[h=2]Rebutting ST letter: Good quality of life need not come at high
cost of living[/h]
July 10th, 2013 |
Author: Ng Kok Lim
I refer to the 4 Feb 2013 Straits Times letter “High cost
of living comes with good quality of life” by Ms Tan Lin Neo [1].
Ms Tan found Singaporeans’ lament on high cost of living puzzling given the
hundreds and thousands who throng condominium show flats and travel
fairs. While hundreds and thousands may seem like large numbers, they are just
0.01% and 0.1% respectively of the Singapore population. The good life of the
0.01% or 0.1% should not be misconstrued as representing the good life of all
Singaporeans.
Ms Tan took issue with Singaporeans who complain about high HDB prices but
yet don’t mind selling their flats at high prices. But who in the first place
sold Singaporeans the asset enhancement drug that got Singaporeans hooked?
Ms Tan asserted that high cost of living comes with living in a First World
country with good quality of life while low cost of living means dirt roads,
poor housing and low quality amenities. But there are many countries and cities
that combine better quality life with lower cost of living.
For example, International Living’s 2011 Quality of Life Index listed 93 out
of 192 countries with better (or same) quality of life as Singapore but with
lower (or same) cost of living as Singapore.
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</tbody>
The Economist Intelligence Unit listed 18 cities that are simultaneously
better than Singapore in the Best City ranking and less expensive than
Singapore. Its list
of top 50 most liveable cities also does not include Singapore.
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</tbody>
Mercer’s 2012 Quality of Living index and Cost of Living Index together show
23 cities that have simultaneously better quality of living and lower (or same)
cost of living than Singapore.
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</tbody>
Finally, the UBS Prices and Earnings report 2011 also listed Singapore
amongst the priciest of First World cities.
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</tbody>
So this is the reality reflected in many international surveys: that there
are many cities and countries that have simultaneously better quality of living
and lower cost of living than Singapore. It is a truth larger than the one
advocated by Ms Tan which Ms Tan claimed to be the entirety. Singaporeans don’t
need the government to fulfil every whim and desire, only to face up with
reality entirely and responsibly.
Thank you
Ng Kok Lim
[1] Straits Times, High cost of living comes with good quality of life, 4 Feb
2013, Tan Lin Neo (Miss)
MANY Singaporeans lament the high cost of living here.
I find this rather
puzzling.
At almost every condominium launch, there would be hundreds of
Singaporeans thronging the showflats. This is so even after the recent round of
property cooling measures.
And at travel fairs, there are thousands of
Singaporeans thronging the booths and snapping up travel deals, with some
bookings sold out months ahead.
It seems that Singaporeans often complain
about the high cost of an HDB flat.
And yet, when they sell their flats and
pocket hundreds of thousands of dollars in gains and cash over valuation, they
do not mind the high prices.
Would Singaporeans prefer to buy HDB flats at a
low cost, and subsequently sell them at low prices?
Many seem to fail to
recognise that the high cost of living comes with living in a First World
country with a good quality of life.
Visitors to a country with a low cost of
living will find that it comes with poorly made dirt roads, poor housing
standards and low-quality amenities.
I urge my fellow Singaporeans to see
things in their entirety.
The Government has made the effort to listen and to
accommodate the wants of Singaporeans.
Singaporeans should not see the
Government as existing to fulfil our every whim and desire.
VN:F [1.9.22_1171]
Rating:
+26 (from 26 votes)
cost of living[/h]
of living comes with good quality of life” by Ms Tan Lin Neo [1].
Ms Tan found Singaporeans’ lament on high cost of living puzzling given the
hundreds and thousands who throng condominium show flats and travel
fairs. While hundreds and thousands may seem like large numbers, they are just
0.01% and 0.1% respectively of the Singapore population. The good life of the
0.01% or 0.1% should not be misconstrued as representing the good life of all
Singaporeans.
Ms Tan took issue with Singaporeans who complain about high HDB prices but
yet don’t mind selling their flats at high prices. But who in the first place
sold Singaporeans the asset enhancement drug that got Singaporeans hooked?
Ms Tan asserted that high cost of living comes with living in a First World
country with good quality of life while low cost of living means dirt roads,
poor housing and low quality amenities. But there are many countries and cities
that combine better quality life with lower cost of living.
For example, International Living’s 2011 Quality of Life Index listed 93 out
of 192 countries with better (or same) quality of life as Singapore but with
lower (or same) cost of living as Singapore.
| Country | Quality of Life Final Score | Cost of Living (higher score means lower cost) |
| United States | 86 | 76 |
| New Zealand | 76 | 69 |
| Malta | 76 | 68 |
| Belgium | 75 | 65 |
| France | 75 | 58 |
| Monaco | 75 | 47 |
| Japan | 74 | 61 |
| United Kingdom | 74 | 60 |
| Austria | 74 | 58 |
| Germany | 74 | 50 |
| Portugal | 73 | 72 |
| Andorra | 73 | 61 |
| Australia | 73 | 55 |
| Italy | 73 | 54 |
| Netherlands | 73 | 52 |
| Hungary | 72 | 79 |
| Argentina | 72 | 73 |
| Slovenia | 72 | 66 |
| Norway | 72 | 53 |
| South Korea | 71 | 76 |
| Uruguay | 71 | 67 |
| Iceland | 71 | 65 |
| Spain | 71 | 62 |
| Greece | 71 | 59 |
| Ireland | 71 | 51 |
| Denmark | 71 | 48 |
| Poland | 70 | 67 |
| Czech Republic | 70 | 64 |
| Canada | 70 | 61 |
| Bulgaria | 69 | 80 |
| Estonia | 69 | 76 |
| Latvia | 69 | 67 |
| Finland | 69 | 57 |
| Sweden | 69 | 49 |
| Lithuania | 68 | 70 |
| Croatia | 68 | 54 |
| Mexico | 67 | 77 |
| Slovakia | 67 | 70 |
| Israel | 67 | 56 |
| Liechtenstein | 67 | 50 |
| Taiwan | 66 | 75 |
| Brazil | 66 | 73 |
| Antigua & Barbuda | 65 | 80 |
| Ecuador | 65 | 78 |
| Costa Rica | 65 | 73 |
| Romania | 65 | 73 |
| Bahamas | 65 | 66 |
| Cyprus (Greek) | 65 | 61 |
| Panama | 64 | 78 |
| Albania | 64 | 75 |
| Saint Kitts & Nevis | 64 | 64 |
| Barbados | 64 | 57 |
| Paraguay | 63 | 84 |
| Colombia | 63 | 72 |
| Jamaica | 63 | 69 |
| Chile | 63 | 68 |
| Cayman Islands | 63 | 65 |
| Mauritius | 62 | 74 |
| Serbia | 62 | 70 |
| Bolivia | 61 | 88 |
| Marshall Islands | 61 | 86 |
| Bosnia-Herzegovina | 61 | 76 |
| Dominica | 61 | 74 |
| Macedonia | 61 | 70 |
| Turkey | 61 | 68 |
| Tunisia | 60 | 79 |
| Dominican Republic | 60 | 76 |
| Botswana | 60 | 76 |
| Namibia | 60 | 74 |
| Ukraine | 60 | 67 |
| Morocco | 60 | 64 |
| South Africa | 60 | 57 |
| Trinidad & Tobago | 60 | 55 |
| Cuba | 59 | 86 |
| Lesotho | 59 | 84 |
| El Salvador | 59 | 82 |
| Malaysia | 59 | 80 |
| Guatemala | 59 | 76 |
| Belize | 59 | 75 |
| Moldova | 59 | 73 |
| Grenada | 59 | 65 |
| Macau | 59 | 47 |
| Kiribati | 58 | 83 |
| Thailand | 58 | 77 |
| Georgia | 58 | 76 |
| Bahrain | 58 | 53 |
| Bhutan | 57 | 86 |
| Suriname | 57 | 78 |
| Cape Verde | 57 | 78 |
| China | 57 | 73 |
| Tonga | 57 | 72 |
| Qatar | 57 | 59 |
| Singapore | 57 | 47 |
<tbody>
</tbody>
The Economist Intelligence Unit listed 18 cities that are simultaneously
better than Singapore in the Best City ranking and less expensive than
Singapore. Its list
of top 50 most liveable cities also does not include Singapore.
| City | EIU 2012 Best City rank | EIU 2012 top 10 most expensive cities |
| Hong Kong | 1 | #N/A |
| Amsterdam | 2 | #N/A |
| Osaka | 3 | #N/A |
| Paris | 4 | 6 |
| Sydney | 5 | 7 |
| Stockholm | 6 | #N/A |
| Berlin | 7 | #N/A |
| Toronto | 8 | #N/A |
| Munich | 9 | #N/A |
| Tokyo | 10 | 2 |
| Rome | 11 | #N/A |
| London | 12 | #N/A |
| Madrid | 13 | #N/A |
| Washington DC | 14 | #N/A |
| Chicago | 15 | #N/A |
| New York | 16 | #N/A |
| Los Angeles | 17 | #N/A |
| San Francisco | 18 | #N/A |
| Boston | 19 | #N/A |
| Seoul | 20 | #N/A |
| Atlanta | 21 | #N/A |
| Singapore | 22 | 9 |
<tbody>
</tbody>
Mercer’s 2012 Quality of Living index and Cost of Living Index together show
23 cities that have simultaneously better quality of living and lower (or same)
cost of living than Singapore.
| City | Mercer quality of living 2012 rank | Mercer cost of living 2012 rank (higher ranked means more costly) |
| Vienna | 1 | 48 |
| Zurich | 2 | 6 |
| Auckland | 3 | #N/A |
| Munich | 4 | #N/A |
| Vancouver | 5 | #N/A |
| Düsseldorf | 6 | #N/A |
| Frankfurt | 7 | #N/A |
| Geneva | 8 | 5 |
| Copenhagen | 9 | 21 |
| Bern | 10 | 14 |
| Sydney | 10 | 11 |
| Amsterdam | 12 | #N/A |
| Wellington | 13 | #N/A |
| Ottawa | 14 | #N/A |
| Toronto | 15 | #N/A |
| Berlin | 16 | #N/A |
| Hamburg | 17 | #N/A |
| Melbourne | 17 | 15 |
| Luxembourg | 19 | #N/A |
| Stockholm | 19 | 46 |
| Perth | 21 | 19 |
| Brussels | 22 | #N/A |
| Montreal | 23 | #N/A |
| Nurnberg | 24 | #N/A |
| Singapore | 25 | 6 |
<tbody>
</tbody>
Finally, the UBS Prices and Earnings report 2011 also listed Singapore
amongst the priciest of First World cities.
| City | Price level excluding rent | City | Price level including rent |
| Oslo | 139.1 | Oslo | 108.9 |
| Zurich | 135 | Geneva | 106.5 |
| Geneva | 133.1 | Zurich | 105.5 |
| Copenhagen | 118.4 | New York | 100 |
| Stockholm | 117.5 | Tokyo | 94.2 |
| Tokyo | 112.6 | Copenhagen | 89.4 |
| Sydney | 107.7 | Sydney | 89.1 |
| Helsinki | 103.5 | Stockholm | 88.5 |
| Toronto | 102.8 | Singapore | 88.3 |
| Singapore | 102.4 | Paris | 82.8 |
| Vienna | 102 | London | 82.5 |
| Paris | 100.9 | Toronto | 82.1 |
| Luxembourg | 100.1 | Helsinki | 81.5 |
| New York | 100 | Dublin | 78.8 |
| London | 99.8 | Montreal | 77.6 |
| Munich | 99.7 | Luxembourg | 77.1 |
| Montreal | 99.4 | Hong Kong | 76.5 |
| Frankfurt | 98 | Frankfurt | 76.3 |
| Dublin | 95.7 | Vienna | 75.2 |
| Brussels | 93.3 | Munich | 75 |
| Rome | 92.8 | Brussels | 74.5 |
| Lyon | 92.2 | Rome | 74.4 |
| Auckland | 91.7 | Auckland | 73 |
| Barcelona | 90.9 | Los Angeles | 72.7 |
| Amsterdam | 88.2 | Chicago | 72.3 |
| Los Angeles | 88.1 | Barcelona | 71.1 |
| Madrid | 88.1 | Miami | 69.2 |
| Tel Aviv | 87.6 | Milan | 68.9 |
| Berlin | 87.5 | Madrid | 68.7 |
| Milan | 84.5 | Amsterdam | 68.4 |
| Seoul | 84.5 | Seoul | 68.4 |
| Hong Kong | 82.3 | Lyon | 67.2 |
| Chicago | 82.3 | Tel Aviv | 66.5 |
| Athens | 80.1 | Berlin | 64.6 |
| Lisbon | 79.9 | Lisbon | 62.4 |
| Miami | 78.8 | Athens | 60.1 |
| Taipei | 73.2 | Taipei | 57.3 |
<tbody>
</tbody>
So this is the reality reflected in many international surveys: that there
are many cities and countries that have simultaneously better quality of living
and lower cost of living than Singapore. It is a truth larger than the one
advocated by Ms Tan which Ms Tan claimed to be the entirety. Singaporeans don’t
need the government to fulfil every whim and desire, only to face up with
reality entirely and responsibly.
Thank you
Ng Kok Lim
[1] Straits Times, High cost of living comes with good quality of life, 4 Feb
2013, Tan Lin Neo (Miss)
MANY Singaporeans lament the high cost of living here.
I find this rather
puzzling.
At almost every condominium launch, there would be hundreds of
Singaporeans thronging the showflats. This is so even after the recent round of
property cooling measures.
And at travel fairs, there are thousands of
Singaporeans thronging the booths and snapping up travel deals, with some
bookings sold out months ahead.
It seems that Singaporeans often complain
about the high cost of an HDB flat.
And yet, when they sell their flats and
pocket hundreds of thousands of dollars in gains and cash over valuation, they
do not mind the high prices.
Would Singaporeans prefer to buy HDB flats at a
low cost, and subsequently sell them at low prices?
Many seem to fail to
recognise that the high cost of living comes with living in a First World
country with a good quality of life.
Visitors to a country with a low cost of
living will find that it comes with poorly made dirt roads, poor housing
standards and low-quality amenities.
I urge my fellow Singaporeans to see
things in their entirety.
The Government has made the effort to listen and to
accommodate the wants of Singaporeans.
Singaporeans should not see the
Government as existing to fulfil our every whim and desire.
Rating:
+26 (from 26 votes)
