Living
Vehicle Leasing
There’s not really much call for short-term vehicle leasing in Singapore. The public transport and taxi network is cheap and good enough so it doesn’t make much sense to lease unless you’re looking at doing so for a year or more. While long-term leases are pricier than buying a car, they can be advantageous on a couple of levels. First, car resale values are very low, so if you leave Singapore after a couple of years, you won’t recoup much on a car you bought. Leasing also removes most of the hassle of getting a car on the road. Long term leases are available for just about any model and make of car you can think of, and packages usually include insurance, road tax and servicing. A year-long lease can cost from $1,500 per month for a small Japanese hatchback to $4,000 for a luxury car or SUV.
Company Cars
It’s not unusual for expats, especially senior managers, to have a company car included in their contract. The car will invariably be leased by the company and you will have to return it when you leave. Arrangements for leasing will be made through the company, so there’s little for you to do on the administrative end beyond ensuring you can legally drive in Singapore. Alternatively, you could negotiate for a transportation allowance to be included in your contract. This can be used any way you see fit, whether it’s to catch a taxi, put the money towards leasing a car or to buy a vehicle.
