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: $3,033 in Amherst, MA versus $3,651 in Singapore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,694 in Amherst, MA versus $5,223 in Singapore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,355 in Amherst, MA versus $6,796 in Singapore.

Living in Amherst, MA costs roughly 17% less than in Singapore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Amherst, MA 126% above, Singapore 172% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.33 $20.33

$10.73 SGD 13.74

89.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.1 $70.1

$78.5 SGD 100

-10.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.37 $9.37

$7.88 SGD 10.09

18.91%

Cappuccino

$5.41 $5.41

$4.92 SGD 6.30

9.96%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$1.63 SGD 2.09

87.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.46 $2.46

$1.23 SGD 1.57

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.96 $7.96

$7.85 SGD 10.05

1.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.36 $7.36

$9.61 SGD 12.30

-23.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$3.07 SGD 3.93

-57.33%

White Bread (500g)

$3.78 $3.78

$2.41 SGD 3.09

56.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.81 SGD 3.59

-27.76%

Eggs

$4.54 $4.54

$3.37 SGD 4.32

34.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.94 $13.94

$19.34 SGD 24.76

-27.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.09 $5.09

$11.36 SGD 14.54

-55.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.57 $18.57

$22.95 SGD 29.38

-19.08%

Apples (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$4.52 SGD 5.79

17.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 $1.51

$2.94 SGD 3.77

-48.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$4.86 SGD 6.23

-25.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.94 $4.94

$2.63 SGD 3.37

87.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 $1.02

$2.47 SGD 3.16

-58.70%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 $0.97

$2.16 SGD 2.77

-55.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.01 SGD 2.57

23.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.51 SGD 1.94

31.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.42 $10.42

$13.24 SGD 16.95

-21.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.70 $13.70

$25.27 SGD 32.35

-45.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$4.31 SGD 5.52

-31.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 $3.44

$5.20 SGD 6.66

-33.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.58 SGD 2.02

22.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.53 $27.53

$93.7 SGD 120

-70.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.51 SGD 4.49

-25.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.37 $1.37

$0.77 SGD 0.99

77.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.87 $27.87

$16.11 SGD 20.62

73.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$2.20 SGD 2.81

-60.00%

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

$30.4K $30.4K

$142.1K SGD 182.0K

-78.62%

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

$24.6K $24.6K

$129.1K SGD 165.3K

-80.92%

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

$197 $197

$160 SGD 205

23.15%

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

$58.6 $58.6

$18.36 SGD 23.50

219.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$78.2 $78.2

$36.57 SGD 46.82

113.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$119 $119

$117 SGD 150

1.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.09 $7.09

$12.39 SGD 15.86

-42.78%

Cinema Ticket

$10.63 $10.63

$11.65 SGD 14.92

-8.76%

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

$2,753 $2,753

$1,184 SGD 1,516

132.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.0K $28.0K

$29.9K SGD 38.2K

-6.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.18 $40.18

$82.2 SGD 105

-51.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.51 $44.51

$43.04 SGD 55.1

3.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.5 $85.5

$107 SGD 138

-20.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$131 SGD 168

10.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,829 $1,829

$3,101 SGD 3,970

-41.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,600 $1,600

$2,280 SGD 2,919

-29.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,823 $4,823

$6,201 SGD 7,939

-22.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,473 $3,473

$3,793 SGD 4,856

-8.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,019 $4,019

$23.5K SGD 30.1K

-82.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,027 $4,027

$16.5K SGD 21.1K

-75.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,837 $4,837

$4,285 SGD 5,485

12.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.22

3.19

94.98%

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

Last update for Amherst, MA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Singapore: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,829 in Amherst, MA and $3,101 in Singapore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amherst, MA pays 13% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $70.0 in Amherst, MA vs $78.0 in Singapore for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $363 vs $457 per month, with Amherst, MA cheaper across the board.

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, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 20% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Amherst, MA pays 13% more on average, 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: $1,829 in Amherst, MA versus $3,101 in Singapore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,753 in Amherst, MA versus $1,184 in Singapore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% 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 20% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.