Income Inequality in Singapore: Our Annual Peek (2013)

• Clivebenss

  5 May 13, 14:24

  By Ryan Ong | MoneySmart – Wed, May 1, 2013 12:00 AM SGT

  Income inequality measures how much richer the rich are, compared to the poor. It’s a polite term economists created, to replace: “Here’s how far the poor are from ramming sharp objects in your face”. And in Singapore, that distance seems to be…let’s see…oh okay. You all enjoy this infographic, while I book an emergency flight to Mali.

  

  Household to Household

  Overall, the top 10% of Singapore households had incomes of $10,543 per member. The bottom 10% had earnings of $422 per member. (You can see more figures from the Singapore Department of Statistics)

  Note that the top 10% earns almost 25 times the bottom 10%.

  The disparity seems mostly related work qualifications. Unskilled Singaporeans can only sell their labour, but they can’t compete with mass imports of cheap foreign workers. So anyone who believes all Singaporeans “don’t want” blue collar jobs anyway…go tell that to these people.

  Preferably from a distance, and with a good helmet on.

   

  Monthly Gross Wages

  The low income group makes about $800 to $1,500 a month. Mind you, there are some who earn far less than that. Either they’re not on the record, or have variable incomes (e.g. odd job workers).

  The middle income earners make between $3,500 to $5,500 a month. For more on this wide ranging group, you can look up the Ministry of Manpower’s reports on wages). You should probably do that anyway, to make sure you’re not getting ripped off.

  High income earners (company directors, senior management, etc.) tend to earn between $11,500 to $16,600 per month.

  The absolute top earners can be calculated from our Ministers’ incomes.

  Ministers’ salaries are good for this, because they are pegged to the 1,000 highest earners, minus 40%*. Why 40%? Because it exemplifies the sacrifice required of political service. Imagine that: Having to drink lower grade Bird’s Nest, and have only one lunch in Paris a week.

  Anyway, the typical Minister is paid around $124,558 per month (the Prime Minister gets about double that). Add on 40%, and it suggests our top earners are looking at figures of about $174,381 per month.

  *Pay Package of Top Civil Servants and Ministers Down 22%, Straits Times, 27 Nov. 2009

   

  The Two Singapores

  Due to the huge income divide, it can feel like we’re two different countries in one island. And I know when rich people talk, it sounds like a canary giving a goldfish pointers on flying.

  But don’t let it get to you too much. Follow us on Facebook so we can help you make some money, and bring your friends along. The game may not be fair…but doesn’t mean you still can’t win.

• NG QIBO AARON AUBREY

  5 May 13, 15:49

  so cheap? lexus?

• SJS6638

  5 May 13, 16:00

  http://sgforums.com/forums/10/topics/469090

• charlize

  5 May 13, 16:32

  Life is surreal.

• JelloPoop

  5 May 13, 16:58

   

   

   

• charlize

  8 May 13, 20:22

  Originally posted by NG QIBO AARON AUBREY:

  so cheap? lexus?

  

• charlize

  11 May 13, 08:53

  Directors earn a lot. 

• Clivebenss

  11 May 13, 16:06

  char is rich.

  

• Deacon Blue

  11 May 13, 16:08

  hua!

   

  people pay 15k permonth, can play soccer lah, post on facebook with QUOTES lah, can equate gangrape with democacy. easy job just apologize and laugh my way to the bank.

• Clivebenss

  11 May 13, 16:10

  director.

  

• charlize

  13 May 13, 09:17

  movie director?

• Clivebenss

  13 May 13, 13:30

  Originally posted by charlize:

  movie director?

  Direct those sad stories in sb.

  • <charlize>
    damn stressed
  • <SevenEleven>
    hanor hanor
  • <charlize>
    no more reports to do. reassigned
  • <charlize>
    now packing stuff in storeroom
  • <SevenEleven>
    no aircon?
  • <charlize>
    no
  • <charlize>
    the shelves are 2 stories high
  • <SevenEleven>
    
  • <^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~>
    
  • <charlize>
    my phone battery running low
  • <charlize>
    cai png damn expensive
  • <^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~>
    
  • <charlize>
    echo in the storeroom
  • <charlize>
    poor ventilation
  • <charlize>
    where is sbst? I want to ask him if possible to take a loop service for 2 hours because I dun want stay in office nw
  • <charlize>
    sleep on buss
  • <^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~>
    hmmm, bus 10 travels quite far... maybe from 1 interchange to another interchange is 2 hour
  • <charlize>
    loop ?
  • <charlize>
    how much?
  • <PieChucker>
    its called Infanite loop
  • <charlize>
    cannot afford too much other wise card not enough money
  • <charlize>
    new bus ? got aircon? I want to sleep
  • <charlize>
    need to have seat not those always crowded one
  • <^Acid^ aka s|aO^eH~>
    student pass?
  • <PieChucker>
    Its impossible to ship back the container

   

   

• Clivebenss

  18 May 13, 00:29

  

• charlize

  18 May 13, 14:10

  This is surreal. 

• Clivebenss

  18 May 13, 19:41

  char's monologue.

  

• charlize

  18 May 13, 23:02

  Damn her clones. 

• Clivebenss

  18 May 13, 23:53

  • <charlize>
    Damn stressed
  • <charlize>
    Audit next week
  • <charlize>
    Reports not finished. Still have 34 reports
  • <kengkia>
    then what the fuck you are still doing here??!!!!
  • <charlize>
    
  • <MyPillowTalks>
    no need do one la
  • <charlize>
    Take a break. Have kitkat
  • <kengkia>
    damn lazy charlize!!! go back and do your report or i will fire you!!!
  • <charlize>
    I put back shoes in shoebox first
  • * kengkia
    clobbers charlize
  • <charlize>
    Yousound very stressed