Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Amherst, MA

For one person, living is cheaper in Amherst, MA: $2,767 a month against $3,544 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $9,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Singapore outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

170

Cost of Living Index in Singapore
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Singapore Living Index
132

Cost of Living Index in Amherst, MA
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Amherst, MA Living Index

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Singapore

🇸🇬 Singapore

$3,544

/mo nomad

Amherst, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,767

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Amherst, MA

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,544 in Singapore versus $2,767 in Amherst, MA.

Singapore $3,544
Amherst, MA $2,767

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,318 in Singapore versus $4,275 in Amherst, MA.

Singapore $5,318
Amherst, MA $4,275

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,093 in Singapore versus $5,783 in Amherst, MA.

Singapore $7,093
Amherst, MA $5,783

Living in Singapore is roughly 28% more expensive than in Amherst, MA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Singapore 160% above, Amherst, MA 103% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 SGD 14.90

$20.05 $20.05

-42.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 SGD 95.4

$70.8 $70.8

5.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.35 SGD 10.70

$8.90 $8.90

-6.18%

Cappuccino

$5.24 SGD 6.71

$4.79 $4.79

9.39%

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

$1.83 SGD 2.34

$2.69 $2.69

-31.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 SGD 1.64

$2.06 $2.06

-37.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.33 SGD 10.68

$5.97 $5.97

39.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.99 SGD 12.80

$10.41 $10.41

-4.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.99 SGD 3.83

$1.06 $1.06

182.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 SGD 3.31

$3.21 $3.21

-19.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 SGD 3.55

$7.00 $7.00

-60.43%

Eggs

$3.76 SGD 4.82

$4.69 $4.69

-19.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.85 SGD 26.73

$16.50 $16.50

26.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.01 SGD 12.83

$15.78 $15.78

-36.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.28 SGD 32.41

$18.29 $18.29

38.22%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 SGD 5.79

$4.70 $4.70

-3.83%

Banana (1kg)

$3.19 SGD 4.09

$1.45 $1.45

120.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.57 SGD 5.86

$3.25 $3.25

40.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 SGD 2.78

$4.60 $4.60

-52.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 SGD 3.18

$3.27 $3.27

-24.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 SGD 2.99

$3.71 $3.71

-37.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 SGD 2.44

$2.30 $2.30

-16.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 SGD 1.85

$2.02 $2.02

-28.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.85 SGD 17.76

$10.69 $10.69

29.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.38 SGD 29.97

$12.14 $12.14

92.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.69 SGD 6.02

$1.98 $1.98

136.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 SGD 6.16

$3.92 $3.92

22.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 SGD 1.95

$1.29 $1.29

17.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.6 SGD 124

$28.34 $28.34

241.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 SGD 4.76

$3.56 $3.56

4.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 SGD 1.03

$1.42 $1.42

-42.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.41 SGD 21.04

$29.78 $29.78

-44.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.53 SGD 3.25

$0.99 $0.99

155.56%

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

$156.9K SGD 201.2K

$27.5K $27.5K

469.96%

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

$154.6K SGD 198.2K

$26.4K $26.4K

486.21%

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

$170 SGD 218

$213 $213

-20.25%

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

$12.39 SGD 15.89

$56.5 $56.5

-78.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.02 SGD 35.92

$87.9 $87.9

-68.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$111 SGD 143

$121 $121

-8.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.09 SGD 15.50

$6.90 $6.90

75.22%

Cinema Ticket

$12.21 SGD 15.65

$10.65 $10.65

14.65%

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

$1,878 SGD 2,408

$1,466 $1,466

28.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K SGD 37.3K

$17.2K $17.2K

69.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.8 SGD 98.5

$45.22 $45.22

69.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.5 SGD 66.1

$40.24 $40.24

28.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SGD 138

$91.6 $91.6

17.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 SGD 158

$110 $110

12.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 SGD 3,972

$1,821 $1,821

70.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,213 SGD 2,837

$1,346 $1,346

64.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,983 SGD 7,671

$3,829 $3,829

56.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,088 SGD 5,241

$2,708 $2,708

50.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.1K SGD 29.6K

$3,969 $3,969

482.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.7K SGD 21.4K

$4,035 $4,035

313.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,464 SGD 5,724

$4,660 $4,660

-4.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.44

6.1

-60.00%

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

Last update for Singapore: October 25, 2026

Last update for Amherst, MA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Singapore

$2.2K 62.5%

Amherst, MA

$1.3K 48.7% 39.2% $867

Groceries & Markets

Singapore

$458 12.9%

Amherst, MA

$434 15.7% 5.3% $24

Eating Out

Singapore

$255 7.2%

Amherst, MA

$314 11.4% 23.3% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Singapore

$210 5.9%

Amherst, MA

$357 12.9% 70% $147

Clothing & Footwear

Singapore

$161 4.6%

Amherst, MA

$129 4.7% 20.1% $32

Sport & Entertainment

Singapore

$136 3.8%

Amherst, MA

$143 5.2% 5% $6.8

Getting Around

Singapore

$110 3.1%

Amherst, MA

$44 1.6% 60% $66

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,098 in Singapore and $1,821 in Amherst, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Amherst, MA pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $74 in Singapore vs $71 in Amherst, MA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $458 vs $434 per month, with Amherst, MA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇬 Singapore

🇺🇸 Amherst, MA

🕒 Local time

02:08 2:08 AM

14:08 2:08 PM

12 h behind Singapore

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,535,002 Capital

37,819

💱 Currency

Singapore Dollar SGD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 SGD = 0.78 USD

1 SGD = 0.701 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to SGD – Singapore Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇬 Singapore Dollar ($)

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.78 USD). 1 EUR = 1.43 SGD (1 SGD = 0.701 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to SGD in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Singapore Amherst, MA 15,150 km ≈ 19 h nonstop flight

From you

Singapore
Amherst, MA

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

Singapore vs Amherst, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Amherst, MA is cheaper overall, especially in transport, clothing, and groceries. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Singapore. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $3,098 in Singapore versus $1,821 in Amherst, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,878 in Singapore versus $1,466 in Amherst, MA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 6% higher in Singapore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Amherst, MA is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Singapore and Amherst, MA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Amherst, MA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.