I have been to Singapore quite a few times, the first in 1984, when I camped (illegally) on Sentosa Island. It's definitely an interesting place. A tiny island, with great infrastructure, 70% Chinese, but with a strong Malay and Indian community.
I was talking to Fawzee and his friends about how they felt and they said the good subsidized education system makes Singapore a good place to live. Its also very clean and very safe, corruption being as low as any country.
Singapore's high level of education has got it where it is today. When compared to Indonesia that fact is obvious. Singapore is the size of Los Angeles, with just a dozen small islands, Indonesia has 17,000. Singapore has no natural resources, no oil, coal, steel, no water supply (it comes from Malaysia), no forests etc. Indonesia has massive oil and gas reserves, massive fisheries and forests, but the GDP equates to: Indonesia $827.4 billion, Singapore $120.9 billion. Singapore is not doing to bad when you consider it starts with nothing to sell.
For a visitor on a RTW trip you often hear about the high prices that will kill your budget. I can see that compared to Bali, but for a pit-stop, for shopping, to see a doctor, to get your passport sorted out etc. you know you have a safe place to go where the infrastructure supports your goals, not hinders them.
Most of the cheap accommodation is in the Little India and Bencoolen street areas. If you don't mind sharing a dorm room there are places advertised for under $10 a night. Singapore can be fun for a while and worth a visit, just leave the chewing gum at home.
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