u/Latubu

I've spending a lot of time in Singapore lately for work. Because I'm constantly toggling between the two countries, I've started paying closer attention to the grocery receipts. There's always this perception that everything in SG in "expensive," but for basic daily necessities, I'm realizing that SG is actually cheaper?

Some of these prices lately: A standard bottle of Dove body wash (1L) in Singapore is often on sale for around $6.00 to $7.00 SGD, while back home in KL, I'm seeing the same bottle for RM21 to RM25. Even for absolute staples like eggs, a pack of 10 generic eggs in SG is about $2.80 SGD, compared to roughly RM8.00 to RM9.00 for Grade A/B back home depending on where you shop.

When you consider that a median monthly income in SG is approximately $5,800 SGD while in MY it's RM 3,200, the "purchasing power" difference is insane. They spend a tiny fraction of their pay on their daily necessities that feels like a growing expense for us. Even a basic plate of chicken rice at a hawker center there can be found for as low as $1.90 in SG, whereas a similar portion in a MY is easily RM8 to RM10 now.

How did this happen? SG imports roughly 70-80% of its food and has much higher labor/rent costs, yet their supply chains seem so much more efficient at keeping prices lower. Is the strength of the SGD just giving them massive bulk-buying power globally? It's a bit depressing to realize that despite being the ones with the farms and resources, our cost of living for the "basics" is arguably worse now. Curious to hear if other Malaysians staying in SG have noticed the same thing?