Moving to Singapore vs Malaysia

Malaysia and Singapore are neighboring Southeast Asian countries, each with its own unique characteristics and attributes. While they share a geographical proximity and historical ties, they differ in various aspects, including culture, economy, and governance. This comparison aims to highlight key distinctions between these two nations, helping you gain insights into their differences and similarities.

Both Singapore and Malaysia offer fantastic travel experiences for solo travelers, tourists, families, and honeymooners. If you're seeking a metropolitan experience, Singapore is the ideal choice. However, if you want to immerse yourself in unspoiled wilderness and jungles, Malaysia is the perfect destination. The cost difference between rural Malaysia and urban Singapore can be a significant consideration for solo travelers. Both countries provide pleasant weather, welcoming locals, and a wide array of activities and tourist attractions. Malaysia boasts a rich history and numerous lesser-known attractions, while Singapore is a bustling city with modern attractions.

Working in Malaysia and Singapore offers distinct experiences. In Malaysia, you'll find a more relaxed pace of life and a lower cost of living, making it an attractive destination for expatriates. It's known for its diverse culture, lush landscapes, and vibrant street food scene. However, job opportunities may be more limited in certain industries, and the average salary tends to be lower.

On the other hand, Singapore is a global financial hub with a highly competitive job market. Salaries are generally higher, and the city-state offers excellent infrastructure and a stable economy. However, the cost of living in Singapore is significantly higher, and the pace of life can be quite hectic. The choice between these two countries often depends on your career goals, lifestyle preferences, and financial considerations.

The cost of living in Malaysia, at an average of $598, is considerably more affordable, being 82% less expensive than in Singapore, where it averages $3408. This places Malaysia at the 156th position on the list of the world's most expensive countries, in contrast to Singapore's 2nd ranking.

Regarding after-tax salaries, they are sufficient to cover living expenses for 1.3 months in Malaysia and 1.5 months in Singapore. These rankings place Malaysia at 57th and Singapore at 2nd among the best countries to live in globally.

Jack from Singapore says: "I have worked in the construction industry in both countries for donkey years, so I think I can give my two cents, particularly for my industry.

In Singapore, people take work more seriously in general. What you promised has to be delivered, deadline has to be met, and there is an expectation on the quality of work. In Malaysia, work attitude is more care free. You can say things at whim in a meeting and by the time the meeting finished most people would have forgotten what you have said. Meeting deadline is a laissez faire. If it happens it happens, if it doesn’t then it doesn’t. Quite rarely people will hold you accountable for it. In Singapore, procedure has to be followed and people frown upon deviating from protocol. In Malaysia, things are more flexible. For example, in the construction industry, inspection is legislated in Singapore and most people follow it religiously. As land is scarce and resources are limited, people tend to be very careful in utilizing what they have. In Malaysia, inspection is up to the owner. That’s why things can be built very fast as inspection can be bypassed and construction method can be cut short at will. As resources are cheaper and inspection regime is loose, mistakes are less costly to rectify and easier to cover up. Workers are therefore less mindful in their works. Planning is less vigorous as mistakes are usually easier to be rectified without strict inspection and procedure to follow. There is less peer pressure on non-performance or taking shortcut. In fact, people may laugh at you for not knowing how to cut corner or taking things too seriously.

In short, this is the work ethic problem that Mahathir had been grumbling about for his entire life. Although he targets his grumble towards the Malay, I think non-Malay has the same problem, but to a lesser extent in comparison. The notion that Bumi policy has made the non-Malay more self-reliant and hardworking is just half the story. It has also made a certain portion of them to care less and plagued with deteriorating work ethics - another side of the story that is seldomly told."