- An Indian expat in Singapore highlighted why many find it hard to leave the country
- Singapore's organised lifestyle creates a "comfort trap" leading to dependency
- Expats get used to condos, helpers, and frequent regional trips, raising living costs
An Indian man living in Singapore has sparked discussion online after sharing why many expats find it difficult to leave the country even when they originally planned to stay only for a few years. Swapnil Vichare, who has been living in Singapore for seven years, shared the video on Instagram and spoke about how the country's organised and comfortable lifestyle can slowly make people dependent on it.
In the video, he said that the most dangerous thing in Singapore is not the fines but the “comfort trap.” He explained that many people get used to living in condos, having household help and taking weekend trips to places such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. According to him, over time, their lifestyle expenses begin to match their salaries, making it difficult to leave.
Vichare further said that many people want to leave but feel unable to because they become addicted to efficiency and trade their freedom for a perfectly managed life. He added that he had seen people stay 10 years longer than they originally planned because they were terrified of returning to what he described as a “normal life” again.
The clip was shared with a caption in which Vichare described it as “The golden handcuffs: Why most expats never leave Singapore.” He wrote that many expats first experience a pay jump and later become used to high-rise condos, helpers and regular trips to destinations like Bali and Phuket. He added that eventually, their standard of living becomes their minimum requirement.
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He further wrote that many people no longer stay because they love the work, but because they have forgotten how to live without efficiency. Calling it the “comfort trap,” Vichare said people trade their freedom for a perfectly managed life.
Vichare also pointed out that returning to a less structured environment can feel frightening for many expats. He said that the thought of going back to unreliable transport, high taxes and managing without household help becomes terrifying, which he described as the “efficiency tax.”
