FACTS OF SINGAPORE

When relocating to a new city, you would like to know things like the people, the place, living costs, shopping for essentials, eating out and getting around. This section answers the basics, as well as those about making calls, Internet surfing and pet care.

THE PEOPLE
Singapore has 4 million people living in 682 sq. km of land. There are four main races and four national languages – Chinese, Malays, Indians and Eurasians. English is the working language. The city was founded by Sir Stamford Raffles in 1819. It became self-governing in 1959. And On 9 August 1965, Singapore became an independent republic.

THE WEATHER
As a tropical city, Singapore’s weather is hot, humid and rainy. Average temperatures are around 32 degrees Celsius all year round. Two monsoon seasons are from December to March and June to September.

THE COST OF LIVING
Singapore has one of the lowest inflation rates in the world. Its Consumer Price Index for retail items registered a mere 1.9 per cent in 2001-2002, according to the Monetary Authority of Singapore. (Macroeconomic Review, Vol 2, Issue 2, Oct 2003).

And with the Singapore Government securing more Free Trade Agreements with major countries like the United States and Australia, the cost of imported goods may become even cheaper.

Singapore is known as a haven for electronic and household appliances. Here are examples:

Household Appliances	Price Ranges (Singapore Dollar)
Colour TV 29 inch	$900-1700
Computer	$1300-3000
Fridge	$900-3000
Hi-fi systems	$750-3,300
Microwave	$200-600
Washing machine	$500-1500

SHOPPING FOR ESSENTIALS
Local supermarkets chains are well stocked with everything from pumpkin to pate. A supermarket can be found in every major public estate or shopping mall. Two of the biggest supermarket chains here, Cold Storage and NTUC Fairprice, offer Internet shopping:


Food sold at wet markets and neighbourhood stores are usually cheaper than those in the supermarkets. But they are not called ‘wet’ markets for nothing – watch the slippery floors.

EATING OUT
Singapore is a melting pot of cuisines. There is everything from Peranakkan (a combination of Malay, Chinese and Portuguese) to Mediterranean to Pan-Asian tastes. How much you pay depends on where you eat – hawker centres (not air-conditioned), food courts (swanky, air-conditioned hawker centres) or restaurants. Here’s a sampler:

	Cost of Eating Out
Food Items	Hawker centre or food court	Restaurant
Cup of tea/ coffee	70 cents – $1.20c	$5 – 8
Bowl/ plate of noodles	$2 - $4.50	$8 - $12
Plate of chicken rice	$2 - $6.80	$10 - $15
Piece of steak	$5.50 - $7.50	$15 - $40

GETTING AROUND
Singapore is well served by public networks of buses, the mass rapid transit or MRT and taxis. They criss-cross the island’s web of roads and expressways. Getting from one point to another by car, usually takes no more than 15 minutes.

Taxis fetch up to four passengers per trip. You pay a metered fare. You can hail a taxi at a designated stand or book a taxi - Comfort 6552-1111, City Cab 6552-2222 and TIBS Taxi 6555-8888. Advance bookings are from $5 to $6 per trip.

Extra charges apply for trips to and from the Changi Airport, during morning and evening peak periods, between midnight and 6am, public holidays, and for the Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) scheme. The rates are usually displayed in the taxis.

MAKING PHONE CALLS
There are 2 main service providers for both fixed and mobile phone services provider – SingTel and Starhub. Rental charges from SingTel are as follows:

Business Line	$150 per year
Residential Line	$100 per year
Deposits (expatriates with employment pass)	Waived
Deposit (expatriates with social visit pass)	$500

MobileOne, the 3rd mobile service provider. Visit the following websites for details:

USEFULL TOLL-FREE NUMBERS

These are handy to keep at hand:

65 - The country code when dialling into Singapore
100 - Telephone number enquiry/local call assistance
104 - General enquiries on international calls
995 - Fire /Ambulance (for Emergency only)
999 - Police
1606 - Enquiries for business telephone use
1608 - Reporting a Fault
1609 - Enquiries for Residential telephone use
1620 - Paging service
1626 - Mobile phone service
1711 - Time announcement service
1777 - Non-emergency ambulance service

INTERNET SURFING

Singapore is well connected to the Web. There are three Internet Service Providers (ISPs) – Pacific Internet, SingNet and Starhub. They offer subscription plans from 56K connection to broadband. Visit the above websites for details.

CABLE TELEVISION
Starhub Cable Vision is the only cable TV operator in Singapore. It provides some 30 channels from HBO to Hallmark to National Geographic. To subscribe, call the hotline 1630.

 

ELECTRICITY
Singapore uses 220-240 volts. Wall outlets are for three- or two-pronged plugs. If your appliances are dual-voltage, you'll need only an adapter.

 

 

PET LICENSE

You need a license to bring your pet – be it a cat, dog bird or any other creature – over to Singapore. Get in touch with the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) at least two weeks before your pet arrives here. Download the application form from AVA. Fill the details and mail it with the licence fee which cost $50 to:

The Director-General
Agri-food and Veterinary Authority
Regulatory Services Branch
5 Maxwell Road #02-00
Tower Block MND Complex
Singapore 069110

For deatils: Tel: 6227-0670 or Fax: 6227-6305

There’s also paperwork and other steps involved. These are:

1. Health certificate – an original copy (in English) by a registered vet from the country of export to certify that the pet was checked no more than 1 week before arriving in Singapore
2. Vaccination card and ISO Microchip for dogs
3. Convention On International Trade In Endangered Species Of Wild Fauna And Flora or CITES Permit for Export from Country of Origin. This declares that your pet is not an endangered or protected species. Download from AVA
4. Quarantine – pets imported into Singapore that are not from Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom and Ireland, must be quarantined at the owner's expense for a minimum of 30 days. The place:
   
   Jurong Animal Quarantine Station.
   53, Jalan Buroh
   Singapore 619495
   Tel: 6268-0658 / Fax: 6266-2985

PET MOVING
There are companies like Pet Movers that provide this service. Service fees depend on the type of pet, the distance from the country of export to Singapore, and other factors. They range from a few hundred dollars to $10,000 and are worked out on a case-by-case basis. Contact:

Pet Movers
No. 4 Pasir Ris Farmway II
Singapore 519318
Tel: 6581-3688 / Fax: 6581-3735

Email: info@petmovers.com.sg
Website: http://www.petmovers.com.sg

 

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