Singaporean who moved to Thailand says his expenditure dropped by 70%: ‘I'm enjoying life’

SINGAPORE: A Singaporean who moved to Bangkok, Thailand, says his monthly spending has fallen by a whopping 70% compared with what he used to spend in Singapore.

The man shared his experience in response to a Reddit post asking people about something they spent years chasing because it felt like part of the Singaporean definition of “doing well,” only to realise later that they did not actually want it.

For him, it was the so-called “Singaporean dream.”

He said he started questioning the path he was on after his father passed away. Before that, he had been following what he believed was the conventional route to success.

He attended a good university in South Korea, landed a job there, worked long hours and switched jobs in search of a higher salary. The plan was to save enough money and eventually return to Singapore to get his own BTO flat.

However, after his father died before he even got the chance to retire, the Singaporean found himself questioning what all the hard work was really for.

“I was like, what am I working so hard for? What do I really want in life?”

That moment eventually pushed him to step away from the rat race and move to Bangkok.

He now works remotely and earns less than he did previously, but said the trade-off has been worth it.

“I’m now working remotely, and I have lower pay,” he wrote. “My expenditure dropped by 70%, and I’m enjoying my life.”

“Screw the ‘Singaporean dream.’ CEOs have done an excellent job convincing the working class it’s their purpose so they can be out there enjoying their life with their private jets and private islands.”

‘Rent is relatively cheap’

One of the biggest differences appears to be his housing costs.

The man said he rents a condo outside Bangkok’s main areas, where he pays around S$400 a month. Even with the air conditioning running almost 24/7, his electricity bill reportedly comes to only around S$40 to S$45.

While Thailand may be significantly cheaper for him, he pointed out that he was already familiar with the country before making the move.

He said he had travelled there several times in the past, often staying in hostels and travelling on a budget, so relocating to Bangkok was not exactly a completely unfamiliar leap.

For now, it seems he is happier trading a higher salary and the promise of a more conventional career for a cheaper lifestyle and, perhaps most importantly, more time to actually enjoy it.

Other locals share their experiences

Like the man, other locals chimed in to share when and how they came to realise that chasing the ‘Singaporean dream’ wasn’t what they wanted after all.

One wrote, “I always wanted that Singaporean ‘dream/path. BTO in the 20s, kids by 30. We balloted for a BTO while my partner and I just started uni, wanting to achieve that dream. I held on to the relationship because of the BTO even when things went downhill.” 

“Fast forward to today, key collection is coming, and reality has hit me that he’s not the partner I want and not someone I can see spending the rest of my life with, and thus I ended things.”

Another said his version of the ‘Singaporean dream’ was climbing the corporate ladder and eventually landing a big position.

He said the idea had sounded impressive when he was younger, but as he grew older and reassessed his goals, dreams, and sense of purpose, he realised that reaching the top would not necessarily make him happy.

“I realised that it is not going to make me happy and satisfied. I want to leave something and contribute to the community for them to pass down to the generation and the next. I took a pay cut and landed my new career now, and I have to say, I am definitely happier. Every day has a sense of purpose, and I am closer to contributing more towards the community,” he said.

A third Redditor said he had gone through a similar experience. “I used to feel the same way. Had a midlife crisis and re-evaluated my life a year ago. Started to prioritise what actually means to me instead of pleasing/‘looking good’ to everyone else. I think the key is being contented with what you already have.”

A fourth added, “Sometimes I look at my friends and am jealous of the big house/car/holiday that they have... But then I look at my son and realise how much I love my family. I won't chiong more at work if it means I can't pick him up from school every day.”/TISG

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