He Moved From SF to Singapore and Is Ready to Give up His US Passport

Nick Burns was making six figures within the US and nonetheless discovering it hard to save.

Burns, now 35, grew up in Connecticut and served within the Navy. It was throughout that point that I first visited Singapore.

Impressed by the nation’s clear and quick public transportation system, he started to think about what it is perhaps like to reside there at some point. “But it felt impossible, like a crazy idea,” Burns advised Business Insider.

After leaving the Navy in 2017, Burns moved to San Francisco for work and ultimately ended up within the semiconductor manufacturing trade.

I’ve lived in downtown San Francisco and commuted an hour and a half every approach to Silicon Valley. He mentioned it wasn’t unusual to move darkish alleys and see individuals brazenly utilizing medicine.

“Even as a single man, I felt unsafe walking around,” Burns mentioned.

Between his hire, steep taxes, and safety concerns, town did not really feel value the price.

In January 2020, Burns took a lateral switch to relocate to Singapore together with his firm.

“I don’t want to go back to the United States,” Burns mentioned.

Housing prices: renting in San Francisco vs shopping for in Singapore

Singapore is commonly ranked among the many world’s most costly cities — not an apparent selection for somebody trying to reduce prices. But for Burns, it made monetary sense.

In San Francisco, Burns’ two-bedroom condominium prices $5,728 a month, together with a $300 reserved parking charge. Buying property there did not really feel inside attain.

Burns spent a number of years renting in Singapore, each earlier than and after marrying his spouse in 2023. In 2025, the couple purchased a four-room public housing apartment on town fringe for 1.01 million Singapore {dollars}, or about $790,000.

Known as HDB flats, these government-built properties make up nearly all of housing in Singapore and are primarily reserved for residents. Burns was ready to purchase one together with his spouse, who’s Singaporean, whereas he holds everlasting residency.

The stamp responsibility and down cost totaled about SG$280,150. They paid the bulk in money and about 20% from their CPF — Singapore’s mandatory savings account, used for issues like housing, healthcare, and retirement.

The remaining quantity was financed by a financial institution mortgage. Today, their month-to-month mortgage is about SG$3,520.

Taxes: Moving overseas labored out in his favor

Taxes additionally performed a giant position in how his funds modified after the transfer.

In 2025, Burns earned about 6% lower than he did in San Francisco in 2019, however his total tax burden is considerably decrease.

In California, his taxes have been round $41,200 in 2019. In Singapore, his newest tax invoice was about SG$13,300.

Lower tax charges have allowed him to hold extra of his revenue, though, as a US citizen, he nonetheless has to file US taxes.

Americans residing overseas can roughly exclude $120,000 to $130,000 of foreign-earned revenue, which helps cut back what they owe, however does not remove it totally. The US is without doubt one of the few international locations that taxes its residents overseas.

Day-to-day bills: A cheaper life overseas

His day-to-day bills have additionally gone down. In Singapore, reasonably priced meals is simple to discover at hawker centersthe place you possibly can have a meal for only a few {dollars}. A plate of rooster rice, a standard native dish, is commonly lower than $5.

Getting round is cheaper, too. In San Francisco, he owned a automotive and says he spent about $400 a month on gasoline. In Singapore, he depends on ride-hailing companies and public transportation, spending about SG$300 a month.

With a hybrid work association and a shorter commute, he is additionally been ready to reclaim a lot of his day.

“Day to day, I have more time to exercise because I’ve got three to four hours back. I run a lot now and usually go before work,” he mentioned.

Burns mentioned his high quality of life has improved considerably for what he spends. More importantly, he is lastly ready to put cash apart.

A life he selected

Still, it took Burns a while to get used to life in singapore — particularly town’s scorching and humid local weather, with temperatures between 80 and 90 levels year-round.

“When I first moved here, I’d walk to the bus stop in my work shirt, and it would be a sweaty mess,” he mentioned.

He additionally misses Mexican meals and pizza from again within the US, including that whereas they’re accessible in Singapore, they are not fairly the identical.

While some relations have visited him and been impressed by the city-state, Burns says others do not get his resolution to leave the US. They fear about what would possibly occur within the occasion of a warfare or one other pandemic, he mentioned.

“I try to tell them I’m safer here than you guys are in the US, but they don’t understand that,” he mentioned.

He added that Singapore’s strict gun legal guidelines and low crime charges contribute to that sense of security. In the US, he felt he had to pay extra consideration to his environment.

Those variations have solely made Burns extra sure about staying.

I’ve utilized for citizenship in December and is now ready to hear again. If accepted, he plans to surrender his US citizenship — a call he mentioned he is prepared for, and one required in Singapore, which doesn’t enable twin citizenship.

“I’ve always been proud to live here,” he mentioned.