Back when I earned 4k per month (before
CPF), I had some nice meals at restaurants over the weekend, covered myself with sufficient insurance, took a yearly holiday to a decent Asian country flying
SIA (economy of course), and still had enough for savings and investment every month.
Over the years and after changing a few jobs, my pay has risen decently. Someone suggested $8 for lunch and dinner EACH? My lunch costs only $4, which gets me a decent plate of chicken rice with egg, or some fishball noodles, wanton mee, sometimes nasi lemak with chicken wing and sunny side up egg. For $9-10 I've settled lunch and dinner (something slightly better for dinner after a long day at work). And seriously, some of these food taste way better and are more filling than some $20 main course at a restaurant. All in all food costs $150 per week, inclusive of some good restaurant food over the weekend.
$400 for taxis? I don't even think I spend $400 in a year on taxis, let alone a month. I spend $200 on public transport per month, that's for a bus ride to the
MRT, then a
MRT ride into town, and vice versa to get home. No free rebates.
Over the weekend I just booked my new car, which fits comfortably into my monthly budget. But I guess for you, you will need to earn 10k or 20k per month first.