Traffic jam wasn't that bad, says couple who tried commuting from JB to Singapore for work every day

The long lines of cars on the Causeway may seem intimidating, but one couple has said that navigating the traffic jam there isn't that bad.

This was one of the observations TikTok user Afar.living had made in their daily commute from Johor Bahru to Singapore for work.

The Bosnian-Singaporean couple said on Wednesday (Oct 18) that they decided to live in Malaysia to save money while waiting for their condominium unit in Singapore to be ready.

"The high rental costs in Singapore prompted us to explore alternatives," they added.

Their daily commute to Singapore often "went against the main crowds", which made traffic bearable. 

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@afar.living/video/7291222052256763143?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7252157227077830162[/embed]

Another reason to live in JB? You will get more bang for your buck with the living space, according to the couple.

They said that the rental for their two-bedroom apartment in JB costs a fraction of what they previously paid to rent a one-bedder in Singapore.

"We had the luxury of significantly more living space," they added, while sharing that they even kept a spare bedroom in their JB apartment for friends visiting from Singapore.

Other "discoveries" they made include the cosy cafes in JB where they can work remotely, and the opportunity to travel around Malaysia while staying there.

In another video shared on the same day, the couple shared that it only took eight minutes to walk from the Johor Bahru Checkpoint to their apartment.

[embed]https://www.tiktok.com/@afar.living/video/7291223148219878664[/embed]

Speaking to AsiaOne on Friday, they said that the month-long experiment made them realise the benefits of living in JB. 

"We are considering doing it longer instead of moving into our condo in Singapore when it's ready," they added.

The couple's videos have since garnered over 24,000 views on TikTok.

One netizen commented on their video, saying that the daily commute from JB to Singapore seems "too tiring".

"You didn't mention what time you have to wake up, go through Customs to head in, and how many hours to go back," another added.

Besides the favourable exchange rate, there may be another advantage for Singaporeans who are living across the Causeway. 

Income from employment in Singapore is not liable to tax in Malaysia, The Star reported on March 2019. 

The Malaysian authorities said an individual living in Malaysia would not automatically result in the income received to be subjected to Malaysian tax laws.

ALSO READ: Singaporean rents $1,000 JB condo, reveals whether it's worth commuting across Causeway every day

chingshijie@asiaone.com