If you had to choose, would you live in London or Singapore?

[Warspite]

My experience of expatriate life in SE Asia (in my case, quasi-diplomat) suggests to me that Singapore is great if you want to hang out exclusively in an expat bubble and are given the pay to life an equivalent lifestyle to back home. But be warned that as Asian countries have been getting richer and richer, the old days of the white man lording it up over the locals by virtue of outrageously generous salaries (by local standards) are ending. London is expensive, but so will Singapore be if you want to live the kind of lifestyle you are used to.

London is a far more vivacious place. There's more variety, and the character of the city changes markedly from neighbourhood to neighbourhood. It's chaotic and dirty in parts, though pretty safe as most crime afflicts young black men in poor areas. The world comes to London so at a place like Borough market you can fill your belly from English, Thai, Spanish, Ethiopian, French, German and Chinese food stands which will be within metres of each other. Singapore is more ordered and cleaner, and better planned, but it's just a bit dull.

It's also a lot easier to hope from London to Paris, Amsterdam, Cologne, Barcelona, Copenhagen and Dublin than it is from Singapore to Jakarta. Weekend breaks to European capitals on cheap airlines are pretty easy from London, there's not really an equivalent style of travel in SE Asia (we never considered weekend hops to Singapore, Bangkok or KL from Jakarta, for instance. Maybe things have changed now).

[Martinus]

London - no contest. I would never accept a relocation to a country where gay sex is a crime, no matter what they say about law not being enforced and what not.

[Martinus]

According to this site:
http://www.orientexpat.com/singapore/laws

Homosexual acts may lead to imprisonment. Kissing between men, for example, is illegal.

There are very strict laws in place that keep Singapore the squeaky clean place it is. The following are prohibited... Smoking in public, chewing gum, spitting in public, littering, jaywalking. Failure to observe these laws will result in stiff fines.

If you have a balcony or garden, be aware that if you have flower pots, or anywhere that collects water and mosquito larvae subsequently breed, you risk being fined as a result.

Choice - no brainer.

Ok so they actually are enforced? Yeah, no brainer.

[garbon]

According to this site:
http://www.orientexpat.com/singapore/laws

Homosexual acts may lead to imprisonment. Kissing between men, for example, is illegal.

There are very strict laws in place that keep Singapore the squeaky clean place it is. The following are prohibited... Smoking in public, chewing gum, spitting in public, littering, jaywalking. Failure to observe these laws will result in stiff fines.

If you have a balcony or garden, be aware that if you have flower pots, or anywhere that collects water and mosquito larvae subsequently breed, you risk being fined as a result.

Choice - no brainer.

Ok so they actually are enforced? Yeah, no brainer.

Okay so did further research on subject as laws have been shuffled about a bit in the 21st century. Looks like gross indecency as a homosexual (which covers public and private) is still on the books but is typically only enforced in cases where the parties were engaged in sex in a public place.  LGBT groups are mad as Singapore already has a general gross indecency law so no need to have a homosexual specific version that gives license to harass consenting adults in private.

[garbon]

Homosexual gatherings (like festivals and films) are banned as well as apparently a TV station getting fined for showing homosexual couples raising children and homosexual couples kissing.

[Josquius]

Michael Fay thought he was immune being American and they caned his punk ass.

Maybe Tyr isn't planning to vandalize cars and spraypaint walls?

Tyr is a drunk however.

If only it were so.

[Brazen]

Singapore is tiny. You'll have seen it all and done it all in two weeks - I did when I worked out there briefly. Plus the work ethic is horrendous - they work 12-hour days as standard, and if you ask anyone what they do as a hobby they say "shopping and going to the gym". And as others have said the regime is horrendously strict - jail for littering and jaywalking.

With London you get the whole of the UK and mainland Europe no more than three hours away even if you hate the city itself.

London is also a series of villages, so you can chose your environment - it doesn't have to be full-on. Where I live it's 20 minutes to the city centre or deep countryside, plus there's a full town centre in its own right on my doorstep within a five-minute walk.

[Brazen]

Dublin.

London is a great city, but expensive as hell. Are you ready for that?

I wouldn't put off moving to a place because you have been there--you could travel through Europe (and London) easily from Dublin.

Dublin hasn't been cheaper than London since the introduction of the Euro. No Dubliners can afford to live in Dublin any more.

[Brazen]

Another thought, You can fly to Singapore from London for £400 return, I'd do that for a week to prove to yourself you made the right choice

The ex-pat Brits in Singapore are offensive, and the locals won't mix with you.

[Syt]

No Dubliners can afford to live in Dublin any more.

So that's why they keep touring Europe all the time.

[Valmy]

London.  Easier access to France.

[Ed Anger]

London.  Easier access to France.

[Legbiter]

London. Singapore has a hellishly humid climate and the place, although very clean and orderly is basically a sterile, gilded cage. Fun to visit once but that's it.

[mongers]

London. Singapore has a hellishly humid climate and the place, although very clean and orderly is basically a sterile, gilded cage. Fun to visit once but that's it.

Yeah it sounds like the anti-Iceland, also what with your volcanoes throwing shit/stone/water all over the place.   



Actually aren't there like only 10 of you per sq.km of Iceland and I'd guess there's probably 10-50,000 singagporeans per km ? *



*wild guesses here. 

edit:
not too bad as guesses go I was about right in terms or relative density between the two, according to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_sovereign_states_and_dependent_territories_by_population_density

Singaporean population density per sq.km is 7,363 and Icelands just 3, so a ratio of
2450 to one.

[Legbiter]

Yeah it sounds like the anti-Iceland, also what with your volcanoes throwing shit/stone/water all over the place.   

Eh, it keeps things fresh, having to name a newly created mountain every now and again.