DubaiMama

My hubbie has recently received an offer to work in Singapore for the same salary in Dubai. We are a young family with 2 small babies (2-year-old), and are pretty settled in Dubai by now. Should we stay or should we go???

My concerns include which place is better for my kids to grow up? Is Singapore a more enjoyable place to be than Dubai? Thanks a lot!

Blue Cat

I think you would need to earn more to live in Singapore. I have never been, Madam Medusa has though she might be better to advise.

weescot

I live in AD, not Dubai, but I have spent time in Singapore. Any expat I know who has lived there has left crying, wishing they could stay. Although crowded (mainly apartment living), and the main pastimes being shopping and eating out, the quality of life is exceptionally good, city is very clean and organised, the cost of living relatively low, access to region excellent and the island has great public transport links. I visited the Australian school and it had a great atmosphere. I expect the others are similar.Drawbacks - limited beaches - mainly sentosa island and car ownership however is very expensive but is compensated by cheap and quick taxi services. If you fancy a change and it is a career enhancing offer, I'd be tempted.

shakh your bootie

Congrats on the offer!! A few things to consider:

a) Rents in Singers are crazy (even by UAE standards, I think) - will your company look after that for you? Most of the expats live in a 'burb on the West side of the island (can't remember the name, now, I lived in hotel apartments on Scotts Road when I was there) - there are good expat schools nearby.

b) Car prices are also outlandish - again make sure that this is covered

School fees I don't know about - but make sure that you've considered all 3 major expense areas before comparing offers.

As a place to live, my personal preference would be Singapore over the UAE. But it's also a lot further away for flying home to the UK, or travel to Europe etc.

Good Luck!!

Inselaffen

I'm tempted by a move to singapore and in my industry there will be far more opportunities. But have something tying me to Dubai at the moment

shakh your bootie

Weescott - you can get a boat to one of the small surrounding islands (Ba-Teng???) and there are plenty of beaches there. Can hire a bike on the island & cycle to a quiet spot....

Or day-trip over the JB bridge and beach it on the Malay coast...

Madam Medusa

some good friends of mine moved back to singapore from dubai last year...they love it, have a fabulous lifestyle, and although they enjoyed dubai, they didn't think twice about moving back...

there is loads to do for kids, seems to be a good network of mums...then there is the amazing zoo, beaches plus other entertainment on sentosa, you're near to malaysia and the rest of asia...and nightlife is cool as well, with amazing bars and restaurants...

for me, the problem with singapore is it's a bit like "asia-lite", and i prefer hong kong...That said, i had a fantastic time when we visited before christmas...You need to go and check it out for yourself to be honest...

MM, xx

shakh your bootie

You're giving up Singers for a blow-up dolly????

You one saaaad man, brother.

shakh your bootie

Oh!!! And this year, you get the Singapore F1.......

Damn, wish I had a job offer there.

Madam Medusa

yeah...but he's very attached to that particular blow-up...and i don't think he'd get her through customs...

MM, xx

W10

As opposed to Vegas-lite :-)

I'd say Singapore would be a good bet. Better than Dubai anyway.

Maybe the car thing may be a problem (because lugging small kids around is never fun) but if they were a couple of years older I'd never bother buying a car anyway.

Madam Medusa

hahahaha, yeah...but we all know this is vegas-lite, i think people do go to singapore expecting it to be more asian...

MM, xx

W10

It can be Asian, depends where you want to hang around.

Anyway - I know which one I prefer.

Madam Medusa

me too...hong kong!

MM, xx

W10

Hong Kong would be number one by miles (and probably will be my next move), but only if you live in Kowloon.

All these poncey Gwei-los living on the island...pah!!