Throwaway because I don’t want my HR or colleagues to find this and “monitor” my career into a dead end.
Is it just me, or has the pay disparity in Singapore reached absolute clown-tier levels? I was scrolling through the latest Graduate Employment Survey (GES) and honestly, I felt like my soul left my body. Seeing CS or Law grads starting at $6,000 or $7,000 while people with 5–8 years of experience are still fighting tooth and nail to break the $5k barrier in other industries is just… depressing.
We keep talking about “upskilling” and “Lifelong Learning,” but let’s be real: unless you’re in Big Tech, Finance, or some niche AI role, your increments are probably pathetic. Most of us are getting that “standard” 3% to 4% annual increase which doesn’t even cover the GST hike, let alone the price of a McSpicy meal these days. Meanwhile, you see your peers “job hopping” and suddenly jumping from $4k to $7k because they happened to be in the right “growth sector.”
The Middle Class Squeeze is Real. If you’re not a high-flyer earning five figures by 30, and you’re not low-income enough to qualify for every single Govt grant/U-Save voucher, you’re basically stuck in the “No Man’s Land” of Singapore’s economy. You earn too much for a BTO subsidy but too little to actually afford a resale flat without depleting your entire CPF and selling a kidney.
And don’t get me started on the “Work-Life Balance” disparity. You have some tech bros working from home, taking mid-day naps and earning $8k, while the frontline staff, healthcare workers, and SMEs’ “everything-also-do” admins are grinding 50 hours a week for $3k plus. The gap isn’t just about money anymore; it’s about the quality of life.
Every time I see a “Wealth Management” office or a new luxury condo being built, I just wonder—who is actually buying these? Because it’s definitely not the average Singaporean working a 9-to-6 job. Are we just becoming a playground for the ultra-rich while the rest of us become a “supporting cast” that can’t even afford to live in the movie?
I’m tired, man. Tired of the “hustle culture” and tired of feeling like I’m running a marathon while others are on a PMD.
TL;DR: The salary gap in SG is becoming a canyon. If you’re not in the “Golden Industries,” you’re basically just working to pay off your Town Council fees and cai fan.
End of rant. Back to my spreadsheets.