Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Kitakyushu and Singapore

For one person, living is cheaper in Kitakyushu: $1,240 a month against $3,500 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $27,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Kitakyushu
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,240
/mo nomad
Singapore
🇸🇬 Singapore
$3,500
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Kitakyushu and in Singapore

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Kitakyushu and in Singapore actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,240 per month in Kitakyushu vs $3,500 in Singapore, rent included.

  • Kitakyushu $1,240
  • Singapore $3,500

A couple spends around $1,919 per month in Kitakyushu vs $5,265 in Singapore, rent included.

  • Kitakyushu $1,919
  • Singapore $5,265

A family of three spends $2,599 per month in Kitakyushu vs $7,030 in Singapore, rent included.

  • Kitakyushu $2,599
  • Singapore $7,030

Kitakyushu is about 65% cheaper than Singapore, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Kitakyushu sits 8% below the global median, while Singapore is 159% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Kitakyushu
Singapore
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.30 ¥1,153
$11.76 SGD 15.05
-37.93%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$33.63 ¥5,314
$70.6 SGD 90.4
-52.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.49 ¥868
$8.55 SGD 10.94
-35.79%
Cappuccino
$3.32 ¥525
$5.20 SGD 6.66
-36.15%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.99 ¥157
$1.77 SGD 2.27
-44.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 ¥118
$1.23 SGD 1.58
-39.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.00 ¥475
$8.26 SGD 10.58
-63.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.20 ¥348
$10.17 SGD 13.01
-78.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kitakyushu
Singapore
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 ¥236
$3.04 SGD 3.89
-50.99%
White Bread (500g)
$1.32 ¥209
$2.55 SGD 3.26
-48.24%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.31 ¥839
$2.86 SGD 3.66
85.66%
Eggs
$2.30 ¥363
$3.53 SGD 4.51
-34.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.46 ¥1,494
$21.12 SGD 27.02
-55.21%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.29 ¥835
$9.90 SGD 12.67
-46.57%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$18.56 ¥2,932
$25.42 SGD 32.53
-26.99%
Apples (1kg)
$3.71 ¥586
$4.57 SGD 5.85
-18.82%
Banana (1kg)
$1.78 ¥282
$3.13 SGD 4.00
-43.13%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.91 ¥459
$4.72 SGD 6.04
-38.35%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.88 ¥455
$2.23 SGD 2.85
29.15%
Potato (1kg)
$2.20 ¥347
$2.57 SGD 3.29
-14.40%
Onion (1kg)
$2.53 ¥399
$2.29 SGD 2.93
10.48%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 ¥168
$1.87 SGD 2.39
-43.32%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.92 ¥145
$1.44 SGD 1.84
-36.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.97 ¥626
$13.97 SGD 17.88
-71.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.44 ¥1,017
$23.48 SGD 30.05
-72.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.72 ¥272
$4.54 SGD 5.80
-62.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 ¥269
$4.44 SGD 5.68
-61.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Kitakyushu
Singapore
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.65 ¥261
$1.57 SGD 2.01
5.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$53.2 ¥8,405
$93.8 SGD 120
-43.26%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.91 ¥617
$3.64 SGD 4.66
7.42%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.09 ¥331
$0.76 SGD 0.97
175.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.98 ¥2,840
$16.14 SGD 20.66
11.40%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.04 ¥164
$2.45 SGD 3.14
-57.55%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.8K ¥3.3M
$155.2K SGD 198.5K
-86.59%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.8K ¥2.8M
$148.5K SGD 190.0K
-88.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kitakyushu
Singapore
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$195 ¥30.9K
$172 SGD 220
13.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$24.96 ¥3,944
$12.39 SGD 15.86
101.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$32.31 ¥5,105
$26.21 SGD 33.54
23.27%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kitakyushu
Singapore
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.4 ¥8,126
$108 SGD 138
-52.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$3.22 ¥508
$12.31 SGD 15.75
-73.84%
Cinema Ticket
$11.19 ¥1,768
$11.64 SGD 14.90
-3.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Kitakyushu
Singapore
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$371 ¥58.7K
$1,481 SGD 1,895
-74.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.4K ¥2.0M
$28.3K SGD 36.3K
-56.37%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kitakyushu
Singapore
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$49.57 ¥7,832
$80.6 SGD 103
-38.46%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.75 ¥4,069
$50.1 SGD 64.1
-48.61%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$66.4 ¥10.5K
$112 SGD 143
-40.59%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$54.8 ¥8,658
$129 SGD 165
-57.48%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kitakyushu
Singapore
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$522 ¥82.5K
$3,015 SGD 3,858
-82.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$333 ¥52.6K
$2,171 SGD 2,778
-84.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,106 ¥174.7K
$5,842 SGD 7,475
-81.07%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$725 ¥114.6K
$4,044 SGD 5,174
-82.06%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,174 ¥659.5K
$23.8K SGD 30.4K
-82.45%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,729 ¥273.1K
$16.8K SGD 21.4K
-89.68%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kitakyushu
Singapore
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,510 ¥238.5K
$4,385 SGD 5,611
-65.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
1.69
2.44
-30.74%

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

Last update for Kitakyushu: October 10, 2026

Last update for Singapore: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kitakyushu
$333
Singapore
$2.2K 552% $1.8K
Groceries & Markets
Kitakyushu
$276
Singapore
$458 65.7% $182
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kitakyushu
$253
Singapore
$210 16.8% $42
Eating Out
Kitakyushu
$141
Singapore
$256 81.3% $115
Clothing & Footwear
Kitakyushu
$88
Singapore
$167 88.9% $79
Getting Around
Kitakyushu
$74
Singapore
$107 44.9% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Kitakyushu
$74
Singapore
$131 77.9% $57

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $522 in Kitakyushu versus $3,015 in Singapore. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 190% higher in Singapore, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Kitakyushu versus $71.0 in Singapore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $276 vs $458 – making Kitakyushu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Kitakyushu
🇸🇬 Singapore
🕒 Local time
16:18 4:18 PM
15:18 3:18 PM
1 h behind Kitakyushu
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
939,029
5,535,002 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

SGD, USD, EUR to JPY – Japanese Yen Converter

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.781 USD). 1 EUR = 1.44 SGD (1 SGD = 0.695 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Kitakyushu Singapore 4,590 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Kitakyushu
  • Singapore

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Kitakyushu vs Singapore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Kitakyushu and in Singapore compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,240 in Kitakyushu, $3,500 in Singapore – roughly 182% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.
What salary covers living expenses in Kitakyushu compared to Singapore?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,859 per month in Kitakyushu and $5,251 in Singapore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Kitakyushu and Singapore?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Kitakyushu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 66% more in Singapore, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Kitakyushu and $71.0 in Singapore. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Kitakyushu, where all-in costs run around $1,240, than in Singapore at $3,500. In Kitakyushu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Singapore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Kitakyushu and Singapore?
It depends on your priorities. Kitakyushu has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,240 in Kitakyushu to $3,500 in Singapore. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Kitakyushu or Singapore safer for residents?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
How do I decide between Kitakyushu and Singapore?
If budget matters most, go with Kitakyushu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Singapore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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