Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Setagaya-ku and Singapore

For one person, living is cheaper in Setagaya-ku: $1,183 a month against $3,500 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $27,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Setagaya-ku
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,183
/mo nomad
Singapore
🇸🇬 Singapore
$3,500
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Setagaya-ku 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 Setagaya-ku and in Singapore actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,183 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $3,500 in Singapore, rent included.

  • Setagaya-ku $1,183
  • Singapore $3,500

A couple spends around $1,834 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $5,265 in Singapore, rent included.

  • Setagaya-ku $1,834
  • Singapore $5,265

A family of three spends $2,484 per month in Setagaya-ku vs $7,030 in Singapore, rent included.

  • Setagaya-ku $2,484
  • Singapore $7,030

Setagaya-ku is about 66% cheaper than Singapore, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Setagaya-ku sits 12% below the global median, while Singapore is 159% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Setagaya-ku
Singapore
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$6.12 ¥968
$11.76 SGD 15.05
-47.96%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.64 ¥4,050
$70.6 SGD 90.4
-63.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.36 ¥690
$8.55 SGD 10.94
-49.01%
Cappuccino
$2.97 ¥470
$5.20 SGD 6.66
-42.88%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.04 ¥165
$1.77 SGD 2.27
-41.24%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.65 ¥102
$1.23 SGD 1.58
-47.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.19 ¥346
$8.26 SGD 10.58
-73.49%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.22 ¥508
$10.17 SGD 13.01
-68.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Setagaya-ku
Singapore
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.23 ¥194
$3.04 SGD 3.89
-59.54%
White Bread (500g)
$1.72 ¥272
$2.55 SGD 3.26
-32.55%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.64 ¥575
$2.86 SGD 3.66
27.27%
Eggs
$1.17 ¥186
$3.53 SGD 4.51
-66.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$10.40 ¥1,643
$21.12 SGD 27.02
-50.76%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.11 ¥965
$9.90 SGD 12.67
-38.28%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$14.25 ¥2,252
$25.42 SGD 32.53
-43.94%
Apples (1kg)
$5.59 ¥883
$4.57 SGD 5.85
22.32%
Banana (1kg)
$2.74 ¥433
$3.13 SGD 4.00
-12.46%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.95 ¥466
$4.72 SGD 6.04
-37.50%
Tomato (1kg)
$4.14 ¥654
$2.23 SGD 2.85
85.65%
Potato (1kg)
$2.62 ¥415
$2.57 SGD 3.29
1.95%
Onion (1kg)
$2.63 ¥416
$2.29 SGD 2.93
14.85%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.24 ¥196
$1.87 SGD 2.39
-33.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ¥87.7
$1.44 SGD 1.84
-61.11%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.79 ¥599
$13.97 SGD 17.88
-72.87%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.26 ¥989
$23.48 SGD 30.05
-73.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.81 ¥287
$4.54 SGD 5.80
-60.13%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.09 ¥330
$4.44 SGD 5.68
-52.93%
🚌 Getting Around
Setagaya-ku
Singapore
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.46 ¥231
$1.57 SGD 2.01
-7.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$50.7 ¥8,012
$93.8 SGD 120
-45.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.23 ¥510
$3.64 SGD 4.66
-11.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.66 ¥421
$0.76 SGD 0.97
250.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$20.85 ¥3,294
$16.14 SGD 20.66
29.18%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.10 ¥174
$2.45 SGD 3.14
-55.10%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2K ¥3.4M
$155.2K SGD 198.5K
-86.32%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.6K ¥2.9M
$148.5K SGD 190.0K
-87.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Setagaya-ku
Singapore
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$131 ¥20.6K
$172 SGD 220
-23.85%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$23.82 ¥3,764
$12.39 SGD 15.86
92.25%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$31.73 ¥5,013
$26.21 SGD 33.54
21.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Setagaya-ku
Singapore
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.0 ¥8,691
$108 SGD 138
-49.07%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$12.31 SGD 15.75
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.52 ¥1,820
$11.64 SGD 14.90
-1.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Setagaya-ku
Singapore
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$636 ¥100.5K
$1,481 SGD 1,895
-57.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.7K ¥2.3M
$28.3K SGD 36.3K
-48.09%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Setagaya-ku
Singapore
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$62.3 ¥9,846
$80.6 SGD 103
-22.63%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.37 ¥5,747
$50.1 SGD 64.1
-27.42%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$62.1 ¥9,814
$112 SGD 143
-44.43%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$102 ¥16.2K
$129 SGD 165
-20.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Setagaya-ku
Singapore
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$534 ¥84.4K
$3,015 SGD 3,858
-82.27%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$325 ¥51.4K
$2,171 SGD 2,778
-85.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,152 ¥182.0K
$5,842 SGD 7,475
-80.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$674 ¥106.4K
$4,044 SGD 5,174
-83.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$3,724 ¥588.4K
$23.8K SGD 30.4K
-84.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,635 ¥258.4K
$16.8K SGD 21.4K
-90.24%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Setagaya-ku
Singapore
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$4,385 SGD 5,611
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2
2.44
-18.03%

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

Last update for Setagaya-ku: October 12, 2026

Last update for Singapore: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Setagaya-ku
$325
Singapore
$2.2K 568% $1.8K
Groceries & Markets
Setagaya-ku
$281
Singapore
$458 63.1% $177
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Setagaya-ku
$186
Singapore
$210 12.9% $24
Eating Out
Setagaya-ku
$122
Singapore
$256 110% $134
Clothing & Footwear
Setagaya-ku
$118
Singapore
$167 41.2% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Setagaya-ku
$78
Singapore
$131 68.2% $53
Getting Around
Setagaya-ku
$73
Singapore
$107 47% $34

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $534 in Setagaya-ku 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Setagaya-ku versus $71.0 in Singapore. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $281 vs $458 – making Setagaya-ku the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇵 Setagaya-ku
🇸🇬 Singapore
🕒 Local time
09:54 9:54 AM
08:54 8:54 AM
1 h behind Setagaya-ku
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
943,664
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
  • Setagaya-ku Singapore 5,310 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Setagaya-ku
  • 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
Setagaya-ku vs Singapore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Setagaya-ku or Singapore?
Singapore costs about 196% more than Setagaya-ku, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Setagaya-ku and in Singapore?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,775 per month in Setagaya-ku and $5,251 in Singapore. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Setagaya-ku or Singapore?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Setagaya-ku, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Setagaya-ku or in Singapore?
Groceries cost about 63% more in Singapore, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
How do dining costs compare in Setagaya-ku and in Singapore?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Setagaya-ku and $71.0 in Singapore. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Setagaya-ku or in Singapore?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Setagaya-ku, where all-in costs run around $1,183, than in Singapore at $3,500. In Setagaya-ku it covers expenses comfortably, while in Singapore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Setagaya-ku – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Setagaya-ku compared to Singapore?
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.
Should I move to Setagaya-ku or to Singapore?
If budget matters most, go with Setagaya-ku. 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.

Setagaya-ku vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?