Cost of Living Comparison Between Madison, WI and Singapore Cost of Living Comparison Between Madison, WI and Singapore

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,853 per month in Madison, WI vs $3,651 in Singapore, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,198 per month in Madison, WI vs $5,223 in Singapore, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,543 per month in Madison, WI vs $6,796 in Singapore, rent included.

Madison, WI is about 22% cheaper than Singapore, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Madison, WI and Singapore sit above the global median – Madison, WI by 113%, Singapore by 172%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.06 $15.06

$10.73 SGD 13.74

40.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$73.6 $73.6

$78.5 SGD 100

-6.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.10 $11.10

$7.88 SGD 10.09

40.86%

Cappuccino

$5.27 $5.27

$4.92 SGD 6.30

7.11%

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

$2.70 $2.70

$1.63 SGD 2.09

65.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$1.23 SGD 1.57

91.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.02 $6.02

$7.85 SGD 10.05

-23.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$9.61 SGD 12.30

-25.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 $0.93

$3.07 SGD 3.93

-69.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.70 $3.70

$2.41 SGD 3.09

53.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.81 SGD 3.59

88.61%

Eggs

$4.15 $4.15

$3.37 SGD 4.32

23.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.13 $14.13

$19.34 SGD 24.76

-26.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.41 $13.41

$11.36 SGD 14.54

18.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.57 $16.57

$22.95 SGD 29.38

-27.80%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$4.52 SGD 5.79

-0.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 $1.47

$2.94 SGD 3.77

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$4.86 SGD 6.23

22.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.60 $4.60

$2.63 SGD 3.37

74.90%

Potato (1kg)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.47 SGD 3.16

6.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.16 SGD 2.77

39.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.01 SGD 2.57

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.51 SGD 1.94

28.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.96 $9.96

$13.24 SGD 16.95

-24.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.91 $15.91

$25.27 SGD 32.35

-37.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$4.31 SGD 5.52

-44.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.84 $4.84

$5.20 SGD 6.66

-6.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.58 SGD 2.02

22.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 $63.2

$93.7 SGD 120

-32.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.47 $4.47

$3.51 SGD 4.49

27.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 $2.12

$0.77 SGD 0.99

175.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.43 $41.43

$16.11 SGD 20.62

157.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.90 $0.90

$2.20 SGD 2.81

-59.09%

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

$24.8K $24.8K

$142.1K SGD 182.0K

-82.58%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$129.1K SGD 165.3K

-80.13%

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

$218 $218

$160 SGD 205

36.56%

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

$51.6 $51.6

$18.36 SGD 23.50

180.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.5 $74.5

$36.57 SGD 46.82

103.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 $64.6

$117 SGD 150

-44.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.67 $29.67

$12.39 SGD 15.86

139.47%

Cinema Ticket

$14.90 $14.90

$11.65 SGD 14.92

27.90%

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

$1,603 $1,603

$1,184 SGD 1,516

35.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.6K $24.6K

$29.9K SGD 38.2K

-17.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 $67.5

$82.2 SGD 105

-17.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.40 $48.40

$43.04 SGD 55.1

12.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.7 $99.7

$107 SGD 138

-7.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$131 SGD 168

2.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 $1,678

$3,101 SGD 3,970

-45.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,437 $1,437

$2,280 SGD 2,919

-36.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,065 $3,065

$6,201 SGD 7,939

-50.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,486 $2,486

$3,793 SGD 4,856

-34.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,465 $4,465

$23.5K SGD 30.1K

-80.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,484 $2,484

$16.5K SGD 21.1K

-84.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,518 $4,518

$4,285 SGD 5,485

5.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

3.19

105.33%

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

Last update for Madison, WI: May 31, 2026

Last update for Singapore: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,678 in Madison, WI versus $3,101 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 5% higher in Madison, WI, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $74.0 in Madison, WI versus $78.0 in Singapore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $420 vs $457 – making Madison, WI the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Madison, WI vs Singapore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,853 in Madison, WI, $3,651 in Singapore – roughly 28% apart. Singapore costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,280 per month in Madison, WI and $5,477 in Singapore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Madison, WI, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 48% less in Madison, WI. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,603 per month in Madison, WI and $1,184 in Singapore. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,853 in Madison, WI and $3,651 in Singapore. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Madison, WI has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,853 in Madison, WI to $3,651 in Singapore. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Madison, WI. 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.