Singapore is much like the US where one can realise the good life (politics aside), no matter what social strata you started off from.

A simplified calculation below will show how a couple (possibly graduates) both working and starting a family young and with a first HDB home would fare financially through the years (20 yrs timeframe is used here).


Combined income Expense Savings
Monthly Annual (over 5 year blocks)
(with 3 mths
bonus)

1 to 5 years 6,000 90,000 40,000 250,000
5 to 10 years 9,000 135,000 75,000 375,000
10 to 15 years 13,000 195,000 80,000 575,000
15 to 20 years 15,000 232,500 85,000 737,500

Total saved over 20 years $1,937,500


And this is based purely on simple savings without interest and investment! If they are savvy and profited from their heavily subsidised HDB flat, and other investment returns, they could double or triple their stash! I tend to believe the above example is a very conservative one. Many couples would be earning much more!