For those interested, check out the comments on the Reddit page (reproduced below, surprised they managed tol fit into this post), quite a few are rather insightful s about differences between staying in London versus Sg, as well as hearing about Singaporean perspectives staying in London.
[–]two_tents 50 points 3 hours ago
Go to listentotaxman.com to figure out your take home pay.
Rent for a 1BR flat in a semi decent area (proximity to tube/west end/work will be around £1,300 a month, add give and take a £100 a month for council tax (depending on council) and another £100 for HLP/Water/Internet. 5G coverage is pretty good so not sure if you really need internet beyond that but that's for you to decide. Groceries are way cheaper than SG. Tap water is fine, your bones will be stronger after a few years drinking Thames' finest.
Personally I wouldn't spend more than 30% of your take home income on rent. You can of course always choose to share a flat (£750 incl. all bills) but for some people that's too big a concession to make.
Yes the tube can get hot and busy but you won't have that problem for another 9 months at least and even then it's only a problem for like 20 days a year. Alternatively buy a bike, cycling infrastructure is pretty decent nowadays.
[–]DragonCalypso 3 points 2 hours ago
[–]DenseSentences[S] 6 points 3 hours ago
thanks for this!
[–]two_tents 17 points 3 hours ago
Pleasure.
FWIW London has great food for all types of budgets. Yes you're not gonna find a $2.50 economy rice set anywhere but tbh that's not an international benchmark. The whole London is do damn expensive is a bit of an outdated stereotype if you ask me.
You can get amazing pizza, semi-decent Chinese food, excellent south Asian food, Malaysian food (around Paddington/Portobello+Roti King) and pre pandemic I'd say you'd get the best Italian/French/Spanish/Portuguese food outside of their respective home countries.
[–]ianlim4556 5 points an hour ago
I hope that by tap water you meant filtered tap water, I drank unfiltered tap water for like 1-2 months and ended up getting traces of stones in my urine
[–]distroyaarLao Jiao [score hidden] an hour ago
Must have been the apartment you were in.
I drank tap water for 4 years staying in different locations across London with no issues.
[–]ianlim4556 [score hidden] 44 minutes ago
Hmm maybe I guess, the flat was a refurbished old building
[–]two_tents [score hidden] 59 minutes ago
Get your kidneys checked out.
Millions of people have drank and continue to drink Thames water all their lives and are perfectly fine.
[–]ianlim4556 [score hidden] 46 minutes ago
I did, the doctor specifically told me to stop drinking unfiltered tap water
[+]sanchaz [score hidden] 58 minutes ago (2 children)
[–]wiltedpop [score hidden] 39 minutes ago
still have to pay council tax? isnt that responsibility of landlord
[+]sanchaz [score hidden] 15 minutes ago (0 children)
[–]oceanmountainlifer 100 points 6 hours ago
Go, whats the worst that could happen?
[–]aphypcru 138 points 6 hours ago*
Well, you could end up freezing your ass off in endless grey skies and drizzling rain, washing down a hearty British meal of chips, vinegar, baked beans and curry powder with a lukewarm beer, while you complain about the shitty Victorian plumbing in your moldy, overpriced London apartment, get bashed in the face by an anti-Asian racist and die of COVID.
But I'd still probably go, if you're young and single it's worth it for the experience. And London is a great place to explore the rest of Europe as well.
[–]_IsNull 12 points 4 hours ago
It’s ok. I enjoy standing under the crowded heat lamp at 5pm paying for a overpriced pine of cold beer while religiously pressing that on button every 15 mins
[–]two_tents 15 points 3 hours ago
Overpriced beer? Compared to SG everything else seems a bargain to me (Dubai excluded).
[+]Salt_Leopard 4 points 2 hours ago (1 child)
[–]_IsNull 3 points 3 hours ago*
Expensive compared to Scotland la ;(. Scotland alcohol is so cheap they had to set a minimum price
[+]thisis4investing 5 points 5 hours ago (0 children)
[+]trashmaker comment score below threshold (7 children)
[+]two_tents comment score below threshold (1 child)
[–]haikallp 0 points 3 hours ago
Get thrown acid in the face.
[–]oceanmountainlifer 3 points 3 hours ago
Ok that hopefully is the worst.
[–]Infortheline 39 points 5 hours ago
Do you even have to ask, you are young with little commitments I assume. Just go. 10 years from now, given the same opportunity, you would have even more to consider (debt, family etc).
And plus you would probably be working in SG for the rest of your life. If not for work experience, go for the life experience. Jiayou!
[–]_IsNull 52 points 6 hours ago
I think it depend on the a few factor.
[–]JulSGP Mature Citizen 17 points 4 hours ago
Go.
You are young, not married and no kids.
Get there and get some international exposure to your CV and stay there if you like it. SG is so small and boring. While you are so near to the old continent and most cities are just an Easyjet/Ryanair away.
If you don't like it then just come home then.
[–]silentscope90210 47 points 6 hours ago
Just go. It's not Mogadishu.
[–]LoneRifle 24 points 3 hours ago
I think what's missing in the comments so far is the idea that your appreciation for Singapore would take on a new angle when you're away from it. The saying "When a man is tired of London he is tired of life" has a good degree of truth to it, but also, having a hot bowl of laksa or chicken curry from Prima Taste packs takes on a whole new meaning in the bleak midwinter.
[–]GhostBearKhan 6 points 3 hours ago
Prima Taste is such a life saver for Overseas Singaporeans
[–]law90026 26 points 6 hours ago
Generally working overseas is a good thing, the exposure makes your CV look good.
[–]Franzel123 49 points 7 hours ago
No reason to wait. London is healing and life is close to back to normal. Not sure about SG.
[–]trashmaker Lao Jiao 1 point 5 hours ago
You may be absolutely correct that life is going back to normal, but I do think they're paying a price for it, which they're comfortable with.
Their 7 day average for daily Covid deaths went from 60 to 94 in the last 30 days. This is for a country that already has had 132,000 deaths (i.e. many of the most vulnerable taken out already).
Having said that, as someone who's been watching the EPL since I was a kid, it's really amazing to see the atmosphere back for the games with full stadiums. So who knows, maybe it is worth it.
[–]GuaranteeNo507 13 points 4 hours ago
request: can we please start quoting Covid #'s on a normalised per capita basis (e.g. 7D cases per 100K pop, 7D deaths per 100K pop). otherwise it's really hard to make sense of it/compare across regions...
[–]DragonCalypso 4 points 2 hours ago
UK has very approximately 10x the pop of Singapore, so the conversion is easy. that 60-90 per day would be just over 6-9 per day; the 120K total would be 12K.
[–]GuaranteeNo507 -2 points 2 hours ago
Thanks for the math. For ease of use internationally I think it’s best to quote normalized per 100K population
[+]Commercial-Extent334 [score hidden] 53 minutes ago* (0 children)
[+]trashmaker comment score below threshold (1 child)
[+]maskapony 10 points 5 hours ago (0 children)
[–]92ekpNew Citizen [score hidden] 48 minutes ago
The horror of Covid-19 is that it can inflict a lot of mortality and morbidity while leaving plenty of room to do more. The excellent vaccination programme here that has had particularly high uptake in the most vulnerable groups has curtailed much of its worst now.
[–]happybunday 11 points 4 hours ago*
I don’t know about now but I lived in London for a few years before covid. It’s an absolute lovely city if you prefer cooler weather, outdoor activities and art museums. The tax is a pain for sure, but if you’ve got a decent job and prefer to explore the world I would 100% recommend you to go.
Also I’ve stayed in US as well, I feel UK people are far more friendly to Asian people comparing to US.
[–]UnintelligibleThingMature Citizen 2 points 2 hours ago
[–]RuthlesslyOrganised[https://www.reddit.com/user/RuthlesslyOrganised] 11 points 2 hours ago
I studied there for 4 years and my SO is still working there (non-Singaporean).
Cost of living wise, it’s similar to Singapore by number if you just don’t convert the currencies LOL. Street market lunch would cost around £5, phone bill £10-20 (use EE if you stay for long, every 3 months they give you 500mb, and data rolls over. Within a year I downgraded to their cheapest plan and just enjoyed the data from loyalty perks). Tube ride is £1.50-£2.50 usually, caps at £10 per day. Dinner at a standard chain restaurant would be around £20, somewhere nicer would be £30+. Groceries usually I spend around £20 per week, some weeks feeling poor I can get by with 4-5 dinners for £4 if I buy discounted meat and veg (not counting rice).
Overall I’d say go if you want to see the world. London is really cosmopolitan. I spent more time eating middle eastern food, making friends with European, Middle Eastern, South Asian, and North African friends. It’s a good way to explore and meet people from all walks of life, and find out a bit more about yourself - how much of you is you, vs just effects of growing up in Singapore.
One thing is that the comments in this thread are right about the weather and lack of sunlight. Weather - ok la it’s usually a drizzle, most of the time I just put the hood of my jacket up and don’t bother with an umbrella. It’s cold but if you stock up on Uniqlo heat tech (tbh I only ever used the airism tanks and it worked fine for me) you’ll be ok. Get fleece socks and good shoes. Get a modern apartment that has good heating - don’t fall for charming old buildings that have heating and plumbing systems from last century. The sunlight does give seasonal depression in the winter - just get a sunlight lamp or eat vitamin D supplements (easy to find at the pharmacies there). You’ll be fine! And summer is really lovely in the UK, the sun is always out till 9pm, people randomly picnic in all their parks or on museum steps. It’s genuinely the happiest place in the summer, but Singaporean students usually come home so they miss out.
For rent, I just helped my SO find a flat. He’s paying about £2100 for a 2BR flat with his friend, and it’s a nice flat with 2 bathrooms. I used to pay £700 per month to live in a 3BR (2 baths) in Stratford, which was super modern (concierge, underfloor heating, floor to ceiling windows with a gorgeous sunset). If you aren’t picky like Singaporean students and don’t mind living outside of zone 1 (their CBD equivalent) then you’ll be fine. Tube rides usually under 30 min anyway, and flats outside central London are much nicer and also have better nearby amenities (supermarket outside of the Central zone are huge. Supermarkets in central London are the size of 7-11s here).
Good luck and hope you come to a decision you’re happy with!
[–]FruitEducational1620 20 points 6 hours ago
I'm in my mid thirties and moving from Singapore to London in the next few months.
For me it's a long term decision, because in the long run exposure in London will help me in my career. And thankfully I don't have children yet so the move is easier compared to people who already have families.
Either way, being younger will make the move easier (no children), and potentially reap you greater rewards (longer time for the overseas experience to pay off).
[–]DatzQuickMaths 6 points 3 hours ago
Best of luck and enjoy. London is an amazing place, you will feel very free when you finally move given the last 1.5 years
[+]baldingman_1998 18 points 6 hours ago (0 children)
[–]armicv 13 points 3 hours ago
I moved from SG to London in 2020 for university, so I don't know about the job market that much. But what I can tell you is that you will miss Singapore A LOT. I'll start with the negatives first.
[+]Tall-Association-518 3 points 4 hours ago (0 children)
[–]smile_politely 3 points 3 hours ago
Do what Gandalf says.. fly, you fools!
I'm considering to leave too asap.
[–]tom-slackerTu quoque 16 points 5 hours ago
Go for the experience but need to contain your excitement and expectations...
london is wet and 'sleepy' as a whole and beware of dark and dinky alleys...
The Tube is kinda shitty though.....
And income tax is KILLER!
Source: Me. Worked/stayed there for a 6 month project. I noped the fuck out after my boss wanted me to relocate there permanently.
[+]ljungberger 14 points 4 hours ago* (2 children)
[–]tokiyay 4 points 4 hours ago
this! beware of the tube in the summer, it’s so hot and stuffy
[–]DatzQuickMaths 3 points 3 hours ago
Yes but only something to worry about if you’re prone to fainting. Otherwise just gotta suck it up. Central line during heat waves is toasty
[–]tokiyay 3 points 3 hours ago
Just what you want on a humid summer’s day
[–]ice_kacang 7 points 6 hours ago
Does the job interest you? If so, just go! You're young, nothing to lose.
[–]bigspicytomato 8 points 5 hours ago
If you decide to go, make sure the company is applying a tier 2 visa for you, because you need it for the time in London to be counted towards getting an ILR (PR) if you decide to get it after 5 years.
London is a great place to work. People are nice, lots of places to explore during downtime. There is a huge population of Asians there and you can find good Singaporean/Malaysian food in central London.
Financially it is an expensive place to live though, 20-40% tax bracket, rent, transport, food r all substantially more expensive than SG, so don't expect to save much. But definitely go there for the once in a lifetime experience.
Feel free to DM me if you want to ask anything
[–]thehotlife [score hidden] 35 minutes ago
“Good” Singaporean/Malaysian food is a bit of a stretch, I’d say it can scratch an itch but just barely haha
[+]wisemarmoset 5 points 5 hours ago (0 children)
[–]barall896 3 points 5 hours ago
The Covid situation isn't going to settle in the next few months as fall and winter arrive. If you don't go now, you'll be waiting till next year.
Covid uncertainties notwithstanding, the international experience in a larger market is very valuable, though it does depend on industry. It's a great opportunity for the most part, but keep in mind that compared to SG, London generally isn't great salary-wise after you take into account taxes and COL.
[–]singapourien 2 points 2 hours ago*
i found london very enjoyable but i have to admit i was afforded many luxuries when i was there that may not be applicable to you. the food is great and the city is full of history. if you can afford to eat well you'll not miss singaporean food at all but if you have to wrangle with tesco meal deals every day i imagine you might feel different.
one of the things that being in london allowed me to do was to travel everywhere in europe on a dime - not like the cost but being able to just decide to go to france in the morning and actually hopping on the eurostar in the same evening. and even NY wasn't too huge of a commitment since it was only an 8hr flght and plenty of budget flights ply this corridor. i don't know if things have changed with brexit but i imagine you as a foreigner on a short term work visa aren't too different from those from pre-brexit.
but more importantly. travel is possible in the uk right now, and in singapore you may likely see another 12-24 months of travel restrictions. the local gov here has given no sign that they are committed to a proper reopening anytime soon.
[–]bukitbukitDeveloping Citizen 2 points 2 hours ago
No harm trying, go when you are still young. Just be clear eyed about it. The experience will be priceless.
[–]throwawaybusan 2 points an hour ago
I'd like to ask the same question about SF and Seattle, if anyone is has been there / is there right now!
[–]otterirl 3 points 5 hours ago
I’m a uni student in London currently and will be flying back at the end of this year. I’m not sure yet if I want to stay for a job but I’ve been based in London for the last 4 years, so if you have any questions about life there you’re free to ask!
[–]thedayistuesday 4 points 4 hours ago
Even if you accept the offer today, it's likely that the visa processing time etc will take a while anyway. And no one can predict how the covid situation will go. So I'd say make the decision based on whether you want to do it, and not whether covid is going to impact you. That being said, London is now fully open (for vaccinated/tested people especially) and highly vaccinated, I highly doubt that they will ever go back to having restrictions unless shit really hit the fan.
[–]clockinginandout 2 points 4 hours ago
just go, if you don’t like, come back home. home is always here for you
[–]DatzQuickMaths 4 points 3 hours ago
You will not regret it. Do not pass the opportunity up. Throwing oneself into the deep end is the best way to live life especially if you have little to commitments. I have done that several times and have zero regrets. There will be tough times but that’s life. You will love London
[–]madevaney77 5 points 5 hours ago
It’s the best city in the world. Go, you’ll regret it if you don’t.
[–]thankiw 5 points 7 hours ago
Will your offer still be there when u wait?
[–]DenseSentences[S] 4 points 7 hours ago
not really, i have to reply within the next days
[–]thankiw 8 points 6 hours ago
So what is hindering you? Covid?
Just get vaxxed, masked up if you are afraid of Covid
[–]DenseSentences[S] 7 points 4 hours ago
the practical singaporean mindset and filial piety is hindering me :p
[–]tokiyay 1 point 4 hours ago
I think now is a good time to go! You can go for an extended period of time before your parents become very elderly and need more help from you plus working in London is amazing!
Be mindful of where you stay in comparison to where your office is as the commute time in london can be quite long so something to take note of!
Also when you’re working in the UK, it’s much cheaper to visit Europe (think similar prices to BKK) so it’s a great way to see more of the world if you’re interested in travelling!
[+]ljungberger 1 point 4 hours ago (0 children)
[–]eonnagata 2 points 6 hours ago
I think you should definitely consider taking up the offer, it’s one of the most ideal periods in your life at the moment, based on what you described
[–]septeal 我要打十个 2 points 6 hours ago
just go la, there will always be a better/worse time
[+]jjnull 2 points 5 hours ago (0 children)
[–]3ply 2 points 4 hours ago
Go, it will do wonders for your career.
[+]DatAdra 2 points 4 hours ago* (0 children)
[+]noobie9 -2 points 6 hours ago (2 children)
[–]nilgnauh 1 point 4 hours ago
Never been there but happy for you and all the best. Better than living in semi-lock downs in SG for the rest of your life
[+]mangosteenlover comment score below threshold (0 children)
[+]Super-Cellist-2125 -1 points 4 hours ago (0 children)
[–]blood_math 1 point 3 hours ago
Make sure your workplace is good on health coverage. Go.
[+]Salt_Leopard 1 point 2 hours ago (0 children)
[+]maxtiang79 1 point 2 hours ago (0 children)
[+]ohhownowpurplecow 1 point an hour ago (0 children)
[–]InsideJobHarambe 1 point an hour ago
Congrats, how long does it take for them to offer you the Certificate of Sponsorship?
[–]outtathewoods 1 point an hour ago
I went there for a month for work. Jan - Feb 2020. It was freezing cold and chilly wind. Zero degrees. I could not get used to it.
You will miss Singapore’s heat.
Boss wanted me to stay. I chose to leave.
[+]sanchaz [score hidden] 56 minutes ago (0 children)
[–]twentythreesixsix [score hidden] 52 minutes ago
Go see the world! I lived and worked in the UK from 2014-2018, and after that spent more than half the year in Europe until Covid grounded me in SG. I don’t regret my decision to not renew my visa. Perhaps I’ll try for Berlin next when this madness dies down.
[–]wiltedpop [score hidden] 37 minutes ago
i will definitely go if you got a job offer, sg economy isnt that great
[–]aub_ao [score hidden] 24 minutes ago
Go for it. London is probably the best city on earth. Endless culture, architecture, history, art, comedy, theatre, cuisines from all over the world, every kind of music, every night of the week. And if you get bored of London, which you won't, you're one maybe two hours flying time from Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Munich, Dublin, Amsterdam, Rome, Naples, Porto, I could go on. I don't know what job you will be doing but the chances are you will work with some of the most talented, free thinking, and brilliant people from all over the world. I certainly did.
The downsides are the weather and public transport. As long as you're vaccinated I wouldn't worry about covid, don't let that stop you living your life.
[–]scottydoesntknow2 [score hidden] 19 minutes ago
Op, I cant speak for myself as Im not from SG nor Londen, (although I’ve been in both), but a friend of mine is. Her only regrets after moving were that she misses Singaporean food and that all of her family friends were always so close to her. She could just go see them whenever she wanted. All in all, in my opinion you should at least try and see/experience it for yourself. Maybe if you have the time and the cash for it, you could go try it out for a week or 2 to get a feel for it?
[–]two_tents 50 points 3 hours ago
Go to listentotaxman.com to figure out your take home pay.
Rent for a 1BR flat in a semi decent area (proximity to tube/west end/work will be around £1,300 a month, add give and take a £100 a month for council tax (depending on council) and another £100 for HLP/Water/Internet. 5G coverage is pretty good so not sure if you really need internet beyond that but that's for you to decide. Groceries are way cheaper than SG. Tap water is fine, your bones will be stronger after a few years drinking Thames' finest.
Personally I wouldn't spend more than 30% of your take home income on rent. You can of course always choose to share a flat (£750 incl. all bills) but for some people that's too big a concession to make.
Yes the tube can get hot and busy but you won't have that problem for another 9 months at least and even then it's only a problem for like 20 days a year. Alternatively buy a bike, cycling infrastructure is pretty decent nowadays.
[–]DragonCalypso 3 points 2 hours ago
Food isn't, though. Cai png is £6 ($10) from a market cart and £10 in a restaurant.
[–]DenseSentences[S] 6 points 3 hours ago
thanks for this!
[–]two_tents 17 points 3 hours ago
Pleasure.
FWIW London has great food for all types of budgets. Yes you're not gonna find a $2.50 economy rice set anywhere but tbh that's not an international benchmark. The whole London is do damn expensive is a bit of an outdated stereotype if you ask me.
You can get amazing pizza, semi-decent Chinese food, excellent south Asian food, Malaysian food (around Paddington/Portobello+Roti King) and pre pandemic I'd say you'd get the best Italian/French/Spanish/Portuguese food outside of their respective home countries.
[–]ianlim4556 5 points an hour ago
I hope that by tap water you meant filtered tap water, I drank unfiltered tap water for like 1-2 months and ended up getting traces of stones in my urine
[–]distroyaarLao Jiao [score hidden] an hour ago
Must have been the apartment you were in.
I drank tap water for 4 years staying in different locations across London with no issues.
[–]ianlim4556 [score hidden] 44 minutes ago
Hmm maybe I guess, the flat was a refurbished old building
[–]two_tents [score hidden] 59 minutes ago
Get your kidneys checked out.
Millions of people have drank and continue to drink Thames water all their lives and are perfectly fine.
[–]ianlim4556 [score hidden] 46 minutes ago
I did, the doctor specifically told me to stop drinking unfiltered tap water
[+]sanchaz [score hidden] 58 minutes ago (2 children)
[–]wiltedpop [score hidden] 39 minutes ago
still have to pay council tax? isnt that responsibility of landlord
[+]sanchaz [score hidden] 15 minutes ago (0 children)
[–]oceanmountainlifer 100 points 6 hours ago
Go, whats the worst that could happen?
[–]aphypcru 138 points 6 hours ago*
Well, you could end up freezing your ass off in endless grey skies and drizzling rain, washing down a hearty British meal of chips, vinegar, baked beans and curry powder with a lukewarm beer, while you complain about the shitty Victorian plumbing in your moldy, overpriced London apartment, get bashed in the face by an anti-Asian racist and die of COVID.
But I'd still probably go, if you're young and single it's worth it for the experience. And London is a great place to explore the rest of Europe as well.
[–]_IsNull 12 points 4 hours ago
It’s ok. I enjoy standing under the crowded heat lamp at 5pm paying for a overpriced pine of cold beer while religiously pressing that on button every 15 mins
[–]two_tents 15 points 3 hours ago
Overpriced beer? Compared to SG everything else seems a bargain to me (Dubai excluded).
[+]Salt_Leopard 4 points 2 hours ago (1 child)
[–]_IsNull 3 points 3 hours ago*
Expensive compared to Scotland la ;(. Scotland alcohol is so cheap they had to set a minimum price
[+]thisis4investing 5 points 5 hours ago (0 children)
[+]trashmaker comment score below threshold (7 children)
[+]two_tents comment score below threshold (1 child)
[–]haikallp 0 points 3 hours ago
Get thrown acid in the face.
[–]oceanmountainlifer 3 points 3 hours ago
Ok that hopefully is the worst.
[–]Infortheline 39 points 5 hours ago
Do you even have to ask, you are young with little commitments I assume. Just go. 10 years from now, given the same opportunity, you would have even more to consider (debt, family etc).
And plus you would probably be working in SG for the rest of your life. If not for work experience, go for the life experience. Jiayou!
[–]_IsNull 52 points 6 hours ago
I think it depend on the a few factor.
- The international exposure is great.
- Where’s the head office? It’s easier to climb the closer you’re to the head office.
- Where’s the revenue generator region ? Apac? Then stay here. EU/UK? Then head over.
- The folks in Singapore office are mostly from EU/UK? Then u better head over to EU. Stay over there climb a bit then ask to be deploy oversea after a few years.
[–]JulSGP Mature Citizen 17 points 4 hours ago
Go.
You are young, not married and no kids.
Get there and get some international exposure to your CV and stay there if you like it. SG is so small and boring. While you are so near to the old continent and most cities are just an Easyjet/Ryanair away.
If you don't like it then just come home then.
[–]silentscope90210 47 points 6 hours ago
Just go. It's not Mogadishu.
[–]LoneRifle 24 points 3 hours ago
I think what's missing in the comments so far is the idea that your appreciation for Singapore would take on a new angle when you're away from it. The saying "When a man is tired of London he is tired of life" has a good degree of truth to it, but also, having a hot bowl of laksa or chicken curry from Prima Taste packs takes on a whole new meaning in the bleak midwinter.
[–]GhostBearKhan 6 points 3 hours ago
Prima Taste is such a life saver for Overseas Singaporeans
[–]law90026 26 points 6 hours ago
Generally working overseas is a good thing, the exposure makes your CV look good.
[–]Franzel123 49 points 7 hours ago
No reason to wait. London is healing and life is close to back to normal. Not sure about SG.
[–]trashmaker Lao Jiao 1 point 5 hours ago
You may be absolutely correct that life is going back to normal, but I do think they're paying a price for it, which they're comfortable with.
Their 7 day average for daily Covid deaths went from 60 to 94 in the last 30 days. This is for a country that already has had 132,000 deaths (i.e. many of the most vulnerable taken out already).
Having said that, as someone who's been watching the EPL since I was a kid, it's really amazing to see the atmosphere back for the games with full stadiums. So who knows, maybe it is worth it.
[–]GuaranteeNo507 13 points 4 hours ago
request: can we please start quoting Covid #'s on a normalised per capita basis (e.g. 7D cases per 100K pop, 7D deaths per 100K pop). otherwise it's really hard to make sense of it/compare across regions...
[–]DragonCalypso 4 points 2 hours ago
UK has very approximately 10x the pop of Singapore, so the conversion is easy. that 60-90 per day would be just over 6-9 per day; the 120K total would be 12K.
[–]GuaranteeNo507 -2 points 2 hours ago
Thanks for the math. For ease of use internationally I think it’s best to quote normalized per 100K population
[+]Commercial-Extent334 [score hidden] 53 minutes ago* (0 children)
[+]trashmaker comment score below threshold (1 child)
[+]maskapony 10 points 5 hours ago (0 children)
[–]92ekpNew Citizen [score hidden] 48 minutes ago
That's one of those myths that keeps going around. Over the entire pandemic in England, Covid-19 killed only 4.6% of the most vulnerable group, the over-90s [using deaths within 28 days of positive test measure]. It's much lower in other age groups. In terms of confirmed cases, around 16% of the adult population was infected. After including seroprevalence data, etc, the ONS estimates 35% of adult population would have been antibody-positive (i.e. naturally infected).
The horror of Covid-19 is that it can inflict a lot of mortality and morbidity while leaving plenty of room to do more. The excellent vaccination programme here that has had particularly high uptake in the most vulnerable groups has curtailed much of its worst now.
[–]happybunday 11 points 4 hours ago*
I don’t know about now but I lived in London for a few years before covid. It’s an absolute lovely city if you prefer cooler weather, outdoor activities and art museums. The tax is a pain for sure, but if you’ve got a decent job and prefer to explore the world I would 100% recommend you to go.
Also I’ve stayed in US as well, I feel UK people are far more friendly to Asian people comparing to US.
[–]UnintelligibleThingMature Citizen 2 points 2 hours ago
Which part of the US did you live in?
[–]RuthlesslyOrganised[https://www.reddit.com/user/RuthlesslyOrganised] 11 points 2 hours ago
I studied there for 4 years and my SO is still working there (non-Singaporean).
Cost of living wise, it’s similar to Singapore by number if you just don’t convert the currencies LOL. Street market lunch would cost around £5, phone bill £10-20 (use EE if you stay for long, every 3 months they give you 500mb, and data rolls over. Within a year I downgraded to their cheapest plan and just enjoyed the data from loyalty perks). Tube ride is £1.50-£2.50 usually, caps at £10 per day. Dinner at a standard chain restaurant would be around £20, somewhere nicer would be £30+. Groceries usually I spend around £20 per week, some weeks feeling poor I can get by with 4-5 dinners for £4 if I buy discounted meat and veg (not counting rice).
Overall I’d say go if you want to see the world. London is really cosmopolitan. I spent more time eating middle eastern food, making friends with European, Middle Eastern, South Asian, and North African friends. It’s a good way to explore and meet people from all walks of life, and find out a bit more about yourself - how much of you is you, vs just effects of growing up in Singapore.
One thing is that the comments in this thread are right about the weather and lack of sunlight. Weather - ok la it’s usually a drizzle, most of the time I just put the hood of my jacket up and don’t bother with an umbrella. It’s cold but if you stock up on Uniqlo heat tech (tbh I only ever used the airism tanks and it worked fine for me) you’ll be ok. Get fleece socks and good shoes. Get a modern apartment that has good heating - don’t fall for charming old buildings that have heating and plumbing systems from last century. The sunlight does give seasonal depression in the winter - just get a sunlight lamp or eat vitamin D supplements (easy to find at the pharmacies there). You’ll be fine! And summer is really lovely in the UK, the sun is always out till 9pm, people randomly picnic in all their parks or on museum steps. It’s genuinely the happiest place in the summer, but Singaporean students usually come home so they miss out.
For rent, I just helped my SO find a flat. He’s paying about £2100 for a 2BR flat with his friend, and it’s a nice flat with 2 bathrooms. I used to pay £700 per month to live in a 3BR (2 baths) in Stratford, which was super modern (concierge, underfloor heating, floor to ceiling windows with a gorgeous sunset). If you aren’t picky like Singaporean students and don’t mind living outside of zone 1 (their CBD equivalent) then you’ll be fine. Tube rides usually under 30 min anyway, and flats outside central London are much nicer and also have better nearby amenities (supermarket outside of the Central zone are huge. Supermarkets in central London are the size of 7-11s here).
Good luck and hope you come to a decision you’re happy with!
[–]FruitEducational1620 20 points 6 hours ago
I'm in my mid thirties and moving from Singapore to London in the next few months.
For me it's a long term decision, because in the long run exposure in London will help me in my career. And thankfully I don't have children yet so the move is easier compared to people who already have families.
Either way, being younger will make the move easier (no children), and potentially reap you greater rewards (longer time for the overseas experience to pay off).
[–]DatzQuickMaths 6 points 3 hours ago
Best of luck and enjoy. London is an amazing place, you will feel very free when you finally move given the last 1.5 years
[+]baldingman_1998 18 points 6 hours ago (0 children)
[–]armicv 13 points 3 hours ago
I moved from SG to London in 2020 for university, so I don't know about the job market that much. But what I can tell you is that you will miss Singapore A LOT. I'll start with the negatives first.
- It's cold as fuck for basically 8 months out of 12, the wind in London is this polar blast that just never stops, so you'll be wearing a sweater and it'll seep right through and freeze you to the bone.
- The weather can make you a little depressed, it's very gray all year round, pretty rainy and cold. On top of that, the night tends to fall around 4pm in winter, so you get very little daylight.
- You'll miss the food, hawker centres, mangoes etc. You can still find very good asian food, but it won't be as cheap.
- Overall, London is a lot dirtier and messier than Singapore, which is logical considering the government does not have as strong a grasp on its people. Singapore tends to run like a Swiss watch, even in terms of administrative stuff, London is more equivalent to a 2 dollar gas station clock.
- It's nice, you change viewpoints, you see different things, you experience a european lifestyle where people are a lot more laid back and relaxed. If you wanna buy booze at 3am and drink in a park, you can. If you wanna buy drugs, you can do so without risking your life.
- People are nicer overall, you don't have the nice old uncles and aunties, but people are still nicer overall.
- You won't sweat liters, and you get to wear some winter fits.
- Life is just a little bit more relaxed when compared to Singapore.
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[+]Tall-Association-518 3 points 4 hours ago (0 children)
[–]smile_politely 3 points 3 hours ago
Do what Gandalf says.. fly, you fools!
I'm considering to leave too asap.
[–]tom-slackerTu quoque 16 points 5 hours ago
Go for the experience but need to contain your excitement and expectations...
london is wet and 'sleepy' as a whole and beware of dark and dinky alleys...
The Tube is kinda shitty though.....
And income tax is KILLER!
Source: Me. Worked/stayed there for a 6 month project. I noped the fuck out after my boss wanted me to relocate there permanently.
[+]ljungberger 14 points 4 hours ago* (2 children)
[–]tokiyay 4 points 4 hours ago
this! beware of the tube in the summer, it’s so hot and stuffy
[–]DatzQuickMaths 3 points 3 hours ago
Yes but only something to worry about if you’re prone to fainting. Otherwise just gotta suck it up. Central line during heat waves is toasty
[–]tokiyay 3 points 3 hours ago
Just what you want on a humid summer’s day
[–]ice_kacang 7 points 6 hours ago
Does the job interest you? If so, just go! You're young, nothing to lose.
[–]bigspicytomato 8 points 5 hours ago
If you decide to go, make sure the company is applying a tier 2 visa for you, because you need it for the time in London to be counted towards getting an ILR (PR) if you decide to get it after 5 years.
London is a great place to work. People are nice, lots of places to explore during downtime. There is a huge population of Asians there and you can find good Singaporean/Malaysian food in central London.
Financially it is an expensive place to live though, 20-40% tax bracket, rent, transport, food r all substantially more expensive than SG, so don't expect to save much. But definitely go there for the once in a lifetime experience.
Feel free to DM me if you want to ask anything
[–]thehotlife [score hidden] 35 minutes ago
“Good” Singaporean/Malaysian food is a bit of a stretch, I’d say it can scratch an itch but just barely haha
[+]wisemarmoset 5 points 5 hours ago (0 children)
[–]barall896 3 points 5 hours ago
The Covid situation isn't going to settle in the next few months as fall and winter arrive. If you don't go now, you'll be waiting till next year.
Covid uncertainties notwithstanding, the international experience in a larger market is very valuable, though it does depend on industry. It's a great opportunity for the most part, but keep in mind that compared to SG, London generally isn't great salary-wise after you take into account taxes and COL.
[–]singapourien 2 points 2 hours ago*
i found london very enjoyable but i have to admit i was afforded many luxuries when i was there that may not be applicable to you. the food is great and the city is full of history. if you can afford to eat well you'll not miss singaporean food at all but if you have to wrangle with tesco meal deals every day i imagine you might feel different.
one of the things that being in london allowed me to do was to travel everywhere in europe on a dime - not like the cost but being able to just decide to go to france in the morning and actually hopping on the eurostar in the same evening. and even NY wasn't too huge of a commitment since it was only an 8hr flght and plenty of budget flights ply this corridor. i don't know if things have changed with brexit but i imagine you as a foreigner on a short term work visa aren't too different from those from pre-brexit.
but more importantly. travel is possible in the uk right now, and in singapore you may likely see another 12-24 months of travel restrictions. the local gov here has given no sign that they are committed to a proper reopening anytime soon.
[–]bukitbukitDeveloping Citizen 2 points 2 hours ago
No harm trying, go when you are still young. Just be clear eyed about it. The experience will be priceless.
[–]throwawaybusan 2 points an hour ago
I'd like to ask the same question about SF and Seattle, if anyone is has been there / is there right now!
[–]otterirl 3 points 5 hours ago
I’m a uni student in London currently and will be flying back at the end of this year. I’m not sure yet if I want to stay for a job but I’ve been based in London for the last 4 years, so if you have any questions about life there you’re free to ask!
[–]thedayistuesday 4 points 4 hours ago
Even if you accept the offer today, it's likely that the visa processing time etc will take a while anyway. And no one can predict how the covid situation will go. So I'd say make the decision based on whether you want to do it, and not whether covid is going to impact you. That being said, London is now fully open (for vaccinated/tested people especially) and highly vaccinated, I highly doubt that they will ever go back to having restrictions unless shit really hit the fan.
[–]clockinginandout 2 points 4 hours ago
just go, if you don’t like, come back home. home is always here for you
[–]DatzQuickMaths 4 points 3 hours ago
You will not regret it. Do not pass the opportunity up. Throwing oneself into the deep end is the best way to live life especially if you have little to commitments. I have done that several times and have zero regrets. There will be tough times but that’s life. You will love London
[–]madevaney77 5 points 5 hours ago
It’s the best city in the world. Go, you’ll regret it if you don’t.
[–]thankiw 5 points 7 hours ago
Will your offer still be there when u wait?
[–]DenseSentences[S] 4 points 7 hours ago
not really, i have to reply within the next days
[–]thankiw 8 points 6 hours ago
So what is hindering you? Covid?
Just get vaxxed, masked up if you are afraid of Covid
[–]DenseSentences[S] 7 points 4 hours ago
the practical singaporean mindset and filial piety is hindering me :p
[–]tokiyay 1 point 4 hours ago
I think now is a good time to go! You can go for an extended period of time before your parents become very elderly and need more help from you plus working in London is amazing!
Be mindful of where you stay in comparison to where your office is as the commute time in london can be quite long so something to take note of!
Also when you’re working in the UK, it’s much cheaper to visit Europe (think similar prices to BKK) so it’s a great way to see more of the world if you’re interested in travelling!
[+]ljungberger 1 point 4 hours ago (0 children)
[–]eonnagata 2 points 6 hours ago
I think you should definitely consider taking up the offer, it’s one of the most ideal periods in your life at the moment, based on what you described
[–]septeal 我要打十个 2 points 6 hours ago
just go la, there will always be a better/worse time
[+]jjnull 2 points 5 hours ago (0 children)
[–]3ply 2 points 4 hours ago
Go, it will do wonders for your career.
[+]DatAdra 2 points 4 hours ago* (0 children)
[+]noobie9 -2 points 6 hours ago (2 children)
[–]nilgnauh 1 point 4 hours ago
Never been there but happy for you and all the best. Better than living in semi-lock downs in SG for the rest of your life
[+]mangosteenlover comment score below threshold (0 children)
[+]Super-Cellist-2125 -1 points 4 hours ago (0 children)
[–]blood_math 1 point 3 hours ago
Make sure your workplace is good on health coverage. Go.
[+]Salt_Leopard 1 point 2 hours ago (0 children)
[+]maxtiang79 1 point 2 hours ago (0 children)
[+]ohhownowpurplecow 1 point an hour ago (0 children)
[–]InsideJobHarambe 1 point an hour ago
Congrats, how long does it take for them to offer you the Certificate of Sponsorship?
[–]outtathewoods 1 point an hour ago
I went there for a month for work. Jan - Feb 2020. It was freezing cold and chilly wind. Zero degrees. I could not get used to it.
You will miss Singapore’s heat.
Boss wanted me to stay. I chose to leave.
[+]sanchaz [score hidden] 56 minutes ago (0 children)
[–]twentythreesixsix [score hidden] 52 minutes ago
Go see the world! I lived and worked in the UK from 2014-2018, and after that spent more than half the year in Europe until Covid grounded me in SG. I don’t regret my decision to not renew my visa. Perhaps I’ll try for Berlin next when this madness dies down.
[–]wiltedpop [score hidden] 37 minutes ago
i will definitely go if you got a job offer, sg economy isnt that great
[–]aub_ao [score hidden] 24 minutes ago
Go for it. London is probably the best city on earth. Endless culture, architecture, history, art, comedy, theatre, cuisines from all over the world, every kind of music, every night of the week. And if you get bored of London, which you won't, you're one maybe two hours flying time from Paris, Madrid, Barcelona, Berlin, Munich, Dublin, Amsterdam, Rome, Naples, Porto, I could go on. I don't know what job you will be doing but the chances are you will work with some of the most talented, free thinking, and brilliant people from all over the world. I certainly did.
The downsides are the weather and public transport. As long as you're vaccinated I wouldn't worry about covid, don't let that stop you living your life.
[–]scottydoesntknow2 [score hidden] 19 minutes ago
Op, I cant speak for myself as Im not from SG nor Londen, (although I’ve been in both), but a friend of mine is. Her only regrets after moving were that she misses Singaporean food and that all of her family friends were always so close to her. She could just go see them whenever she wanted. All in all, in my opinion you should at least try and see/experience it for yourself. Maybe if you have the time and the cash for it, you could go try it out for a week or 2 to get a feel for it?
