Cost of Living Comparison Between Amherst, MA and Singapore Cost of Living Comparison Between Amherst, MA and Singapore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,020 in Amherst, MA versus $3,476 in Singapore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,359 in Amherst, MA versus $5,218 in Singapore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,699 in Amherst, MA versus $6,959 in Singapore.

Living in Amherst, MA costs roughly 13% less than in Singapore, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Amherst, MA 120% above, Singapore 153% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.62 $19.62

$11.77 SGD 14.97

66.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.9 $73.9

$67.3 SGD 85.6

9.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.31 $9.31

$8.59 SGD 10.92

8.38%

Cappuccino

$4.76 $4.76

$5.19 SGD 6.60

-8.29%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$1.84 SGD 2.34

45.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.17 SGD 1.48

70.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.90 $5.90

$8.24 SGD 10.48

-28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.38 $10.38

$10.04 SGD 12.76

3.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$3.05 SGD 3.88

-66.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 $3.20

$2.50 SGD 3.17

28.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.17 $5.17

$2.72 SGD 3.46

90.07%

Eggs

$4.59 $4.59

$3.74 SGD 4.75

22.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.64 $16.64

$21.17 SGD 26.92

-21.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.74 $15.74

$9.85 SGD 12.53

59.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$25.51 SGD 32.43

-26.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$4.50 SGD 5.73

4.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$3.02 SGD 3.83

-52.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.28 $3.28

$4.83 SGD 6.14

-32.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$2.27 SGD 2.89

113.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.54 SGD 3.22

23.23%

Onion (1kg)

$3.69 $3.69

$2.37 SGD 3.02

55.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.31 $2.31

$1.78 SGD 2.26

29.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.42 SGD 1.80

44.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.41 $10.41

$14.34 SGD 18.23

-27.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.79 $11.79

$23.77 SGD 30.22

-50.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$4.55 SGD 5.78

-56.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 $3.41

$4.45 SGD 5.66

-23.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.58 SGD 2.01

-18.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.36 $28.36

$99.0 SGD 126

-71.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.53 SGD 4.49

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.43 $1.43

$0.81 SGD 1.03

76.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.50 $30.50

$16.62 SGD 21.13

83.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 $0.95

$2.47 SGD 3.14

-61.54%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$36.7K $36.7K

$156.1K SGD 198.5K

-76.48%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.7K $25.7K

$145.8K SGD 185.3K

-82.37%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$216 $216

$162 SGD 206

32.93%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$58.5 $58.5

$12.73 SGD 16.19

359.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.0 $84.0

$27.15 SGD 34.51

209.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$118 $118

$108 SGD 137

9.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.90 $6.90

$11.17 SGD 14.20

-38.23%

Cinema Ticket

$10.60 $10.60

$11.79 SGD 14.98

-10.09%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,471 $1,471

$1,491 SGD 1,896

-1.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K $16.7K

$29.5K SGD 37.5K

-43.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.01 $45.01

$78.8 SGD 100

-42.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.07 $39.07

$51.6 SGD 65.6

-24.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.4 $90.4

$111 SGD 141

-18.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$130 SGD 165

-15.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,837 $1,837

$2,949 SGD 3,749

-37.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,649 $1,649

$2,156 SGD 2,741

-23.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,927 $3,927

$6,006 SGD 7,635

-34.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,661 $2,661

$3,893 SGD 4,949

-31.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,115 $4,115

$23.6K SGD 30.0K

-82.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,117 $4,117

$16.7K SGD 21.2K

-75.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,796 $4,796

$4,122 SGD 5,241

16.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

2.43

151.03%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Amherst, MA: September 1, 2026

Last update for Singapore: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,837 in Amherst, MA and $2,949 in Singapore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amherst, MA pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $74.0 in Amherst, MA vs $67.0 in Singapore. Groceries flip the comparison at $427 vs $458, with Amherst, MA cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Amherst, MA vs Singapore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amherst, MA is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 16% higher in Amherst, MA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,837 in Amherst, MA versus $2,949 in Singapore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,471 in Amherst, MA versus $1,491 in Singapore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% higher in Singapore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Amherst, MA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Amherst, MA and Singapore are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Amherst, MA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.