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Singapore may have a very high GDP per capita but the cost of house is way too high! It's not a problem if you have a good paying job that pays you $5000 or more a month.
For an engineer like me working in a nice company, still house expenses for 3BR is already $2700 per month, that is about 50% of my entire monthly net income. Even if my wife work, it is NOT worth it since child care is also very expensive. I have to rent out one bedroom to a friend to lessen the house expense.
Now, there are many workers in Singapore living in $800-$1000 monthly income, those who work in the restaurants, mall..how can they live in a $1000 monthly salary? Take note, Singapore doesn't have minimum wage as of yet. So what they will do is to share in an apartment room, about 3-4 people in a room, or stay with their parents. Obviously these people cannot marry and have kids. Now wonder, the fertility rate of the country is way too low.
COL is fast rising but salary is very stagnant in the past 10 years.
Singapore capitalists have to resort to foreign workers (cheaper) to lessen their labor cost. Local singaporeans are losing their edge and have to lower their salary expectation to be able to compete with foreigners. At the end of the day, the capitalists win, the middle class lose. Worst scenario, businesses will pack up and head to Malaysia or Philippines to open up their offices.
Doesn't sound that much different from Taipei. Except for the foreign workers part.
The GDP per capita of Taiwan is overvalued to a very confusing extent.
Doesn't sound that much different from Taipei. Except for the foreign workers part.
The GDP per capita of Taiwan is overvalued to a very confusing extent.
But Taiwan isn't developed.
I've been to areas of Tainan and Kaohsiung. Food is very cheap! I happen to stumble in one restaurant that offers meal for 75NT and they give free drinks and you can even take it with you. Visit to clinic/dentist is FREE. Clubhouse, museums, swimming pools and movies are free (for local Taiwanese) in certain parts.
Certainly, lives of Taiwanese is way better than Singaporeans!
In Singapore, even ICE for your drinks is NOT free. You get a cold COKE, you need to pay extra 20cents because it is cold.
I don't now if I'd put poland in the list of developed countries
A lot of people confuse STANDARD OF LIVING with QUALITY OF LIFE.... they are both different!!!
The US for example has a great standard of living (unless you're poor), you have giant houses, giant cars, 24/7 amenities etc. but as far as actual quality of Life the US is a not that nice of a place to be (all you do is work and work and work)
Spain has a great quality of living, plenty of culture, outdoor stuff, a culture that is very sociable with tons of history, great food etc.... however standard of living has declined a lot especially after their crisis.
now you have other countries that are developed but have crappy standard of living and crappy quality of lives (ireland and the UK), horrible weather, infrastructure falling apart (don't believe me check their railway system and compare it to the german or french), a lot of violence for a developed society, epidemics of alcohol addiction and knife violence, racism a galore and as far as standard of living everything is outrageously expensive and many UK places look like post-industrial grim towns.
I don't now if I'd put poland in the list of developed countries
A lot of people confuse STANDARD OF LIVING with QUALITY OF LIFE.... they are both different!!!
The US for example has a great standard of living (unless you're poor), you have giant houses, giant cars, 24/7 amenities etc. but as far as actual quality of Life the US is a not that nice of a place to be (all you do is work and work and work)
Spain has a great quality of living, plenty of culture, outdoor stuff, a culture that is very sociable with tons of history, great food etc.... however standard of living has declined a lot especially after their crisis.
now you have other countries that are developed but have crappy standard of living and crappy quality of lives (ireland and the UK), horrible weather, infrastructure falling apart (don't believe me check their railway system and compare it to the german or french), a lot of violence for a developed society, epidemics of alcohol addiction and knife violence, racism a galore and as far as standard of living everything is outrageously expensive and many UK places look like post-industrial grim towns.
Noone I know in the US works as much as their European counterparts.
now you have other countries that are developed but have crappy standard of living and crappy quality of lives (ireland and the UK), horrible weather, infrastructure falling apart (don't believe me check their railway system and compare it to the german or french), a lot of violence for a developed society, epidemics of alcohol addiction and knife violence, racism a galore and as far as standard of living everything is outrageously expensive and many UK places look like post-industrial grim towns.
As an average Londoner I work part-time and certainly do not have a crappy standard of living or poor quality of life. I live in a decent suburban home, with a big tv, fast internet and am 30-40 minutes away from the centre of one of the greatest cities in the world with access more than enough cultural experiences, nightlife/live music, green space, restaurants, museums etc to consider this a great place to live. You've slated the UK before and you're starting to sound more than a little trollish. Give it up.
Noone I know in the US works as much as their European counterparts.
Of course there are big difference and people work also part time, but on average the Americans are much more work-orientated and obsessed with making money than an average Western European. Sure, there are people who only work here, but on the other hand some who worg 35 hours and spend 50% off those on facebook. Some, especially medium level white collar workers even refuse to work OT.
Of course there are big difference and people work also part time, but on average the Americans are much more work-orientated and obsessed with making money than an average Western European. Sure, there are people who only work here, but on the other hand some who worg 35 hours and spend 50% off those on facebook. Some, especially medium level white collar workers even refuse to work OT.
I thought all of the west is money hungry? or is it just that we are MORE money hungry?
Do Euros have a big symbol in popular culture over there like the Dollar is here? is there music videos of people making it rain euros, wearing chains with the Euro symbol, posting pictures of Euros on Facebook.
or is the whole money worship thing foreign to you guys?
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