SINGAPORE: A Telegraph article about a family of five who swapped Kent for Singapore sparked mixed reactions among British expats online, with some asserting that England is better than the little red dot and others saying that moving to Singapore has been the best decision of their lives.
For many commenters, the biggest sticking point was Singapore’s climate.
One expat, who had experience living in Australia’s warmer regions, said the weather alone would be enough to keep them away.
“I wouldn’t live in Singapore or SE Asia. Travelled there a lot. Chronic humidity. No thank you,” they wrote, “In fact, I have recently left Queensland (I’m Australian) to live in the cooler climes of the UK and I’m loving it.”
Another recalled struggling with the heat almost immediately after stepping outside. “It’s miserably humid in Singapore,” the commenter said, “I left my hotel after showering, within minutes I was taking another shower of my own sweat in my clothes.”
“If you like it hot and sticky, I guess it’s a good place to go….” one commenter agreed while another joked that life in Singapore meant either “changing shirts every hour or shivering in air con”.
For one commenter, the humidity posed a more personal problem. “I can’t,” they wrote. “I’ve got really frizzy split ends.”
“I’ve lived in Singapore and England,” one expat wrote bluntly, “No comparison which is a better place to live – England!”
Another Briton said Singapore worked better as a stopover than a destination. “It’s nice for a couple of days on the way to/from somewhere else for a holiday, but it’s not somewhere I’d want to live permanently.”
A former resident who spent several years here echoed that sentiment. “Spent four years living in Singapore in the 90s,” they wrote, “Loved our time there and enjoy going back to visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there permanently now.”
Some compared Singapore unfavourably with other countries in the region. One commenter said, “Of all the South East Asian Countries, Singapore would perhaps be my bottom of the list to move to. Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines and Malaysia would come before Singapore for me. Singapore would get boring pretty fast…”
Another dismissed the country as “hot and clinical beyond belief”.
Not everyone shared the gloomy outlook. Several commenters said they would choose Singapore over Britain without hesitation.
“I’ll take Singapore weather over UK 95% of the time,” one person wrote while another was even more direct: “Singapore is an upgrade not a hardship.”
One commenter who said Singapore was their birthplace expressed disbelief at the criticism.
“I would give an arm and leg to move back to my birthplace,” they wrote, “Those that say hot and humid that is only because you are not use to it, didn’t you notice many locals wearing jeans lol.”
Others pointed to factors they felt outweighed the heat.
“Best place to be with a peace of mind,” one supporter added, “Safe, law-abiding, friendly and beautiful weather. Best place for children. The rest of the world need to take a leaf out of their book. Our Red Dot always tops in every area.”
Frequent visitors also chimed in, with one commenter writing, “Singapore is one of my favourite cities in the world! Always travel through between Aus and UK.” Another said, “I love Singapore, been there 8 times. I’d love to live there.”
For some, the biggest obstacle was not the weather but the price tag.
“Besides the high cost and weather, everything is great about Singapore,” one commenter wrote.
Another agreed that affordability was the key issue, “Would love to live in Singapore, you just need a decently paying job as it is expensive.”
One reader suggested that, with the right corporate support package, almost any destination could be attractive.
“With an expat package that pays for everything, you can live anywhere…”
Singapore remains one of Asia’s most popular destinations for expatriates, attracting professionals from around the world with its strong economy, low crime rates, efficient public transport system and reputation as a regional business hub. At the same time, high housing costs, expensive international school fees and tropical climate are frequently cited as challenges by foreign residents.
