The truth about living in Singapore according to Kiwis who live there
Lorna Thornber10:29, Feb 11 2019
BROOK SABIN/ONFLIGHTMODE.COM
Singapore is much more than a stopover, as Kiwis Brook Sabin and Radha Engling discover.
Exploring Singapore's Marina Bay for the first time, Nick Ashley felt like he'd been teleported to a future urban utopia.
The landmark Marina Bay Sands building shaped like a ship grounded atop three 55-storey glass and steel towers, the solar power-generating "supertrees" at Gardens by the Bay and the laser light show lending the shiny new suburb a science fiction feel left the 26-year-old from Christchurch "in a word, impressed".
"The city-state presents as a model country and a futuristic and truly global city," Ashley, who moved there in September 2017, says. "Given its relatively short history as a nation after being ejected from Malaysia in 1965 and its somewhat precarious state back then, the progress it has made is remarkable."
Are you a Kiwi living abroad with a story to share? Email [email protected]
In the 54 years since becoming an independent state, Singapore has gone from swamp-filled jungle to global hub of commerce thanks, in large part, to the huge number of immigrants from around the world. Expatriates made up 40 per cent of the population as of June 2018, government figures show - many of whom have come to further their careers or seek their fortunes.
READ MORE:
* The truth about living in Dubai according to Kiwis who live there
* The truth about living in London according to Kiwis who live there
* The truth about living in Melbourne according to Kiwis who live there
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Forty-five per cent of the 18,135 respondents to HSBC's 2018 Expat Explorer survey cited career progression as one of their top three reasons for moving there, while 38 per cent said increasing their earnings was a key driver.
NICK ASHLEY
Nick Ashley (left) says Singapore is an easy place to live and quickly felt like home.
Singapore has been named the best country in the world for expats in the HSBC survey for four years in a row and it scores highly in similar rankings too - it came in at number five on InterNations' 2018 list.
"Attracting expats from one of the widest ranges of nations in our study, Singapore really does seem to offer the whole package," the report on the HSBC survey said. "But it's an expensive one."
Love it or loathe it
Singapore tends to polarise visitors. While some love it for its ultra modernity and cleanliness, others loathe or at least dislike - it for the same reasons, feeling the place has been scrubbed to within an inch or less - of its life.
ISTOCK
Ashley sees Singapore as a "futuristic and truly global country".
And while some praise the policies that have virtually eliminated crime and homelessness and keep streets free of rubbish and chewing gum, others condemn the authoritarianism and harsh penalties that underpin them (it has been described as "Disneyland with the death penalty"). Singapore is often accused of being boring and in 2018 Time Outconfirmed it, placing it at number 31 in a list of the 32 most exciting cities based on a poll of 15,000.
Ashley, who was seconded to Singapore Airlines' head office after working for the company in Auckland and Sydney, is among the nation's champions but feels the boring label isn't entirely unfounded.
"Being small and densely populated, it can begin to feel a little oppressive. That's easily fixed with a weekend away though."
Respondents to the Time Out poll complained that Singapore is lacking in culture, but Ashley says you don't have to head far from the skyscrapers of downtown to find it.
NICK ASHLEY
Ashley with friends David (from Melbourne), Eren (from Adelaide) and Rex (from Singapore) on a cruise near Singapore's Sentosa island.
"Singapore has roots stretching back thousands of years - pockets like Chinatown, Little India and Arab Street are bursting with culture, history and tradition."
And even with 5.6 million people crammed into an area roughly the size of Lake Taupō, he says it doesn't feel as crowded as he had expected.
"There are plenty of green spaces, including a large reservoir and jungle in the island's centre."
Ashley is "very happy" living there, saying that while no country is perfect, "Singapore does a pretty good job".
Working as an analyst in the airline's pricing department, he says he is far better off financially than he would be in New Zealand, helped by the low income tax rate in Singapore.
BROOK SABIN
You don't have to venture far from the city centre for a taste of the many cultures that make it up, Ashely says.
Living out near the airport, he's a bit of a distance from downtown and the more happening suburbs, but the efficient, island-wide train system means that's rarely, if ever, a problem.
"My apartment is small by New Zealand standards but I don't spend much time there and the complex has amazing resort-like gardens and swimming pools, which is common among the more expensive private condominiums."
Long hours for adults and kids alike
Singapore is notorious for its long working hours, which some put down to the local concept of kiasuism. In a 2018 BBC article, Sarah Keating noted that the word is derived from the Hokkien (Chinese dialect) words kia, which means afraid, and su, which means to lose. FOMO (fear of missing out) it seems is inherent to the Singaporean psyche.
Dr Leong Chan-Hoong, senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies at the National University of Singapore, told Keating that the concept is rooted in the small, young nation's vulnerable position in South East Asia, surrounded by neighbours with different cultures.
NICK ASHLEY
Nick (left) and fellow expat Mark waiting to clear immigration and drive into Malaysia for a weekend road trip.
"It's always been drilled into the minds of Singaporeans that you've got to be self-reliant, you've got to stay hungry, you've got to be ahead of the curve … the need to stay ahead has always been part of the social psyche."
Bella Handfield, a 25-year-old from the Kāpiti Coast who works as an advertising account manager in Singapore, said there is definitely a culture of staying at work late - or at least until your boss goes home.
"People have been known to stay overnight and then work at the weekend. And that's considered normal."
Personally, she says she has a great work-life balance and loves living there.
"There are great work and travel opportunities that I just wouldn't get in New Zealand."
NICK ASHLEY
Nick (left) and friend Matt (right) during a weekend break in Thailand.
Kaiying Chin, who grew up on Auckland's North Shore and moved to Singapore in 2005 to take up a scholarship to study chemical engineering at university, was initially shocked by how hard her fellow students worked.
"I assumed I would be able to work part time, but the uni schedule was 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday plus projects after. Nobody worked while studying."
Now working at Facebook, the 31-year-old still works long hours. But, earning good money, saving much more than she would be able to in New Zealand and being exposed to greater professional and travel opportunities makes it worth it, she feels.
"Work-life balance is not something I really believe in. For me, it's more work-life integration. The lines are blurred but thankfully I can be my authentic self at work so I feel pretty balanced mentally."
Ashley is of a similar frame of mind: Ambitious and genuinely happy in his work, he's happy to spend a lot of time there.
BELLA HANDFIELD
Handfield moved to Singapore in April 2018 to be with her partner, with whom she'd been in a long-distance relationship for two years.
"I find the overtime manageable and in line with similar financial roles overseas. There's no micromanagement on working hours. Late starts and long lunches are balanced out by working evenings or from an Indonesian beach resort, 45 minutes away by ferry, on weekends."
Alan Chiew, who leads a team of technologists at a bank, appreciates being able to work when and where he likes - "within reason of course" - so he can drop off his kids at school each morning and put them to bed at night.
Like Chin though, the 35-year-old Wellingtonian has found the education system much more rigorous.
"The expectation that parents, and moreover society, place on children can be a bit surprising and it starts early. Our youngest daughter was three when she started kindy and her friends at school were routinely going to "enrichment classes" and tuition in the evenings or at weekends.
"Coming from education systems in New Zealand and the UK which are a lot more laid back, it was a bit of a shock. But that's maybe why Singaporean kids always rate highly from an academic perspective at least!"
BELLA HANDFIELD
Handfield finds Singapore is faster paced than New Zealand, saying it can be harder to switch off.
Making end meet in the world's most expensive city
While earnings are relatively high, the cost of living in Singapore can be exorbitant - the country has topped The Economist Intelligence Unit's list of the world's most expensive cities for five years running.
Ashley reckons rankings of this sort can be a bit misleading, saying accommodation is on a par with other major cities and that a meal at one of Singapore's famously high quality hawker centres can set you back as little as $4. Electricity, he says, is very cheap and clothing bargains can be picked up in Bangkok - a two-and-a-half-hour flight away.
Singapore is the most expensive place in the world to buy and run a car thanks to steep licensing fees aimed at combating congestion, but public transport and taxis are affordable.
"It's definitely possible to live here fairly cheaply," he says.
Both Chin and Chiew appreciate the affordability of domestic help, with Chiew going so far as to say that having a live-in nanny/helper has made him and his wife better parents.
"Most nights we can come home from work and don't have to worry about cooking dinner or tidying up so we'll jump in the pool with the kids instead."
BROOK SABIN
Singapore has plenty of green spaces, particularly if you head out of town, and its "green skyscrapers" are essentially living ecosystems.
And the living is easy
All the Kiwi expats we spoke with said they settled in fairly quickly, finding Singapore clean, safe, efficient and - on the whole - welcoming.
Steven Hoskins, who grew up in Hamilton and now works for Singapore's Centre for Research on the Economics of Ageing, said it can be difficult to make friends "possibly due to more formal work environments, fewer spontaneous social interactions or a hesitancy among locals to make friends with temporary expats."
The 28-year-old has never felt lonely in the city, however, having befriended two other expats he met at the hostel he initially stayed at and two locals he later lived with who "took great delight in showing me their favourite restaurants and comparing our cultures".
He and his partner now share a 60-square-metre apartment which he says is perfect for their current situation.
BROOK SABIN
Singapore is notoriously expensive but you can get a meal at a hawker centre for a few dollars.
"It's low maintenance, easy to clean and the condo has a gym and several swimming pools. At that size, it's cheap enough that we can live in Dhoby Ghaut, a central suburb just 300 metres from my work."
The couple spend their free time exploring different neighbourhoods, trying new foods, shopping at the wet markets and repeatedly visiting the "amazing" zoo. However, Hoskins admits they spend a fair amount of time just "hiding from the heat in the pool or our air-conditioned apartment".
He's been surprised by Singaporeans' enormous appetite for both eating out and shopping, saying it's common for locals to spend entire weekends trawling shopping centres for clothes and gadgets. "They're also massive foodies. Every single person will recommend a different spot for the best chicken rice in the city."
He has struggled to adapt to the more overtly hierarchal society, saying "people know their place and act very deferential towards their superiors. This was hard for me to adjust to with my more Kiwi ethos of direct communication, casual banter with strangers and belief that respect has to be earned regardless of your job title."
On the whole though, he says it's a pretty ideal place to be at this stage of his life.
STEVE HOSKINS
Hoskins says the work environment is higher pressure in Singapore, making "quiet evenings and weekend sleep-ins crucial for recovery".
"There's a very high standard of living with higher wages, better jobs and countless opportunities for entertainment, eating and socialising. And all within walking distance or easily accessible on public transport."
Chiew moved to Singapore after living in London for seven years, which he and his wife had started to find a little unsafe, particularly with young children. They weren't ready to return to New Zealand, and Singapore appealed because of the opportunities to work and travel in Asia and for their kids to learn fluent Mandarin.
They're enjoying exploring their new city with its innumerable child-friendly attractions and activities - and the only thing Chiew would change if he could is the weather.
"I like to play outdoors sports but the heat and humidity can be very stifling. You start to plan your days to avoid being outside in the sun during peak hours."
STEVE HOSKINS
Hoskins likes that his apartment, while small, is low-maintenance and central.
The world is your oyster
Sitting in one of the many rooftop bars downtown, Ashley often gets a sense of being at the centre of the universe - or at the heart of the action on Earth at least.
"You can see rows of cargo ships from all around the world resting at anchor, an endless stream of airliners moving through the airport, fiery plumes from oil refineries and glimmering lights from nearby Malaysia and Indonesia."
Singapore's central location on the globe and the travel opportunities that affords are one of the best things about it, according to the Kiwis we spoke with.
Chin says she's visited many countries she probably wouldn't have been able to from New Zealand and Ashley, who is at a bit of an advantage as he get travel perks through work, has "been successful at collecting a lot of passport stamps.
"I try to visit lesser known spots as much as possible, such as Phu Quoc in Vietnam, Koh Lipe in Thailand and Pulau Macan in Indonesia. I took up scuba diving after moving here to make the most of the world-class dive sites in the surrounding countries. Shipwreck diving and spotting sharks, turtles and manta rays have already been ticked off."
STEVE HOSKINS
Hoskins' first impressions of Singapore were of "a futuristic supercity with the lush greenery and humidity of the tropics".
Long-term plans
While all the Kiwis who spoke to Stuff are happy in Singapore, all would at least consider returning to New Zealand at some stage.
Chin rates her life there 10 out of 10 and while her husband is also a New Zealander, they met in Singapore and have built their life together there. She doesn't think the two countries can be compared on an "apple to apple" basis as they are so different, but she's grateful to have the option to return to the land that, even after 13 years away, she still considers home.
Ashley, Chiew and Handfield all plan to return to New Zealand eventually - although none know exactly when that will be.
Hoskins can already hear Aotearoa calling him home, saying he misses how easy it is in New Zealand to head off on a road trip or tramp or spend a day skiing, mountain biking or diving for crayfish.
If he and his partner have children, he says they will definitely settle in back home.
"While the education and healthcare systems in Singapore are world class, there's nothing like a Kiwi childhood where you know most families at school, get drenched every Saturday down at the wicket, pitch or turf and spend long summers around a barbecue at the beach."
He hopes that by the time he returns though that Auckland will have taken a leaf or two out of Singapore's book.
"I'd like to see it learn from the success of Singapore by enabling density to ease house prices, investing heavily in public transport and using our cultural capital and beautiful landscapes to attract talent and hard workers from around the world."
Have you lived in Singapore? Do you agree with these sentiments? Share your thoughts in the comments.
STEVE HOSKINS
Eating out and shopping are said to be Singapore's national pastimes.
SUPPLIED
Seeing the lights of Malaysia and Indonesia glimmering on the horizon from the rooftop bars of downtown, Ashley is often struck by how well located Singapore is.
Stuff
Lorna Thornber10:29, Feb 11 2019
BROOK SABIN/ONFLIGHTMODE.COM
Singapore is much more than a stopover, as Kiwis Brook Sabin and Radha Engling discover.
Exploring Singapore's Marina Bay for the first time, Nick Ashley felt like he'd been teleported to a future urban utopia.
The landmark Marina Bay Sands building shaped like a ship grounded atop three 55-storey glass and steel towers, the solar power-generating "supertrees" at Gardens by the Bay and the laser light show lending the shiny new suburb a science fiction feel left the 26-year-old from Christchurch "in a word, impressed".
"The city-state presents as a model country and a futuristic and truly global city," Ashley, who moved there in September 2017, says. "Given its relatively short history as a nation after being ejected from Malaysia in 1965 and its somewhat precarious state back then, the progress it has made is remarkable."
Are you a Kiwi living abroad with a story to share? Email [email protected]
In the 54 years since becoming an independent state, Singapore has gone from swamp-filled jungle to global hub of commerce thanks, in large part, to the huge number of immigrants from around the world. Expatriates made up 40 per cent of the population as of June 2018, government figures show - many of whom have come to further their careers or seek their fortunes.
READ MORE:
* The truth about living in Dubai according to Kiwis who live there
* The truth about living in London according to Kiwis who live there
* The truth about living in Melbourne according to Kiwis who live there
ADVERTISEMENT
Advertise with Stuff
Forty-five per cent of the 18,135 respondents to HSBC's 2018 Expat Explorer survey cited career progression as one of their top three reasons for moving there, while 38 per cent said increasing their earnings was a key driver.
NICK ASHLEY
Nick Ashley (left) says Singapore is an easy place to live and quickly felt like home.
Singapore has been named the best country in the world for expats in the HSBC survey for four years in a row and it scores highly in similar rankings too - it came in at number five on InterNations' 2018 list.
"Attracting expats from one of the widest ranges of nations in our study, Singapore really does seem to offer the whole package," the report on the HSBC survey said. "But it's an expensive one."
Love it or loathe it
Singapore tends to polarise visitors. While some love it for its ultra modernity and cleanliness, others loathe or at least dislike - it for the same reasons, feeling the place has been scrubbed to within an inch or less - of its life.
ISTOCK
Ashley sees Singapore as a "futuristic and truly global country".
And while some praise the policies that have virtually eliminated crime and homelessness and keep streets free of rubbish and chewing gum, others condemn the authoritarianism and harsh penalties that underpin them (it has been described as "Disneyland with the death penalty"). Singapore is often accused of being boring and in 2018 Time Outconfirmed it, placing it at number 31 in a list of the 32 most exciting cities based on a poll of 15,000.
Ashley, who was seconded to Singapore Airlines' head office after working for the company in Auckland and Sydney, is among the nation's champions but feels the boring label isn't entirely unfounded.
"Being small and densely populated, it can begin to feel a little oppressive. That's easily fixed with a weekend away though."
Respondents to the Time Out poll complained that Singapore is lacking in culture, but Ashley says you don't have to head far from the skyscrapers of downtown to find it.
NICK ASHLEY
Ashley with friends David (from Melbourne), Eren (from Adelaide) and Rex (from Singapore) on a cruise near Singapore's Sentosa island.
"Singapore has roots stretching back thousands of years - pockets like Chinatown, Little India and Arab Street are bursting with culture, history and tradition."
And even with 5.6 million people crammed into an area roughly the size of Lake Taupō, he says it doesn't feel as crowded as he had expected.
"There are plenty of green spaces, including a large reservoir and jungle in the island's centre."
Ashley is "very happy" living there, saying that while no country is perfect, "Singapore does a pretty good job".
Working as an analyst in the airline's pricing department, he says he is far better off financially than he would be in New Zealand, helped by the low income tax rate in Singapore.
BROOK SABIN
You don't have to venture far from the city centre for a taste of the many cultures that make it up, Ashely says.
Living out near the airport, he's a bit of a distance from downtown and the more happening suburbs, but the efficient, island-wide train system means that's rarely, if ever, a problem.
"My apartment is small by New Zealand standards but I don't spend much time there and the complex has amazing resort-like gardens and swimming pools, which is common among the more expensive private condominiums."
Long hours for adults and kids alike
Singapore is notorious for its long working hours, which some put down to the local concept of kiasuism. In a 2018 BBC article, Sarah Keating noted that the word is derived from the Hokkien (Chinese dialect) words kia, which means afraid, and su, which means to lose. FOMO (fear of missing out) it seems is inherent to the Singaporean psyche.
Dr Leong Chan-Hoong, senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies at the National University of Singapore, told Keating that the concept is rooted in the small, young nation's vulnerable position in South East Asia, surrounded by neighbours with different cultures.
NICK ASHLEY
Nick (left) and fellow expat Mark waiting to clear immigration and drive into Malaysia for a weekend road trip.
"It's always been drilled into the minds of Singaporeans that you've got to be self-reliant, you've got to stay hungry, you've got to be ahead of the curve … the need to stay ahead has always been part of the social psyche."
Bella Handfield, a 25-year-old from the Kāpiti Coast who works as an advertising account manager in Singapore, said there is definitely a culture of staying at work late - or at least until your boss goes home.
"People have been known to stay overnight and then work at the weekend. And that's considered normal."
Personally, she says she has a great work-life balance and loves living there.
"There are great work and travel opportunities that I just wouldn't get in New Zealand."
NICK ASHLEY
Nick (left) and friend Matt (right) during a weekend break in Thailand.
Kaiying Chin, who grew up on Auckland's North Shore and moved to Singapore in 2005 to take up a scholarship to study chemical engineering at university, was initially shocked by how hard her fellow students worked.
"I assumed I would be able to work part time, but the uni schedule was 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday plus projects after. Nobody worked while studying."
Now working at Facebook, the 31-year-old still works long hours. But, earning good money, saving much more than she would be able to in New Zealand and being exposed to greater professional and travel opportunities makes it worth it, she feels.
"Work-life balance is not something I really believe in. For me, it's more work-life integration. The lines are blurred but thankfully I can be my authentic self at work so I feel pretty balanced mentally."
Ashley is of a similar frame of mind: Ambitious and genuinely happy in his work, he's happy to spend a lot of time there.
BELLA HANDFIELD
Handfield moved to Singapore in April 2018 to be with her partner, with whom she'd been in a long-distance relationship for two years.
"I find the overtime manageable and in line with similar financial roles overseas. There's no micromanagement on working hours. Late starts and long lunches are balanced out by working evenings or from an Indonesian beach resort, 45 minutes away by ferry, on weekends."
Alan Chiew, who leads a team of technologists at a bank, appreciates being able to work when and where he likes - "within reason of course" - so he can drop off his kids at school each morning and put them to bed at night.
Like Chin though, the 35-year-old Wellingtonian has found the education system much more rigorous.
"The expectation that parents, and moreover society, place on children can be a bit surprising and it starts early. Our youngest daughter was three when she started kindy and her friends at school were routinely going to "enrichment classes" and tuition in the evenings or at weekends.
"Coming from education systems in New Zealand and the UK which are a lot more laid back, it was a bit of a shock. But that's maybe why Singaporean kids always rate highly from an academic perspective at least!"
BELLA HANDFIELD
Handfield finds Singapore is faster paced than New Zealand, saying it can be harder to switch off.
Making end meet in the world's most expensive city
While earnings are relatively high, the cost of living in Singapore can be exorbitant - the country has topped The Economist Intelligence Unit's list of the world's most expensive cities for five years running.
Ashley reckons rankings of this sort can be a bit misleading, saying accommodation is on a par with other major cities and that a meal at one of Singapore's famously high quality hawker centres can set you back as little as $4. Electricity, he says, is very cheap and clothing bargains can be picked up in Bangkok - a two-and-a-half-hour flight away.
Singapore is the most expensive place in the world to buy and run a car thanks to steep licensing fees aimed at combating congestion, but public transport and taxis are affordable.
"It's definitely possible to live here fairly cheaply," he says.
Both Chin and Chiew appreciate the affordability of domestic help, with Chiew going so far as to say that having a live-in nanny/helper has made him and his wife better parents.
"Most nights we can come home from work and don't have to worry about cooking dinner or tidying up so we'll jump in the pool with the kids instead."
BROOK SABIN
Singapore has plenty of green spaces, particularly if you head out of town, and its "green skyscrapers" are essentially living ecosystems.
And the living is easy
All the Kiwi expats we spoke with said they settled in fairly quickly, finding Singapore clean, safe, efficient and - on the whole - welcoming.
Steven Hoskins, who grew up in Hamilton and now works for Singapore's Centre for Research on the Economics of Ageing, said it can be difficult to make friends "possibly due to more formal work environments, fewer spontaneous social interactions or a hesitancy among locals to make friends with temporary expats."
The 28-year-old has never felt lonely in the city, however, having befriended two other expats he met at the hostel he initially stayed at and two locals he later lived with who "took great delight in showing me their favourite restaurants and comparing our cultures".
He and his partner now share a 60-square-metre apartment which he says is perfect for their current situation.
BROOK SABIN
Singapore is notoriously expensive but you can get a meal at a hawker centre for a few dollars.
"It's low maintenance, easy to clean and the condo has a gym and several swimming pools. At that size, it's cheap enough that we can live in Dhoby Ghaut, a central suburb just 300 metres from my work."
The couple spend their free time exploring different neighbourhoods, trying new foods, shopping at the wet markets and repeatedly visiting the "amazing" zoo. However, Hoskins admits they spend a fair amount of time just "hiding from the heat in the pool or our air-conditioned apartment".
He's been surprised by Singaporeans' enormous appetite for both eating out and shopping, saying it's common for locals to spend entire weekends trawling shopping centres for clothes and gadgets. "They're also massive foodies. Every single person will recommend a different spot for the best chicken rice in the city."
He has struggled to adapt to the more overtly hierarchal society, saying "people know their place and act very deferential towards their superiors. This was hard for me to adjust to with my more Kiwi ethos of direct communication, casual banter with strangers and belief that respect has to be earned regardless of your job title."
On the whole though, he says it's a pretty ideal place to be at this stage of his life.
STEVE HOSKINS
Hoskins says the work environment is higher pressure in Singapore, making "quiet evenings and weekend sleep-ins crucial for recovery".
"There's a very high standard of living with higher wages, better jobs and countless opportunities for entertainment, eating and socialising. And all within walking distance or easily accessible on public transport."
Chiew moved to Singapore after living in London for seven years, which he and his wife had started to find a little unsafe, particularly with young children. They weren't ready to return to New Zealand, and Singapore appealed because of the opportunities to work and travel in Asia and for their kids to learn fluent Mandarin.
They're enjoying exploring their new city with its innumerable child-friendly attractions and activities - and the only thing Chiew would change if he could is the weather.
"I like to play outdoors sports but the heat and humidity can be very stifling. You start to plan your days to avoid being outside in the sun during peak hours."
STEVE HOSKINS
Hoskins likes that his apartment, while small, is low-maintenance and central.
The world is your oyster
Sitting in one of the many rooftop bars downtown, Ashley often gets a sense of being at the centre of the universe - or at the heart of the action on Earth at least.
"You can see rows of cargo ships from all around the world resting at anchor, an endless stream of airliners moving through the airport, fiery plumes from oil refineries and glimmering lights from nearby Malaysia and Indonesia."
Singapore's central location on the globe and the travel opportunities that affords are one of the best things about it, according to the Kiwis we spoke with.
Chin says she's visited many countries she probably wouldn't have been able to from New Zealand and Ashley, who is at a bit of an advantage as he get travel perks through work, has "been successful at collecting a lot of passport stamps.
"I try to visit lesser known spots as much as possible, such as Phu Quoc in Vietnam, Koh Lipe in Thailand and Pulau Macan in Indonesia. I took up scuba diving after moving here to make the most of the world-class dive sites in the surrounding countries. Shipwreck diving and spotting sharks, turtles and manta rays have already been ticked off."
STEVE HOSKINS
Hoskins' first impressions of Singapore were of "a futuristic supercity with the lush greenery and humidity of the tropics".
Long-term plans
While all the Kiwis who spoke to Stuff are happy in Singapore, all would at least consider returning to New Zealand at some stage.
Chin rates her life there 10 out of 10 and while her husband is also a New Zealander, they met in Singapore and have built their life together there. She doesn't think the two countries can be compared on an "apple to apple" basis as they are so different, but she's grateful to have the option to return to the land that, even after 13 years away, she still considers home.
Ashley, Chiew and Handfield all plan to return to New Zealand eventually - although none know exactly when that will be.
Hoskins can already hear Aotearoa calling him home, saying he misses how easy it is in New Zealand to head off on a road trip or tramp or spend a day skiing, mountain biking or diving for crayfish.
If he and his partner have children, he says they will definitely settle in back home.
"While the education and healthcare systems in Singapore are world class, there's nothing like a Kiwi childhood where you know most families at school, get drenched every Saturday down at the wicket, pitch or turf and spend long summers around a barbecue at the beach."
He hopes that by the time he returns though that Auckland will have taken a leaf or two out of Singapore's book.
"I'd like to see it learn from the success of Singapore by enabling density to ease house prices, investing heavily in public transport and using our cultural capital and beautiful landscapes to attract talent and hard workers from around the world."
Have you lived in Singapore? Do you agree with these sentiments? Share your thoughts in the comments.
STEVE HOSKINS
Eating out and shopping are said to be Singapore's national pastimes.
SUPPLIED
Seeing the lights of Malaysia and Indonesia glimmering on the horizon from the rooftop bars of downtown, Ashley is often struck by how well located Singapore is.
Stuff
