Cost of living in Singapore
The best-run city in Asia with low taxes and top-tier healthcare — housing and car ownership are the exceptions.
Build your own budget
Monthly spending by category: Housing $2,600, Food $511, Transport $105, Utilities $180, Healthcare $29, Lifestyle $172, Other $80.
1-bed, city centre Median advertised rent for this unit type Estimated $2,600
Salary and tax in Singapore
| Gross salary (USD/yr) | Income tax | Social contributions | Take-home / month | Effective rate | Left after costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $1,040 | $0 | $3,247 | 2.6% | -$429 |
| $75,000 | $4,048 | $0 | $5,913 | 5.4% | $2,237 |
| $120,000 | $10,137 | $0 | $9,155 | 8.4% | $5,479 |
| $200,000 | $24,877 | $0 | $14,594 | 12.4% | $10,917 |
- CPF (20% employee) applies to citizens and PRs only; foreign pass holders are exempt.
People who actually live in Singapore
Quality of life
A year of weather in Singapore
Average monthly temperature in Singapore: January 25.5 degrees, February 26.3 degrees, March 26.5 degrees, April 26.9 degrees, May 27.7 degrees, June 27.4 degrees, July 27.3 degrees, August 26.8 degrees, September 26.9 degrees, October 27 degrees, November 26.3 degrees, December 26.1 degrees. The shaded band is the average daily high and low.
Where these numbers come from
Share of this budget, weighted by money rather than by field count, that rests on a published source rather than our model.
- Measured0%
- Taken directly from a published source. No modelling in between.
- Derived20%
- Anchored to a measured source, then adjusted. The adjustment is stated.
- Estimated80%
- Modelled from regional relationships. Nobody measured this one.
Prices in Singapore
| Item | USD | SGD |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (monthly rent) | ||
| One-bedroom, city centre | $2,600 | SGD 3,323 |
| One-bedroom, outside the centre | $1,800 | SGD 2,301 |
| Three-bedroom, city centre | $5,200 | SGD 6,646 |
| Three-bedroom, outside the centre | $3,400 | SGD 4,345 |
| Buy price per m², city centre | $16,000 | SGD 20,449 |
| Bills | ||
| Utilities, 85m² apartment | $190 | SGD 243 |
| Home internet, 60 Mbps+ | $33 | SGD 42 |
| Mobile plan | $23 | SGD 29 |
| Food | ||
| Groceries, one adult per month | $382 | SGD 488 |
| Meal at an inexpensive restaurant | $3.64 | SGD 4.65 |
| Three-course dinner for two | $42 | SGD 54 |
| Coffee | $2.73 | SGD 3.49 |
| Beer in a bar | $5.45 | SGD 6.97 |
| Transport | ||
| Monthly transit pass | $76 | SGD 97 |
| Taxi, per km | $0.80 | SGD 1.02 |
| Petrol, per litre | $2.10 | SGD 2.68 |
| Health, family & lifestyle | ||
| Health insurance, per adult | $180 | SGD 230 |
| Doctor visit, out of pocket | $55 | SGD 70 |
| Full-time childcare, one child | $1,200 | SGD 1,534 |
| International school, per year | $30,000 | SGD 38,342 |
| Gym membership | $90 | SGD 115 |
| Cinema ticket | $10 | SGD 13 |
Prices are held in USD and converted at the August 2026 snapshot rate. Last reviewed 2026-08-01. Every figure carries its own provenance — see where these numbers come from.
Living and working here
Employment Pass or ONE Pass for high earners; Tech.Pass targets senior technology talent.
1 USD ≈ SGD 1.28
Asia/Singapore
tropical climate
Compare Singapore with…
Getting set up in Singapore
The things people end up arranging in the first month in Singapore — usually in roughly this order. We have picked services that work before you have local residency, which is the constraint that catches most people out.
- AiraloesimData eSIM for the first weeks before you get a local number.
- SafetyWinginsuranceHealth and travel cover written for people living outside their home country.
- WisetransferMoving money between currencies without the bank spread.
- RevolutbankingA multi-currency account that works before you have local residency.
- Kiwi.comflightsOne-way and multi-city routing for a move rather than a return trip.
- Booking.comstaysSomewhere to land for the first month while you look at flats.
These are affiliate links: if you sign up, we may be paid a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change what any of them costs, and it has no bearing on the numbers anywhere else on this page — those come from the model, not from anyone paying us.
Know what things really cost here?
No submissions yet. Yours would be the first.
We publish the median, not the mean — one mis-keyed rent should not move the number.
Frequently asked
How much money do you need per month to live in Singapore?
A single adult renting a one-bedroom in the centre and living moderately needs roughly $3,676 a month, of which $2,600 is rent. A couple sharing that flat needs about $4,499, and a family of four in a three-bedroom outside the centre with childcare needs about $8,849.
Is Singapore expensive?
On our index Singapore scores 58 where New York is 100 — about 42% below New York for the same household. The average local net salary of $4,200 a month covers 1.1× that budget.
What salary do you need in Singapore?
To cover the single-adult budget of $3,676 a month after tax, you need roughly $45,500 gross a year — before any saving. Add 30–40% on top if you want to save meaningfully.
How much is rent in Singapore?
A one-bedroom in the centre averages $2,600 a month, $1,800 outside the centre. A three-bedroom runs $5,200 central and $3,400 further out.
Can you work remotely from Singapore?
Employment Pass or ONE Pass for high earners; Tech.Pass targets senior technology talent.
Sources
- World Bank – ICP price level & PPP indicators— price levels, purchasing power normalisation
- OECD – Prices and purchasing power parities— price levels, household consumption
- Open-Meteo historical climate archive— climate
- exchangerate.host / ECB reference rates— currency conversion
Figures are modelled estimates built for comparison between cities, not a quote for any individual. Read the full methodology.