Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Singapore Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Singapore

Name: Singapore
Address: SG

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $711 in China versus $3,636 in Singapore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $5,221 in Singapore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in China versus $6,805 in Singapore.

Living in China costs about 80% less than in Singapore on average.

China (47% below) and Singapore (172% above) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $525 to $1,220, compared to $3,636–$3,636 in Singapore. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 ¥18.83

$11.04 SGD 14.13

-75.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.03 ¥165

$77.8 SGD 99.5

-69.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 ¥33.95

$7.80 SGD 9.98

-36.41%

Cappuccino

$3.12 ¥21.37

$5.08 SGD 6.50

-38.58%

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

$0.48 ¥3.26

$1.65 SGD 2.12

-70.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$1.24 SGD 1.59

-78.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ¥6.73

$7.74 SGD 9.91

-87.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥14.69

$9.34 SGD 11.95

-76.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.53

$2.95 SGD 3.77

-37.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 ¥11.54

$2.38 SGD 3.05

-29.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.21

$2.88 SGD 3.68

-68.40%

Eggs

$1.56 ¥10.66

$3.31 SGD 4.24

-52.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 ¥88.9

$19.78 SGD 25.32

-34.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 ¥22.23

$11.13 SGD 14.25

-70.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 ¥72.0

$23.02 SGD 29.47

-54.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.41

$4.38 SGD 5.60

-58.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.90

$2.91 SGD 3.72

-55.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.26

$4.77 SGD 6.11

-68.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.87

$2.62 SGD 3.35

-56.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.20

$2.43 SGD 3.11

-68.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ¥6.07

$2.23 SGD 2.86

-60.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.97

$2.03 SGD 2.59

-71.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.95

$1.51 SGD 1.94

-61.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 ¥23.95

$13.20 SGD 16.90

-73.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 ¥79.1

$25.92 SGD 33.18

-55.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.31

$4.14 SGD 5.30

-81.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥11.03

$5.30 SGD 6.79

-69.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.01

$1.52 SGD 1.95

-71.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.15 ¥145

$94.9 SGD 121

-77.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.35

$3.63 SGD 4.64

-62.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.72 SGD 0.92

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 ¥45.28

$16.65 SGD 21.31

-60.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.74

$2.24 SGD 2.87

-49.55%

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

$19.7K ¥135.2K

$138.3K SGD 177.0K

-85.72%

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

$17.1K ¥117.0K

$129.9K SGD 166.3K

-86.85%

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

$50.9 ¥349

$156 SGD 200

-67.43%

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

$10.03 ¥68.7

$18.53 SGD 23.72

-45.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.33 ¥77.6

$37.42 SGD 47.90

-69.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.13 ¥275

$117 SGD 150

-65.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.97 ¥103

$12.30 SGD 15.74

21.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 ¥41.74

$11.74 SGD 15.03

-48.13%

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

$418 ¥2,860

$1,178 SGD 1,508

-64.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ¥118.2K

$29.4K SGD 37.7K

-41.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.40 ¥318

$80.8 SGD 103

-42.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.92 ¥226

$42.22 SGD 54.0

-22.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 ¥487

$107 SGD 138

-33.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥499

$128 SGD 164

-43.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 ¥3,003

$3,184 SGD 4,075

-86.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 ¥1,775

$2,225 SGD 2,848

-88.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 ¥6,341

$6,102 SGD 7,810

-84.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 ¥3,754

$3,818 SGD 4,887

-85.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,047 ¥34.6K

$23.7K SGD 30.3K

-78.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,666 ¥18.3K

$16.5K SGD 21.1K

-83.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,074 ¥7,357

$4,239 SGD 5,426

-74.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

3.19

27.27%

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

Last update for China: April 26, 2026

Last update for Singapore: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $3,108 in Singapore. Capital cities: $886 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $3,108 in Singapore.

National salary averages: $834 in China, $4,316 in Singapore. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 987% higher in Singapore.

Dining out costs 271% more in Singapore.

Public transport is 417% more expensive in Singapore.

Salaries are 418% higher in Singapore.

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

China vs Singapore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $873 per month in China and $3,636 in Singapore, there's a 317% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Singapore beats China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Singapore, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. China wins on affordability; Singapore may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.