How I decided to move my family from Singapore to Penang on a 3-year plan, and how I'm using the same scorecard now that those three years are nearly up.
A note on the numbers. The reasons on this page are real. The scores are rebuilt for this page and rounded, so you can see how the tool works. Costs are labelled Real or Guess. Please don't use them for your own move.
2024Norman Go PenangSingapore to Penang, on a 3-year plan.
NowNorman Go… where next?The three years are nearly up. Time to weigh it up again.
Chapter 1 Norman Go Penang
I'm Singaporean. In 2024 we decided to leave Singapore for a while. I didn't want to jump straight to the other side of the world. I wanted a first step that was big enough to change our life, and small enough to undo.
The real question was simple: stay in Singapore, or move to Penang? Here's how I weighed it.
What mattered, and how much
I wrote these down first, before scoring anything. That stops you from nudging the weights until your favourite wins.
What mattered
Weight
Why
Schools we can afford
25%
Good international schools, at fees that don't swallow the budget.
Cost of living
25%
More room each month, to build the business and to save.
Low-risk first step abroad
20%
A trial run. If living abroad didn't suit us, coming back had to be easy.
Common language
15%
English and Chinese are widely spoken, so daily life isn't a struggle.
Easy to get home
15%
A short trip back to Singapore, so it never felt like leaving for good.
Total
100%
How each option scored
1 means poor, 3 means okay, 5 means great. Singapore wins easily on language and getting home, because it is home. Penang wins on everything that made the move worth doing.
What mattered
Stay in Singapore
Penang
Schools we can afford
2
4
Cost of living
1
5
Low-risk first step abroad
1
5
Common language
5
4
Easy to get home
5
4
Weighted total (out of 5)
2.45
4.45
Penang came out far ahead: 4.45 against 2.45. Seeing the gap written down made the decision feel less like a leap and more like common sense.
Bringing the family along
A move is my idea until everyone is on board. This is how I do it:
I do the homework. I research, and cut the list down to a few places worth a proper look.
We visit together. Scouting trips turn a name on a list into a place you can picture living in.
I make the call, and explain why. I show everyone the scorecard: what mattered, how each place scored, and why the winner won. Nobody has to take my word for it.
Why a 3-year plan
We called it a 3-year plan from day one. Penang was a chapter, not the final stop. A time limit made it easier to commit, and it gave us a natural moment to look up and ask: what next?
What I'd tell you: budget for surprises
The biggest lesson from Penang is about money. Real life costs didn't match what my research said. So now I build in a buffer, and that's why the scorecard has a "keep at least" amount in the budget check.
Here's a rough version of the Chapter 1 budget, in Singapore dollars:
Per month (S$)
Stay in Singapore
Penang
School
2,500 Guess
1,400 Real
Rent
3,000 Guess
1,150 Real
Food
1,500 Guess
800 Guess
Transport and insurance
600 Guess
400 Guess
Utilities
250 Guess
150 Guess
Core total
7,850
3,900
Money left from 7,000
−850
3,100
Status (keep at least 1,000)
Below floor
OK
Penang's school fees and rent are today's figures, rounded and converted from ringgit. The S$7,000 budget and S$1,000 floor are example figures too Guess.
Chapter 2 Norman Go… where next?
Three years go quickly. Our Penang chapter ends in 2027, and I'm working through the next decision now, the same way.
Why move again
The 3-year plan is up. This was always the moment to decide.
Bigger opportunities. For the business, for travel links, and for the people we meet.
A change of lifestyle. A different pace, and new things to do.
The shortlist
Stay in PenangAlways on the list. It's the option to beat.
BangkokA big city, with lots going on.
PhuketAn island, with a slower pace.
Staying put is a real option, so Penang goes into the scorecard too. If you only score the new places, you can't tell whether moving beats staying.
What's different this time
Some things from 2024 are still on the list. Others are new, because our reasons for moving have changed. My draft weights:
What matters now
Weight
Since 2024
School fit
20%
Still near the top.
Business and opportunities
20%
New. One of the reasons for moving at all.
Lifestyle and weather
15%
New. The change of pace we're after.
Cost of living
15%
Still counts, with a budget buffer this time.
Travel links
10%
New. Easy flights, for work and for getting home.
Visa confidence
10%
New. How sure we are that we can stay long term. I check this with official sources.
Healthcare
10%
Peace of mind.
Total
100%
So, where next?
I'm filling in the scores and real costs now, and doing the scouting trips. I'll share the result, and how the family took it, when the decision is made.
Find out where Norman Go goes next
I'll email you when the decision is made, with the final scorecard and how the family took it.
No spam. Unsubscribe any time. Your email goes to my email provider; see privacy.
Try the same shortlist yourself. Put in Penang, Bangkok and Phuket with your own weights, and see where you land. You might not agree with me, and that's the point.
