Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Singapore Cost of Living Comparison Between Australia and Singapore

Name: Singapore
Address: SG

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,184 per month in Australia vs $3,526 in Singapore, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,219 per month in Australia vs $5,196 in Singapore, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,253 per month in Australia vs $6,865 in Singapore, rent included.

Australia is roughly 38% cheaper than Singapore on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Australia and Singapore are pricier than the global median – Australia by 63%, Singapore by 162%.

Australia has a wider regional cost range ($1,592–$2,842) than Singapore ($3,526–$3,526), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Australia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.44 A$23.23

$10.85 SGD 13.90

51.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.1 A$110

$76.5 SGD 98.0

2.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.94 A$14.05

$7.61 SGD 9.74

30.62%

Cappuccino

$3.60 A$5.08

$5.02 SGD 6.43

-28.29%

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

$2.68 A$3.78

$1.69 SGD 2.17

58.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 A$3.02

$1.18 SGD 1.51

81.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.53 A$9.23

$7.78 SGD 9.97

-16.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.05 A$9.96

$9.43 SGD 12.08

-25.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 A$2.23

$2.99 SGD 3.83

-47.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 A$3.57

$2.43 SGD 3.11

4.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.07 A$2.93

$2.83 SGD 3.62

-26.86%

Eggs

$4.30 A$6.08

$3.28 SGD 4.20

31.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.03 A$12.76

$19.40 SGD 24.85

-53.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.55 A$12.08

$11.27 SGD 14.43

-24.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.96 A$19.72

$22.95 SGD 29.40

-39.17%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 A$4.49

$4.48 SGD 5.74

-29.02%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 A$4.01

$3.03 SGD 3.89

-6.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.95 A$4.17

$4.96 SGD 6.36

-40.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.43 A$6.26

$2.62 SGD 3.35

69.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 A$3.47

$2.45 SGD 3.13

0.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 A$3.07

$2.16 SGD 2.77

0.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.29 A$3.24

$2.06 SGD 2.64

11.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 A$2.22

$1.52 SGD 1.95

3.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.87 A$43.61

$13.22 SGD 16.94

133.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.06 A$19.86

$25.28 SGD 32.39

-44.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.55 A$6.43

$4.20 SGD 5.38

8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.81 A$6.80

$5.07 SGD 6.49

-5.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.87 A$4.05

$1.52 SGD 1.94

88.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.8 A$135

$94.3 SGD 121

1.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 A$5.15

$3.51 SGD 4.50

3.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.76 A$2.49

$0.76 SGD 0.98

131.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.27 A$54.1

$16.41 SGD 21.02

133.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 A$1.63

$2.28 SGD 2.92

-49.56%

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

$28.4K A$40.1K

$138.0K SGD 176.8K

-79.45%

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

$23.0K A$32.5K

$127.8K SGD 163.7K

-82.00%

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

$178 A$251

$159 SGD 204

12.01%

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

$26.46 A$37.38

$18.76 SGD 24.03

41.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$54.1 A$76.4

$36.64 SGD 46.93

47.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.64 A$65.9

$118 SGD 151

-60.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.54 A$23.37

$12.22 SGD 15.66

35.35%

Cinema Ticket

$13.65 A$19.28

$11.65 SGD 14.92

17.17%

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

$1,575 A$2,225

$1,194 SGD 1,529

31.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.7K A$17.9K

$29.7K SGD 38.1K

-57.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 A$101

$81.3 SGD 104

-12.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.8 A$71.8

$42.98 SGD 55.1

18.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$100 A$142

$105 SGD 134

-4.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 A$153

$127 SGD 163

-15.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,384 A$1,955

$3,131 SGD 4,011

-55.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,105 A$1,562

$2,232 SGD 2,860

-50.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,298 A$3,246

$6,056 SGD 7,759

-62.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,728 A$2,441

$3,747 SGD 4,800

-53.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,610 A$10.8K

$23.2K SGD 29.7K

-67.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,504 A$7,776

$16.2K SGD 20.7K

-66.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,002 A$5,654

$4,259 SGD 5,456

-6.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.35

3.19

99.06%

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

Last update for Australia: June 7, 2026

Last update for Singapore: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,232 in Australia vs $3,127 in Singapore. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,568 in Canberra and $3,127 in Singapore.

Average salary: $3,845 in Australia vs $4,298 in Singapore. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 154% higher in Singapore.

Public transport is 40% more expensive in Singapore.

Salaries are 12% higher in Singapore, giving Australia stronger purchasing power.

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

Australia vs Singapore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Australia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 59% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Singapore, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Singapore consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Australia, contributing to the overall 59% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Australia, but in Singapore it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Australia is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.