lowest wage earners dropped by an average of 12 per cent.
At the same time, the top 10 percentile of households saw an increase of almost 15 per cent in their incomes.
The Gini Coefficient had increased from 0.49 to 0.522 from the year 200 to 2005, making income disparity in the country one of the highest in the world.
The question of whom all this economic success benefits necessarily arises. In truth its economic policies serve only to benefit the rich whilst those living in need are told that welfare should be treated like a dirty word.
The elderly are told to work beyond their retirement age and for less pay if they do not have enough money to see them through their remaining years.
The Peoples' Action Party (PAP) has been so successful in propagating its non-welfarism policy that Singaporeans think it is perfectly all right when see elderly women and men cleaning public toilets, collecting empty cans and cardboard boxes to sell, and going from table to table hawking packets of tissue at food centres.
Dependent thinking
This lack of compassion and conscience arise due to the fact that the local media have been hijacked by the ruling party. Newspapers, magazines, television and radio networks are controlled by the government.
This is the reality. The "success" the Singapore Government boasts about is attained at the cost of the freedoms, rights and dignity of its people.
The legal system is used to silence dissent; countless civil lawsuits and criminal prosecution have been successfully brought against opposition members.
Draconian laws have been enacted to ensure that power of the ruling party is deeply entrenched and prevails. Laws that prohibit public gatherings, protests, speaking to public audiences, producing political films and the use of summary judgments in defamation suits are just some of the regulations that serve to punish those who are deemed as hazards to the PAP's hold on authority.
Even the police force have been brainwashed to believe that they are personal protectors of members of the PAP.
Less authoritarian?
When compared to countries is Asia such as Burma, Cambodia, China, Vietnam and Laos, Singapore appears to be less authoritarian and less audacious in the way it deals with freedom fighters.
But the PAP's tactics are no less effective in curbing human rights and quelling any perceived threats to its power.
The situation that we face in Singapore is no less difficult. Politicians and democracy advocates have been sued, bankrupted, run out of the country and jailed in our struggle for democracy, social justice and human rights.
Teacher of the unfree world
But what has this Singapore-style government got to do with the world's Goliath?
It has been reported that China's former leader, Deng Xiaoping had openly expressed particular admiration for SingaporeÂ’s approach to "social order" as the best blueprint for the rapid development of ChinaÂ’s own cities. By the 1980s the Chinese Communist leaders, tired of the Western notion of urbanism, were also beginning to embrace the Singapore model.
Former president, Jiang Zemin is also an admirer of Singapore's Lee Kuan Yew. According to Hong Kong's Ming Pao newspaper, Jiang told Lee during their meeting that he admired him for his role as Singapore's elder statesman.
The economic blueprint for any country cannot be designed in isolation of political and social development. The Singapore model has shown that economic success cannot be achieved without the suppression of rights and basic freedoms.
China's human rights record is drawing much criticism and attention from democratic societies. Sanctions, resolutions and outcry by governments and NGOs affects the Chinese Government more than it cares to recognise or admit.
The Singapore model on the other hand draws little criticism much less affirmative action from these similar bodies. One reason is because it endears itself to Western multinational corporations by creating an environment highly beneficial to such foreign businesses but, as I have pointed out, with devastating results on the locals.
It also placates the West by making soothing noises of being committed to transparency and the rule of law, but in reality practicing the opposite. This creates the illusion of legitimacy for the government.
Unfortunately, this falsehood has either been overlooked or accepted as fact by the international community.
Worryingly, countries like Taiwan and Russia are picking up a thing or two about how to undermine democracy while appearing to supporting it.
Taiwan's presidential candidate Ma Ying-jeou from the Kuomintang Party had cited Singapore as a model for Taiwan. He said "Singapore is different from us (Taiwan) as its emphasis is not on democratisation. Nevertheless, it is professional, corruption-free and efficient, which is worth our learning."
A country cannot stifle democracy without seriously violating basic human freedoms. Yet, Ma looks to this city-state as an example for one of Asia's most established democracies.
Russia's current strongman Vladimir Putin is said to be looking at Lee's model of promoting economic development in isolation of the democratisation process.
Ousted former prime minister of Thailand, Thaksin Shinawatra, ran the country using the Singapore model. Analyst Shawn Crispin wrote that in Thaksin's public speeches and weekly radio addresses, the former Thai leader had frequently invoked Singapore's style of governance. It proved unpopular with Thailand's democracy and freedom activists, which eventually led to his downfall.
The dangerous truth
Since it opened its doors to foreign trade and investments, the role that China plays in the world's economy has hugely increased. If it does a Singapore-type expansion, there will be a heavy price to pay for all involved, both politically as well as economically.
There is no doubt that Singapore is often seen as a model of economic success. The dangerous truth is that its governance presents a threat to democracy all over the world.
If a few countries begin to import, even in part, Lee Kuan Yew's style of governance, the struggle against tyranny is in for a rough and prolonged ride.
Chee Siok Chin is a member of the SDP's Central Executive Committee.[/b]
Hope more of our fellow men and women will be wise to know what is going on and not be fooled by them.
REally, in no time Singapore will take over Moscow as the no 1 rank!! Sigh! What can we do to make our lives here better? Help!!!
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quote]Originally posted by rane:Originally posted by rane:Hi, ShutterBug, thanks for posting such an interesting article. I have not read this before. Where did you read this from?
Hope more of our fellow men and women will be wise to know what is going on and not be fooled by them.
REally, in no time Singapore will take over Moscow as the no 1 rank!! Sigh! What can we do to make our lives here better? Help!!!
Hi, ShutterBug, thanks for posting such an interesting article. I have not read this before. Where did you read this from?
Hope more of our fellow men and women will be wise to know what is going on and not be fooled by them.
REally, in no time Singapore will take over Moscow as the no 1 rank!! Sigh! What can we do to make our lives here better? Help!!! [/quote]
You can read MANY articles that are eye-opening. These are all facts, not plugged from the air...
>>>> http://www.singaporedemocrat.org/ -
no, they will be bothered cos it could chase away ft as well as mnc!Originally posted by confusedboi:i dont think those elites are bothered bout these
afterall they earn mega peanuts
most people dont even have 1/50 of a peanut
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Ha, it depends on what they are in for!!! Well, as we can see they are so into making tons of $$$ as politicians, so higher cost of living means assurance of getting super high pay.Originally posted by lotus999:no, they will be bothered cos it could chase away ft as well as mnc!
If they really care about attracting FTs and MNCs then they will not constantly raise the cost of living so fast! Less than a year, PUB bill increase at least 3 times (including the increase to 9% they just announced). It is downright absurd!! Gahmen monopolized the business in the utility supply and this is such an essential we need for our everyday life, so sure they make tons of $$$$ easily, happily without any company to compete with.
It is inevitable that the cost of living will get higher, but what the ruling party is doing is really . . . - oops, I really don't how what to say . . . I am lost in words to describe them!! 
Do they work for themselves or for the nation? This is the question we need to think about. People, people of Singapore think, think, and not be fooled for your future matters!! -
PUI!!! KENA SAI LAH!Originally posted by rane:Singapore ranks number 14 as the most expensive city in the world, and ranks number 5 in asia pacific.
Singapore jumps 3 spots to become number 14 as the most expensive city in the world for expatriates to live in. In asia pacific, it ranks number 5. Cost of living in Singapore is higher than New York. Moscow still remains as number one most expensive city in the world.
No no surprise at all about the ranking! At the rate the ruling party is raising the cost of living here, in no time Singapore will replace Moscow as the number one most expensive city in the world. Perhaps, this is what the gahmen want to achieve.
With the constant rise in the cost of the living, FTs especially those from the poor countries may want to consider taking up jobs in other countries rather than come to Singapore. In this sense, gahmen may lose more FTs, ha ha ha!! Already, some of them are complaining about the high rental of property in Singapore.
It is absurd that the cost of living here is rising constantly. Wonder if this is the way for them to stay where they are so they can continue to be paid super high salary. -
I believe if Spore standard of living is higher than NY perhaps the govt effort to bring back talented local from NY is going to be a problem.
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all is gov .... say ....
If you can't get a job don't ask high pay ...
so my pay been cut!!! cut!!! cut !!! till so little ....
going jobless soon....
cost going up .... price can't increase.... if not loss deal....
pte ltd how to live on ....
so we will see more people jobless after GST increase to 7% ....
and no pay increasment for most people .... but MP have !!!
we have our paid cut so they can have 2% in paid rise....
where is our right ? -
you can do something the next election.Originally posted by MeOwSuSan:all is gov .... say ....
If you can't get a job don't ask high pay ...
so my pay been cut!!! cut!!! cut !!! till so little ....
going jobless soon....
cost going up .... price can't increase.... if not loss deal....
pte ltd how to live on ....
so we will see more people jobless after GST increase to 7% ....
and no pay increasment for most people .... but MP have !!!
we have our paid cut so they can have 2% in paid rise....
where is our right ? -
tat's wat we say now...
but most ppl forget abt it when the govt starts throwing carrorts during tat time of the year...