Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Austin, TX

For one person, living is cheaper in Austin, TX: $2,704 a month against $3,454 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $9,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

168

Cost of Living Index in Singapore
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Singapore Living Index
129

Cost of Living Index in Austin, TX
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Austin, TX Living Index

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Singapore

🇸🇬 Singapore

$3,454

/mo nomad

Austin, TX

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Austin, TX

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 Austin, TX actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,454 in Singapore versus $2,704 in Austin, TX.

Singapore $3,454
Austin, TX $2,704

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,224 in Singapore versus $4,133 in Austin, TX.

Singapore $5,224
Austin, TX $4,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,994 in Singapore versus $5,562 in Austin, TX.

Singapore $6,994
Austin, TX $5,562

Living in Singapore is roughly 28% more expensive than in Austin, TX, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Singapore 158% above, Austin, TX 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.53 SGD 14.77

$20.22 $20.22

-42.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 SGD 91.2

$85.0 $85.0

-16.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 SGD 11.22

$12.35 $12.35

-29.07%

Cappuccino

$5.25 SGD 6.73

$5.47 $5.47

-4.02%

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

$1.83 SGD 2.34

$3.82 $3.82

-52.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.25 SGD 1.60

$2.50 $2.50

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.42 SGD 10.79

$8.06 $8.06

4.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.02 SGD 12.83

$8.99 $8.99

11.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.94 SGD 3.76

$1.13 $1.13

160.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 SGD 3.16

$3.78 $3.78

-34.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.71 SGD 3.47

$3.25 $3.25

-16.62%

Eggs

$3.73 SGD 4.77

$4.14 $4.14

-9.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.54 SGD 27.58

$13.08 $13.08

64.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.52 SGD 12.20

$14.31 $14.31

-33.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.98 SGD 33.27

$15.96 $15.96

62.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.48 SGD 5.74

$4.38 $4.38

2.28%

Banana (1kg)

$3.11 SGD 3.99

$1.45 $1.45

114.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.62 SGD 5.92

$4.54 $4.54

1.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 SGD 2.86

$4.19 $4.19

-46.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 SGD 3.20

$2.63 $2.63

-4.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 SGD 3.05

$2.36 $2.36

0.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 SGD 2.28

$1.76 $1.76

1.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SGD 1.93

$2.16 $2.16

-30.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.18 SGD 18.16

$9.81 $9.81

44.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.79 SGD 30.47

$14.72 $14.72

61.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.51 SGD 5.78

$2.78 $2.78

62.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.57 SGD 5.86

$3.48 $3.48

31.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 SGD 2.03

$1.49 $1.49

6.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.4 SGD 123

$40.51 $40.51

137.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.63 SGD 4.65

$2.67 $2.67

35.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.80 SGD 1.02

$1.58 $1.58

-49.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.18 SGD 20.72

$35.29 $35.29

-54.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.51 SGD 3.21

$0.99 $0.99

153.54%

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

$155.9K SGD 199.6K

$35.8K $35.8K

335.33%

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

$145.8K SGD 186.7K

$27.2K $27.2K

436.39%

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

$175 SGD 224

$219 $219

-20.18%

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

$12.45 SGD 15.94

$58.0 $58.0

-78.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.64 SGD 34.11

$68.4 $68.4

-61.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$112 SGD 143

$57.9 $57.9

92.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.07 SGD 15.46

$14.82 $14.82

-18.56%

Cinema Ticket

$11.60 SGD 14.85

$14.13 $14.13

-17.91%

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

$1,463 SGD 1,874

$1,509 $1,509

-3.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.4K SGD 36.3K

$21.5K $21.5K

32.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.5 SGD 104

$51.7 $51.7

57.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.6 SGD 64.8

$44.05 $44.05

14.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 SGD 143

$85.1 $85.1

31.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 SGD 166

$105 $105

23.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,916 SGD 3,734

$1,932 $1,932

50.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,128 SGD 2,725

$1,272 $1,272

67.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,654 SGD 7,241

$3,670 $3,670

54.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,968 SGD 5,081

$2,525 $2,525

57.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.6K SGD 30.2K

$7,617 $7,617

209.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.8K SGD 21.5K

$3,199 $3,199

425.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,369 SGD 5,594

$5,105 $5,105

-14.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.44

6.79

-64.06%

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

Last update for Singapore: October 5, 2026

Last update for Austin, TX: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Singapore

$2.1K 61.4%

Austin, TX

$1.3K 48.2% 40.2% $855

Groceries & Markets

Singapore

$457 13.2%

Austin, TX

$403 15.3% 11.9% $55

Eating Out

Singapore

$256 7.4%

Austin, TX

$348 13.2% 35.9% $92

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Singapore

$214 6.2%

Austin, TX

$346 13.1% 61.4% $132

Clothing & Footwear

Singapore

$168 4.9%

Austin, TX

$129 4.9% 23.4% $39

Sport & Entertainment

Singapore

$135 3.9%

Austin, TX

$86 3.3% 36.1% $49

Getting Around

Singapore

$110 3.2%

Austin, TX

$57 2.2% 48.3% $53

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,916 in Singapore and $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Austin, TX pays 17% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Singapore vs $85.0 in Austin, TX. Groceries flip the comparison at $457 vs $403, with Austin, TX cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇸🇬 Singapore

🇺🇸 Austin, TX

🕒 Local time

16:03 4:03 PM

03:03 3:03 AM

13 h behind Singapore

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,535,002 Capital

974,447

💱 Currency

Singapore Dollar SGD $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 SGD = 0.781 USD

1 SGD = 0.696 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 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 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.781 USD). 1 EUR = 1.44 SGD (1 SGD = 0.696 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to SGD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Singapore Austin, TX 15,830 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight

From you

Singapore
Austin, TX

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 Austin, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Austin, TX wins on cost – living expenses run 28% lower than in Singapore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Austin, TX the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 17% lower in Austin, TX. 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: $2,916 in Singapore versus $1,932 in Austin, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,454 per month in Singapore versus $2,704 in Austin, TX – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Austin, TX runs roughly 138% less than in Singapore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Austin, TX 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 Austin, TX 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 Austin, TX gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.