🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $388 in India versus $3,507 in Singapore.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $617 in India versus $5,136 in Singapore.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $846 in India versus $6,764 in Singapore.
🌍Living in India costs about 89% less than in Singapore on average.
📊India (71% below) and Singapore (163% above) straddle the global median.
📏Internal cost variation is higher in India: monthly costs span $265 to $913, compared to $3,507–$3,507 in Singapore. City choice carries more weight in India.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
India
Singapore
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.53₹244
$10.73SGD 13.87
-76.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$13.73₹1,321
$79.4SGD 103
-82.72%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.00₹385
$8.02SGD 10.36
-50.12%
Cappuccino
$1.91₹184
$4.94SGD 6.38
-61.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43₹41.85
$1.71SGD 2.21
-74.85%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.17₹16.11
$1.19SGD 1.54
-85.71%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.93₹186
$7.85SGD 10.14
-75.41%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.54₹341
$9.30SGD 12.01
-61.94%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
India
Singapore
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$0.73₹69.9
$2.96SGD 3.82
-75.34%
White Bread(500g)
$0.52₹50.1
$2.33SGD 3.02
-77.68%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.73₹69.9
$2.78SGD 3.60
-73.74%
Eggs
$0.95₹91.4
$3.42SGD 4.41
-72.22%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$5.32₹512
$19.67SGD 25.42
-72.95%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.10₹299
$11.12SGD 14.37
-72.12%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
-
$22.56SGD 29.15
-
Apples(1kg)
$2.16₹208
$4.40SGD 5.68
-50.91%
Banana(1kg)
$0.70₹67.7
$2.99SGD 3.86
-76.59%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.05₹101
$4.84SGD 6.26
-78.31%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.53₹50.8
$2.72SGD 3.51
-80.51%
Potato(1kg)
$0.39₹37.65
$2.52SGD 3.26
-84.52%
Onion(1kg)
$0.48₹46.63
$2.16SGD 2.79
-77.78%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.52₹49.78
$2.04SGD 2.64
-74.51%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.36₹34.33
$1.56SGD 2.02
-76.92%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.02₹387
$13.21SGD 17.06
-69.57%
Wine(Bottle)
$7.28₹701
$22.74SGD 29.38
-67.99%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.90₹183
$4.17SGD 5.38
-54.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.03₹292
$5.10SGD 6.58
-40.59%
Buffalo Round(or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat)(1kg)
$5.84₹562
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
India
Singapore
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.36₹34.66
$1.52SGD 1.96
-76.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$9.84₹948
$92.7SGD 120
-89.38%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.95₹91.8
$3.62SGD 4.68
-73.76%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.30₹29.03
$0.70SGD 0.91
-57.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$1.79₹172
$16.13SGD 20.84
-88.90%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.21₹117
$2.29SGD 2.95
-47.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$13.9K₹1.3M
$141.7KSGD 183.0K
-90.22%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.4K₹2.2M
$128.1KSGD 165.5K
-82.48%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
India
Singapore
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$40.16₹3,866
$156SGD 201
-74.21%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.76₹362
$18.43SGD 23.81
-79.60%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$8.04₹774
$37.01SGD 47.82
-78.28%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
India
Singapore
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$16.25₹1,565
$116SGD 150
-86.02%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.56₹728
$12.39SGD 16.00
-38.98%
Cinema Ticket
$3.43₹330
$11.93SGD 15.41
-71.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
India
Singapore
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$69.7₹6,713
$1,200SGD 1,551
-94.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$1,852₹178.3K
$29.7KSGD 38.4K
-93.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
India
Singapore
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.59₹2,463
$81.9SGD 106
-68.77%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.30₹2,531
$42.99SGD 55.6
-38.82%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$44.89₹4,321
$105SGD 135
-57.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$33.20₹3,196
$128SGD 166
-74.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
India
Singapore
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$174₹16.8K
$3,137SGD 4,053
-94.44%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$112₹10.8K
$2,234SGD 2,886
-94.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$405₹38.9K
$6,281SGD 8,116
-93.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$258₹24.8K
$3,697SGD 4,777
-93.03%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,263₹121.6K
$22.5KSGD 29.1K
-94.40%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$653₹62.8K
$16.5KSGD 21.3K
-96.04%
💵 Salaries & Financials
India
Singapore
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$424₹40.8K
$3,992SGD 5,158
-89.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
9.02
3.19
182.76%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for India: July 12, 2026
Last update for Singapore: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $127 in India, $3,209 in Singapore. Capital cities: $242 in Delhi vs $3,209 in Singapore.
💰National salary averages: $398 in India, $3,969 in Singapore. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 2427% higher in Singapore.
⭐Dining out costs 609% more in Singapore.
⭐Public transport is 944% more expensive in Singapore.
⭐Salaries are 897% higher in Singapore, and purchasing power comes out stronger 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
India vs Singapore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost difference between India and Singapore?
At $589 per month in India and $3,507 in Singapore, there's a 495% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in India: 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.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Rent in Singapore is consistently higher than in India across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget in India or in Singapore?
In India, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in Singapore it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
Should I move to India or to Singapore?
It depends on what you're after: India wins on affordability; Singapore may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.