MigrantoCost of living in Singapore
Average monthly spending, by standard of living, by category, and against other countries
Monthly cost
SGD 2,830
what a typical person spends
Spending by standard of living
SGD 1,210richest 20%
SGD 7,260
Singapore is an expensive place to build a life, but the expense is unusually well organized. Wages are high, the city runs with real efficiency, and the state keeps a firm hand on housing, so the squeeze shows up less in rent than in the things around it — getting around, owning a car, eating out. What stands out is how far apart lives can sit here: the distance between the most comfortable and the just-coping is wide, wider than the city's orderly surface lets on.
Where people spend money in Singapore
Where a Singapore budget goes says a lot about the place: housing takes its piece, but it doesn't swallow the month the way it does in other dense cities. The bigger surprises are transport and eating out — owning a car is famously costly, and a culture built around dining out makes food away from home a steady drain rather than an occasional treat. Rent you mostly can't avoid; the car and the restaurants are where a careful budget finds its give.
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What it costs to live in Singapore
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Cost of living in Singapore
SGD 1,210/mo
vs SGD 1,030 in your country
Take-home
SGD 2,420
vs SGD 1,540 in your country
Potential savings
SGD 1,210
more than in your country
Standard of living
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How living costs in Singapore compare
Singapore stands with the priciest cities on earth, and inside Asia it shares the very top. The reason is its own success — a small, wealthy hub that draws talent and money from everywhere bids the cost of living up along with it. For someone weighing a move, the pay is there to meet it, but you feel the price of admission every month.
Data source: household consumption 2024 (World Bank, regional estimate), International Comparison Program 2021 (World Bank), category breakdown 2024 (United Nations Statistics Division), adjusted to 2026 using IMF GDP-per-capita growth
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Frequently asked questions
What is the cost of living in Singapore?
A typical person in Singapore spends about SGD 2,830 a month — around SGD 34,000 a year — on housing, groceries, transport and other everyday costs. It's a nationwide average across different regions, cities and types of housing.
What is the cost of living in Singapore in US dollars?
The cost of living in Singapore is about $2,207 a month, or roughly $26,484 a year per person.
How much money do you need to live comfortably in Singapore?
It all depends on your standard of living. A modest budget runs about SGD 1,210 a month per person, a typical one around SGD 2,830, and a comfortable life around SGD 4,000. In big cities and for a family, costs are usually higher.
What do people spend the most on in Singapore?
The biggest expense is housing, at about SGD 470 a month (17% of spending). Then come transport (SGD 334, 12%) and dining out (SGD 266, 9%).
Is the average salary in Singapore enough to live on?
Yes, with room to spare. Average spending is about SGD 2,830 a month, while the average take-home pay in Singapore is about SGD 4,650. For more on incomes, see salaries in Singapore.
Is Singapore an expensive country to live in?
Yes. Singapore is more expensive than 90% of countries worldwide and ranks 2nd of 27 in Asia by cost of living.
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Living in Singapore
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