If it feels like more Singaporeans are packing up and building lives overseas, that’s because they are. According to a report by the Department of Statistics in September 2025, the number of Singaporeans residing overseas has grown from about 213,00 in 2016 to over 221,000 by the end of last year. There are now more Singaporeans living overseas compared to before the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019. In the report, the overseas Singaporean diaspora refers to citizens who have resided abroad for at least 20 years. For many Singaporeans abroad, living overseas comes with a financial dilemma that’s easy to overlook: a tough choice between deciding whether to invest in a property overseas, or keep the cash in order to purchase a home in Singapore when they return for good. From my conversations with other Singaporeans living overseas, the reality is that most of us can only save up enough cash and income to cover one mortgage.  ...