# Looking for Advice - Moving to Singapore with a 1 year old?



## mbear321

Hello,

My husband and I are considering a move to Singapore with our 1 year old. We're very excited about the potential move but also have some questions/concerns. I wanted to see if I could get some thoughts/advice on a couple of things.

1. Neighborhoods: Are there any neighborhoods that are particularly good for expat families and that are centrally located with walking distance to things to do with a family?

2. No Car: We won't have a car and are used to toting around our baby at a moments notice where we need to go. How practical will it be to try and live without a car in Singapore? And going back to my first point, are there neighborhoods that would be best to live in that would make it easier (ie. a place close to things we usually go to grocery store, shops, restaurants, doctors offices, library, etc)

3. Safety: I know Singapore is very safe so I'm not concerned about crime. But how about disease and wildlife. I'm especially concerned about things like mosquitos and dengue fever? Does anyone have tips on how to prevent Dengue or how common it is in Singapore? Are there other diseases or animals I should be concerned about in Singapore? And again, if there are any tips on prevention etc.

4. Doctors: How have your experiences been with medical care in Singapore. And specifically does anyone have good recommendations for a Pediatrician? 

I think those are the main ones for now. Thanks for any advice you can give!


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## lpool1977

Where you live depends on your budget. You should now that first. There are many good expat areas across the whole central area, also Bukit Timah, Sixth Ave, Holland Village, Clementi, East Coast and so on......... back to budget

Dengue is not a major issue and the goverment has many programs to highlight awareness

All major doctors and hospitals are good


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## aafiya

I have lived in Sg for 12 weeks now,
U can find really nice condos for around $5 k pm which are close to the mrts( trains) the trains are so reliable and quick so easy to get around, cabs are cheap too in times of rain
Medical is not something I have had to deal with as yet, thankfully but what I have been told is it can get expensive,really depends on your health insurances.
Dengue can be an issue but all of the bigger condo buildings do daily sprays and as long as u keep your area dry to stop breeding and use repellant for the little one.
It is a great place to live, but as the last person says it depends where, what and how
There is too much to do in sg for families so u won't ever be lost for things to do.
Animals are no more an issue then any other country, I have seen a monkey in my local area, ppl see snakes, bugs are not much of an issue for us, lots of little lizards.
Good luck with ur move, it can be exhausting physically and mentally so look after yourself


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## naomialexis

Hi mbear321, on the have you tried looking through rental websites like iproperty and rentalsupermart? These are a few websites in Singapore that provides you with house available for rent while your family is in Singapore. Depending on your budget or your relocation package, there should be a suitable home available that match your preference and budget. Cheers.


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## cemel

1. Neighborhoods: Are there any neighborhoods that are particularly good for expat families and that are centrally located with walking distance to things to do with a family?

_I will say the central area: Holland V, Bukit Timah (areas that are 15mins drive away to downtown). Each neighborhood is equipped with at least a shopping mall, green parks/big field, and community center(where you can enroll yourself in enrichment classes/yoga/cooking classes), so you don't have to worry about looking for activities to do. 
_
2. No Car: We won't have a car and are used to toting around our baby at a moments notice where we need to go. How practical will it be to try and live without a car in Singapore? And going back to my first point, are there neighborhoods that would be best to live in that would make it easier (ie. a place close to things we usually go to grocery store, shops, restaurants, doctors offices, library, etc)

_Well, like what I say above, each neighborhood estate is equipped with shopping malls (with supermarkets, grocery stores, cafes/restaurants/library,general clinics). There is not really a "best" neighborhood to live in. A car will be very convenient given that you have a baby. But then again, Taxis are everywhere and it's pretty easy to flag a taxi anywhere. S _

3. Safety: I know Singapore is very safe so I'm not concerned about crime. But how about disease and wildlife. I'm especially concerned about things like mosquitos and dengue fever? Does anyone have tips on how to prevent Dengue or how common it is in Singapore? Are there other diseases or animals I should be concerned about in Singapore? And again, if there are any tips on prevention etc.

_Dengue fever is a issue in tropical Singapore. The local govt make efforts to educate citizens on how to prevent mosquito breeding and the spread of dengue fever. As long as you follow these instructions, you are pretty much safe.
_

4. Doctors: How have your experiences been with medical care in Singapore. And specifically does anyone have good recommendations for a Pediatrician? 

_Can't help you with the recommendation part. _


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## WonderLust

mbear321 said:


> Hello,
> 
> My husband and I are considering a move to Singapore with our 1 year old. We're very excited about the potential move but also have some questions/concerns. I wanted to see if I could get some thoughts/advice on a couple of things.
> 
> 1. Neighborhoods: Are there any neighborhoods that are particularly good for expat families and that are centrally located with walking distance to things to do with a family?
> 
> 2. No Car: We won't have a car and are used to toting around our baby at a moments notice where we need to go. How practical will it be to try and live without a car in Singapore? And going back to my first point, are there neighborhoods that would be best to live in that would make it easier (ie. a place close to things we usually go to grocery store, shops, restaurants, doctors offices, library, etc)
> 
> 3. Safety: I know Singapore is very safe so I'm not concerned about crime. But how about disease and wildlife. I'm especially concerned about things like mosquitos and dengue fever? Does anyone have tips on how to prevent Dengue or how common it is in Singapore? Are there other diseases or animals I should be concerned about in Singapore? And again, if there are any tips on prevention etc.
> 
> 4. Doctors: How have your experiences been with medical care in Singapore. And specifically does anyone have good recommendations for a Pediatrician?
> 
> I think those are the main ones for now. Thanks for any advice you can give!


If you are looking for an expat community, you can try looking into accomodations along Tanjong Rhu (15 mins drive from city). There are about half a dozen of private condominiums (I live in one of them. ) along that stretch of rd and the population is predominantly expats. It’s a quiet and quaint environment and you will have no noise whatsoever in the night or during the peak hour. 

This is especially important since you are bringing a 1 year old over, you don’t want a noisy environment that makes him/her cry all day! You will have private shuttle bus to bring you to and fro to amenities or you can simply choose to walk (15min) and enjoy the superb view and air. It runs along the Singapore river and enjoys magnificent view of the city skyline! 

Living in Singapore without a car is not an issue as the island is small and well connected. In fact, taking the public transportation is usually much faster than driving during peak hour.

There is no major disease outbreak or anything here on the tiny island, even the much hyped dengue is but one in a few hundred of thousands and that’s the “outbreak” now.

In terms of hospitalization, although Singapore’s medical is pretty top notch, I still prefer to visit the private hospitals such as Gleneagles. As foreigners, we don’t get much subsidy when we visit the government hospital and the difference in premium is not much because of that. Which is why when it comes to my family, I only want the best for them, I visit private hospital ONLY. The best practicioners have their clinics located there and I have no doubt you will find the best Pediatrician there


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