Surely this is a question everyone would have a different view on, let’s lay out all the factors. First let’s compare the 2 places in similarities and differences, then we will drill down to why Singapore instead of other countries.
Similar metropolitan lifestyle
Both places are just a dot on the world map but holding millions of people inside. Both places could get so crowded with the main method of transport being metro, trains and buses; restaurants and malls are around every corner, the convenience is almost the same. My personal view is Hong Kong would be more diverse and vibrant as there are more small-scale businesses, and shops usually open for longer hours due to the high rental price.
Food
Chinese food is still the majority in Singapore, while for many HongKonger, the key difference would be the spiciness of the food. Expect a scoop of sambal would accompany every simple Nasi Lemak or Hokkien Mee.
While Singapore provides a wider and cheaper choices especially for South-East Asian delicacies, in Hong Kong, you will find lots of high-quality East-Asian cuisines in a more affordable price. The low tax and competitive business environment created the best value for consumers.
Security
Both places are affluent and usually safe to walk around at nighttime. However, crimes do happen so always stay alert when walking alone in quiet places regardless of wherever you are. For Hong Kong the situation might get complicated in times of social unrest.
Air quality
Apart from the haze period, Singapore wins hands down.
Governance
Singapore is a small country with very limited natural resources, the government intervention can be seen over a wide range of social and economic policies. Through strict control, the Singapore government ensure economic is growing in a sustainable way. Securing as one the main financial hub in Asia, the Singapore government do not forget the livelihood of the residents, much manifest through their housing policy and CPF planning.
Job market
It is doubtless that Singapore is a paradise for expatriates (a fact that many locals complaining though), being part of the government strategies to boost the GDP, they value all the skillful expatriates. Apart from professionals in the banking and finance sector, it is also easy to find well paid jobs if you have a background from IT, Engineering and Biomedical field. While in HongKong, expats are also highly well-paid, but the job market would lean more towards the business and finance related jobs.
Why Singapore?
Tax
Although how the HK government spending the tax money can be questionable sometimes, the taxation in HK is actually very low compared to many other countries. Singapore has a low tax rate just like Hong Kong, but I’m sure you would truly admire every corner of the City Garden that they built.
Distance and Political relationship
Many’s root would probably remain in HK even after migration. Glad that we are in an age of globalization where travelling from place to place is never difficult. Me myself used to visit my family and friends in HK 2~3 times a year (skipping the humid summer), usually staying from 4 to 7 days only. For Singapore and HK is so close and both locations are key transiting hub, it’s super easy to get cheap flights (~300SGD or cheaper) even during the festive seasons. Moreover, there are frequent promotion by the major airlines, and plenty of departure time to choose from to suit your schedule.
Even in a time like COVID, Singapore’s first choice to build a travel bubble with is a place like HK (though it never worked out :’)). All these factors could become super critical especially when you need to visit your family in any urgent cases.
Racism
This is quite a sensitive topic but let’s just talk about the elephant in the room. Discrimination towards Asians still happening in many Caucasian countries, and because of COVID, the issue worsens even though many stand out to speak for the Chinese.
Although Singapore’s population is Chinese dominated, the government advocate for social harmony among all the races.
Besides, to my surprise, many people love speaking with HongKongers for their admiration of the Cantonese language. It makes a huge difference when you feel that you are welcomed and respected when you moved to a new place.
Family Friendliness
I don’t have kids at the moment but base on my observation,
1. People are more laid back and they don’t mind to waiting a few minutes for strollers to get on/off a bus.
2. People are taught to be caring for the community (esp training from national service), they are more likely to give a hand to the needy, not only the elders but also parents with bags of groceries (and may be a yelling kid).
3. Malls are usually spacious (not crowded with shops to optimize rental) so it’s seldom too crowded to move around with strollers.
Singapore was not in my list of migrating countries, but there’s a huge difference in finding a place to live, instead of to travel. It might be because of age, or some magic power that Singapore has, I now seldom think of moving to other countries after a few years of fitting in.
I hope the above give you a better picture on the local culture if you are going to move to Singapore. Or help you with your decision-making process on choosing where to move to.
External resources:
Singapore vs Hong Kong // Comparison of Two Asia Tigers (ltl-singapore.com)
Ways that you can migrate to Singapore: https://www.spacious.hk/zh-tw/blog/新加坡移民懶人包/
https://wealth.hket.com/article/2375873/【移民東南亞%E2%80%A7新加坡】移民新加坡5個方法！