Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Bien Hoa

For one person, living is cheaper in Bien Hoa: $660 a month against $3,500 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $34,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

169

Cost of Living Index in Singapore
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Singapore Living Index
32

Cost of Living Index in Bien Hoa
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Bien Hoa Living Index

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Singapore

🇸🇬 Singapore

$3,500

/mo nomad

Bien Hoa

🇻🇳 Vietnam

$660

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Bien Hoa

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 Bien Hoa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,500 in Singapore versus $660 in Bien Hoa.

Singapore $3,500
Bien Hoa $660

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,265 in Singapore versus $916 in Bien Hoa.

Singapore $5,265
Bien Hoa $916

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,030 in Singapore versus $1,172 in Bien Hoa.

Singapore $7,030
Bien Hoa $1,172

Living in Singapore is roughly 431% more expensive than in Bien Hoa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Singapore is 159% above, Bien Hoa is 51% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.76 SGD 15.05

$1.95 ₫50.4K

503.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 SGD 90.4

$11.65 ₫301.5K

506.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 SGD 10.94

$4.50 ₫116.4K

90.00%

Cappuccino

$5.20 SGD 6.66

$1.13 ₫29.2K

360.18%

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

$1.77 SGD 2.27

$0.42 ₫10.8K

321.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 SGD 1.58

$0.23 ₫5,980

434.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.26 SGD 10.58

$0.52 ₫13.4K

1488.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.17 SGD 13.01

$0.75 ₫19.4K

1256.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 SGD 3.89

$1.28 ₫33.2K

137.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 SGD 3.26

$0.80 ₫20.8K

218.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 SGD 3.66

$0.86 ₫22.2K

232.56%

Eggs

$3.53 SGD 4.51

$1.37 ₫35.5K

157.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.12 SGD 27.02

$12.01 ₫311.0K

75.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SGD 12.67

$1.89 ₫48.8K

423.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.42 SGD 32.53

$9.39 ₫243.0K

170.71%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 SGD 5.85

$2.08 ₫53.8K

119.71%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 SGD 4.00

$1.23 ₫31.9K

154.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.72 SGD 6.04

$1.14 ₫29.4K

314.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 SGD 2.85

$0.92 ₫23.8K

142.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 SGD 3.29

$1.21 ₫31.4K

112.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 SGD 2.93

$1.18 ₫30.5K

94.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 SGD 2.39

$0.44 ₫11.3K

325.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 SGD 1.84

$0.49 ₫12.7K

193.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.97 SGD 17.88

$1.26 ₫32.5K

1008.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.48 SGD 30.05

$7.62 ₫197.3K

208.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.54 SGD 5.80

$0.42 ₫10.9K

980.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 SGD 5.68

$0.74 ₫19.3K

500.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 SGD 2.01

$0.32 ₫8,180

390.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.8 SGD 120

$6.62 ₫171.3K

1316.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 SGD 4.66

$0.46 ₫11.8K

691.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 SGD 0.97

$0.55 ₫14.3K

38.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.14 SGD 20.66

$1.17 ₫30.2K

1279.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.45 SGD 3.14

$0.85 ₫21.9K

188.24%

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

$155.2K SGD 198.5K

$30.5K ₫790.0M

408.42%

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

$148.5K SGD 190.0K

$30.4K ₫787.3M

388.33%

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

$172 SGD 220

$50.6 ₫1.3M

238.90%

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

$12.39 SGD 15.86

$4.21 ₫109.0K

194.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.21 SGD 33.54

$6.78 ₫175.4K

286.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SGD 138

$10.83 ₫280.4K

897.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.31 SGD 15.75

$7.91 ₫204.7K

55.63%

Cinema Ticket

$11.64 SGD 14.90

$3.38 ₫87.4K

244.38%

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

$1,481 SGD 1,895

$67.6 ₫1.8M

2089.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K SGD 36.3K

$14.2K ₫366.8M

100.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.6 SGD 103

$15.41 ₫399.1K

422.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 SGD 64.1

$15.53 ₫402.1K

222.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 SGD 143

$68.3 ₫1.8M

63.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 SGD 165

$95.1 ₫2.5M

35.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,015 SGD 3,858

$404 ₫10.4M

646.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,171 SGD 2,778

$270 ₫7.0M

704.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,842 SGD 7,475

$415 ₫10.7M

1306.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,044 SGD 5,174

$310 ₫8.0M

1202.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.8K SGD 30.4K

$2,888 ₫74.8M

723.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.8K SGD 21.4K

$1,326 ₫34.3M

1163.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,385 SGD 5,611

$302 ₫7.8M

1352.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.44

7.8

-68.72%

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

Last update for Singapore: October 13, 2026

Last update for Bien Hoa: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Singapore

$2.2K 62%

Bien Hoa

$270 40.9% 87.6% $1.9K

Groceries & Markets

Singapore

$458 13.1%

Bien Hoa

$163 24.7% 64.4% $295

Eating Out

Singapore

$256 7.3%

Bien Hoa

$49 7.5% 80.7% $207

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Singapore

$210 6%

Bien Hoa

$62 9.3% 70.7% $149

Clothing & Footwear

Singapore

$167 4.8%

Bien Hoa

$87 13.3% 47.7% $80

Sport & Entertainment

Singapore

$131 3.8%

Bien Hoa

$18 2.7% 86.6% $114

Getting Around

Singapore

$107 3.1%

Bien Hoa

$11 1.7% 89.7% $96

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,015 in Singapore and $404 in Bien Hoa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Singapore pays 1352% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $71.0 in Singapore vs $12.00 in Bien Hoa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $458 vs $163 per month, with Bien Hoa cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇬 Singapore

🇻🇳 Bien Hoa

🕒 Local time

11:41 11:41 AM

10:41 10:41 AM

1 h behind Singapore

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,535,002 Capital

1,272,235

💱 Currency

Singapore Dollar SGD $

Vietnamese Dong VND ₫

📈 Exchange rate

1 SGD = 0.781 USD

1 SGD = 0.695 EUR

100,000 VND = 3.86 USD

100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

VND, USD, EUR to SGD – Singapore Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇬 Singapore Dollar ($)

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.781 USD). 1 EUR = 1.44 SGD (1 SGD = 0.695 EUR).

Vietnamese Dong exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 25,889 VND (100,000 VND = 3.86 USD). 1 EUR = 29,105 VND (100,000 VND = 3.44 EUR).

USD to SGD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Singapore Bien Hoa 1,120 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Singapore
Bien Hoa

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 Bien Hoa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bien Hoa is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 431% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 1352% higher in Singapore, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $3,015 in Singapore versus $404 in Bien Hoa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 181% higher in Singapore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Bien Hoa – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $71.0 in Singapore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $660 in Bien Hoa versus $3,500 in Singapore, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bien Hoa but tight or insufficient in Singapore. The gap between the two cities makes Bien Hoa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 Bien Hoa 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 Bien Hoa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 431% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.