Why this site exists
When I first thought about leaving Singapore, the hard part wasn't finding information. There's plenty of that. The hard part was deciding what mattered most, and being honest about it.
So I made it a scorecard. It worked for the move to Penang, and I'm using it again for the next one. Norman Go is that scorecard, cleaned up and free for anyone to use.
Everything here is my view, from my own moves. It isn't a list of "best cities", and it isn't advice. You can read the whole story on the My story page.
How I make the decision
- Write down what matters, before looking at places. Then give each thing a weight, so the big things count for more.
- Shortlist. I do the research and cut the list down to a few places. Staying put is always one of them.
- Visit. Scouting trips, as a family, before anything is decided.
- Score, then check the budget. With a buffer for surprises, because real costs never match the research.
- Make the call, and explain why. I walk the family through the scorecard, so everyone can see how we got there.
What the scorecard does
- Lets you list what matters to you, and how much.
- Turns your 1 to 5 scores into a ranking, and shows why the winner won.
- Checks each city's monthly costs against your budget.
- Saves your work in your own browser, and lets you share it with a link or print it.
What it doesn't do
It doesn't know anything about any city. There are no visa rules, tax rates or living costs built in. That's on purpose:
- Rules and prices change often. Old numbers would mislead you.
- Your situation is your own. Your passport, income, family and plans all change the answer.
- You'll trust a result more when every number in it is one you checked.
So do your research at the source: embassy and government websites, the schools themselves, and a licensed professional for anything legal, tax or financial.
Get in touch
Spotted a mistake, or have an idea? Email me at hello@normango.com.