In short
An immaculate metro, complete safety, first-rate hospitals, and an airport that connects everything. Singapore settles every logistical problem at once.
It is a dense, green city-state, and far more liveable than it looks from outside.
What it really costs
Housing is the line that crushes all the others: it often takes more than half the monthly budget.
Against that, eating in the hawker centres costs a few euros and stays excellent. Public transport is cheap and covers the whole island.
When to go
Hot and humid all year, with no marked season. February and March are the driest months.
From November to January, late-day downpours are a daily event.
What nobody tells you
Smoke from Indonesian burning affects the city in some years, between August and October.
The rules are strict and genuinely enforced: heavy fines for offences considered minor elsewhere, and drug legislation among the harshest in the world.