Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Dandenong

For one person, living is cheaper in Dandenong: $2,434 a month against $3,500 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $12,800 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
116

Cost of Living Index in Dandenong
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Dandenong Living Index

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Singapore

🇸🇬 Singapore

$3,500

/mo nomad

Dandenong

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,434

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Dandenong

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

A single person spends $3,500 per month in Singapore vs $2,434 in Dandenong, rent included.

Singapore $3,500
Dandenong $2,434

A couple spends around $5,265 per month in Singapore vs $3,384 in Dandenong, rent included.

Singapore $5,265
Dandenong $3,384

A family of three spends $7,030 per month in Singapore vs $4,335 in Dandenong, rent included.

Singapore $7,030
Dandenong $4,335

Singapore costs about 44% more than Dandenong, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Singapore and Dandenong sit above the global median – Singapore by 159%, Dandenong by 80%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.76 SGD 15.05

$17.56 A$25.27

-33.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 SGD 90.4

$53.0 A$76.2

33.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 SGD 10.94

$12.12 A$17.44

-29.46%

Cappuccino

$5.20 SGD 6.66

$4.05 A$5.83

28.40%

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

$1.77 SGD 2.27

$2.29 A$3.29

-22.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 SGD 1.58

$2.32 A$3.33

-46.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.26 SGD 10.58

$5.63 A$8.10

46.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.17 SGD 13.01

$3.45 A$4.96

194.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 SGD 3.89

$1.56 A$2.24

94.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 SGD 3.26

$2.45 A$3.53

4.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 SGD 3.66

$2.42 A$3.48

18.18%

Eggs

$3.53 SGD 4.51

$5.40 A$7.77

-34.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.12 SGD 27.02

$8.19 A$11.79

157.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SGD 12.67

$7.61 A$10.95

30.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.42 SGD 32.53

$11.97 A$17.23

112.36%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 SGD 5.85

$3.55 A$5.11

28.73%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 SGD 4.00

$2.85 A$4.09

9.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.72 SGD 6.04

$2.11 A$3.04

123.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 SGD 2.85

$2.04 A$2.93

9.31%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 SGD 3.29

$2.11 A$3.03

21.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 SGD 2.93

$2.55 A$3.67

-10.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 SGD 2.39

$0.68 A$0.98

175.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 SGD 1.84

$1.62 A$2.32

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.97 SGD 17.88

$44.41 A$63.9

-68.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.48 SGD 30.05

$10.25 A$14.75

129.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.54 SGD 5.80

$5.74 A$8.25

-20.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 SGD 5.68

$3.39 A$4.87

30.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 SGD 2.01

$4.92 A$7.07

-68.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.8 SGD 120

$69.8 A$100

34.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 SGD 4.66

$4.40 A$6.33

-17.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 SGD 0.97

$1.43 A$2.05

-46.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.14 SGD 20.66

$30.22 A$43.49

-46.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.45 SGD 3.14

$1.33 A$1.92

84.21%

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

$155.2K SGD 198.5K

$28.3K A$40.7K

448.76%

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

$148.5K SGD 190.0K

$24.0K A$34.6K

517.93%

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

$172 SGD 220

$226 A$326

-24.23%

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

$12.39 SGD 15.86

$15.83 A$22.77

-21.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.21 SGD 33.54

$41.54 A$59.8

-36.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SGD 138

$61.1 A$88.0

76.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.31 SGD 15.75

$19.38 A$27.89

-36.48%

Cinema Ticket

$11.64 SGD 14.90

$15.11 A$21.74

-22.96%

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

$1,481 SGD 1,895

$2,349 A$3,380

-36.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K SGD 36.3K

$29.5K A$42.5K

-3.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.6 SGD 103

$31.50 A$45.33

155.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 SGD 64.1

$17.58 A$25.30

185.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 SGD 143

$106 A$153

5.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 SGD 165

$112 A$162

14.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,015 SGD 3,858

$1,216 A$1,749

148.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,171 SGD 2,778

$1,246 A$1,793

74.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,842 SGD 7,475

$2,275 A$3,274

156.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,044 SGD 5,174

$1,821 A$2,620

122.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.8K SGD 30.4K

$5,766 A$8,298

312.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.8K SGD 21.4K

$5,632 A$8,105

197.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,385 SGD 5,611

$4,228 A$6,083

3.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.44

5.9

-58.64%

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

Last update for Singapore: October 13, 2026

Last update for Dandenong: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Singapore

$2.2K 62%

Dandenong

$1.2K 51.2% 42.6% $925

Groceries & Markets

Singapore

$458 13.1%

Dandenong

$313 12.9% 31.7% $145

Eating Out

Singapore

$256 7.3%

Dandenong

$279 11.5% 9% $23

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Singapore

$210 6%

Dandenong

$284 11.7% 35% $74

Clothing & Footwear

Singapore

$167 4.8%

Dandenong

$120 4.9% 28% $47

Sport & Entertainment

Singapore

$131 3.8%

Dandenong

$91 3.8% 30.4% $40

Getting Around

Singapore

$107 3.1%

Dandenong

$101 4.2% 6% $6.5

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,015 in Singapore versus $1,216 in Dandenong. 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 4% higher in Singapore, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Singapore versus $53.0 in Dandenong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $458 vs $313 – making Dandenong the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇬 Singapore

🇦🇺 Dandenong

🕒 Local time

02:34 2:34 AM

05:34 5:34 AM

3 h ahead of Singapore

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,535,002 Capital

30,127

💱 Currency

Singapore Dollar SGD $

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 SGD = 0.781 USD

1 SGD = 0.695 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to SGD – Singapore Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇬 Singapore Dollar ($)

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.781 USD). 1 EUR = 1.44 SGD (1 SGD = 0.695 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

USD to SGD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Singapore Dandenong 6,080 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Singapore
Dandenong

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 Dandenong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Singapore is pricier by about 44%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,251 per month in Singapore and $3,651 in Dandenong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 46% more in Singapore, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Singapore and $53.0 in Dandenong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Dandenong, where all-in costs run around $2,434, than in Singapore at $3,500. In Dandenong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Singapore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Dandenong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Dandenong. 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.