Singapore is 'best place on this planet': Swiss vlogger

New Paper

10-07-2025

A video posted by a Swiss vlogger about the virtues of life in Singapore has struck a chord with many here - and gained its fair share of brickbats.
The video, titled "The reality of not being rich in Singapore", opens with full-time content creator Marion Műller - @swizzyinsg on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube - holding on to the handrail in an MRT train, with the subtitle: "Always taking public transport".
The 29-year-old forces a smile, and the video cuts to a cluttered bedroom corner, where luggage and plastic bags are strewn across the floor. The subtitle reads: "Moving 4x in one year," as Műller reappears, frowning.
The video then focuses on a single bed with a thin mattress and multiple towels, with the subtitle: "Improvising a comfortable way to sleep".
This is followed by a scene at a Teochew porridge stall, with the subtitle: "Looking for the cheapest cai fan," and finally, a takeaway bag captioned: "Tabao if I cannot finish and eat for lunch the next day."
It then moves to the front of a Valu$ shop ("shop atValu$") before ending with Ms Műller striding confidently along Marina Bay in an elegant cami dress and the subtitle, "but I'm grateful these options exist…and anything makes living in SG worth it."
The accompanying caption reads:
"And I am grateful for everything you see in this video.
"Compared to a place like Switzerland - where no hawkers exist and public transport is very expensive - you can still live a comfortable life in Singapore without much money.
"To me anything that enables me to stay here is worth it and I am grateful for every day I get to live and work in this beautiful city-state.
"And let's be honest: Hawker food is the best food anyway."
The video, posted on Saturday (July 5), has since been viewed 106,000 times on TikTok, drawing some 2,700 reactions and 160 comments.
'Singapore is the best place on this planet'
Ms Műller, or Mary, as she calls herself in her videos, has lived in Singapore for two-and-a-half years, documenting her life here in the videos she creates.
Ms Műller used to be a competitive figure skater, loves windsurfing, and is also a licensed yoga instructor. She came to the Republic because of "family matters" but had always wanted to live in Asia.
She earns between $0 and $10,000 a month as a content creator and shops at Valu$ for items such as Snickers, Kit Kat, and Hershey's, as well as Nivea deodorant and toothpaste.
"I am happy if I can make Singaporeans think and appreciate Singapore more," she told The New Paper on Wednesday night. "I truly believe Singapore is the best place on this planet."
"I hear this often: 'Since I've been following you, I realise how great SG is,' This makes me so, so happy," added Ms Műller, who fell in love with Singapore "the moment I saw the Singapore Flyer and Marina Bay Sands from the car".
And perhaps the heartfelt nature of her video struck a chord with many Singaporeans.
"Hahaha we same same," said TikToker user2717724022125.
"It's being sensible, and in that sense, you're super rich!" commented pangzter, also on TikTok.
"Hey, welcome to the club of normal people living in the most expensive city in the world. There's many of us," said Cthulhu Spawn.
'You haven't met really poor people yet'
Not everyone agreed with Ms Műller that living in Singapore is worth it.
"This reality is gonna get worse soon. It's easy to exist here but very hard to be living well here. After all, everything's just a number in this corporate place of ruthless efficiency," said user1839433407736.
"You still get a room with a nice view and eat a decent meal. You haven't met really poor people in Singapore yet," said Claw50times.
"Are there really poor poor people?" said Ms Műller when asked about these comments.
"I have not seen a homeless person. The Government takes care of their people so well," added Ms Muller, who does not qualify for assistance schemes like CDC or SG60 Vouchers. "In Singapore, no one needs to starve or sleep on the streets. And anyone who wants to work, can work."
She conceded that life in Singapore isn't always a bed of roses, noting that she once had to move four times in a year. "There were some places I rented where only a short-term lease was available, so I had to move out," she explained.
"There were also two places where I had to move out within two days, so I could not find something nice in time and it was so terrible, I had to move out. There were also two rental places I lived in where the flatmates were terrible."
Alluding to the comment in her video about having to improvise beds, Ms Műller explained: "The mattress from the flat was so thin, I used different towels to make it more comfortable."
She told The New Paper that she is preparing to move again because her flatmates at their Chinatown apartment are relocating to London.
"It makes me sad because I really liked this apartment," she said. But she'll find something as she has no intention of packing up for good.
"I hope I can stay here for as long as possible," said Ms Műller. She hopes to become a permanent resident someday so that she can live happily ever after - with her favourite chicken rice and fish soup.
She is aware that not everyone agrees with her views and has had her fair share of negative comments.
"I get lots of hate comments and bad ones, too. Lots of grumpy people who'll never be satisfied. These people don't realise how good they still have it," said Ms Műller.