Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Dharwad

For one person, living is cheaper in Dharwad: $374 a month against $3,594 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $38,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Singapore, Singapore
Dharwad, India
Singapore
🇸🇬 Singapore
$3,594
/mo nomad
Dharwad
🇮🇳 India
$374
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Dharwad

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,594 in Singapore versus $374 in Dharwad.

  • Singapore $3,594
  • Dharwad $374

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,314 in Singapore versus $592 in Dharwad.

  • Singapore $5,314
  • Dharwad $592

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,033 in Singapore versus $809 in Dharwad.

  • Singapore $7,033
  • Dharwad $809

Living in Singapore is roughly 860% more expensive than in Dharwad, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Singapore is 166% above, Dharwad is 72% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Singapore
Dharwad
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.58 SGD 14.84
$3.31 ₹311
249.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.7 SGD 90.5
$7.24 ₹680
875.83%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.46 SGD 10.84
$3.76 ₹353
125.00%
Cappuccino
$5.18 SGD 6.64
$1.64 ₹154
215.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 SGD 2.36
$0.38 ₹35.63
384.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 SGD 1.58
$0.10 ₹9.60
1130.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.50 SGD 12.17
$1.55 ₹145
512.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.86 SGD 12.63
$2.93 ₹275
236.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Singapore
Dharwad
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.02 SGD 3.87
$0.68 ₹64.0
344.12%
White Bread (500g)
$2.67 SGD 3.42
$0.44 ₹41.41
506.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.77 SGD 3.54
$0.69 ₹64.6
301.45%
Eggs
$3.72 SGD 4.77
$0.84 ₹79.2
342.86%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.01 SGD 26.92
$4.64 ₹436
352.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.95 SGD 12.75
$2.92 ₹274
240.75%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.13 SGD 32.20
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$4.59 SGD 5.88
$1.87 ₹176
145.45%
Banana (1kg)
$3.09 SGD 3.96
$0.63 ₹59.0
390.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.64 SGD 5.95
$0.94 ₹88.4
393.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 SGD 2.79
$0.45 ₹42.30
384.44%
Potato (1kg)
$2.33 SGD 2.99
$0.35 ₹33.32
565.71%
Onion (1kg)
$2.31 SGD 2.96
$0.38 ₹35.23
507.89%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.86 SGD 2.39
$0.47 ₹43.84
295.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 SGD 1.98
$0.31 ₹29.40
400.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.11 SGD 18.08
$4.99 ₹469
182.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.24 SGD 29.78
$7.48 ₹702
210.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.73 SGD 6.06
$1.66 ₹156
184.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.79 SGD 6.14
$2.74 ₹257
74.82%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.06 ₹475
-
🚌 Getting Around
Singapore
Dharwad
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.53 SGD 1.96
$0.21 ₹19.64
628.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.5 SGD 124
$7.05 ₹662
1268.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.58 SGD 4.59
$0.80 ₹75.3
347.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.76 SGD 0.97
$0.27 ₹25.51
181.48%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.98 SGD 21.75
$1.60 ₹150
961.25%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.46 SGD 3.15
$1.13 ₹106
117.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$159.4K SGD 204.2K
$11.4K ₹1.1M
1302.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$155.7K SGD 199.5K
$19.6K ₹1.8M
694.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
Dharwad
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$168 SGD 215
$34.36 ₹3,226
388.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.24 SGD 15.68
$3.17 ₹298
286.12%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.18 SGD 36.11
$5.62 ₹528
401.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
Dharwad
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$111 SGD 142
$13.98 ₹1,313
691.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.60 SGD 14.86
$6.46 ₹607
79.57%
Cinema Ticket
$12.24 SGD 15.68
$2.87 ₹270
326.48%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Singapore
Dharwad
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,899 SGD 2,433
$45.89 ₹4,309
4037.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$39.1K SGD 50.1K
$1,414 ₹132.8K
2666.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
Dharwad
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.6 SGD 102
$21.93 ₹2,059
263.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.7 SGD 65.0
$23.56 ₹2,213
115.15%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 SGD 143
$39.27 ₹3,687
184.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 SGD 160
$28.39 ₹2,666
338.68%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Singapore
Dharwad
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,191 SGD 4,089
$119 ₹11.2K
2575.93%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,257 SGD 2,892
$76.5 ₹7,186
2849.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$6,173 SGD 7,910
$263 ₹24.7K
2243.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$4,035 SGD 5,170
$185 ₹17.3K
2084.01%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$23.6K SGD 30.2K
$932 ₹87.5K
2428.18%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$16.5K SGD 21.2K
$536 ₹50.3K
2980.80%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Singapore
Dharwad
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,526 SGD 5,799
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.44
8.86
-72.46%

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

Last update for Singapore: November 2, 2026

Last update for Dharwad: November 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Singapore
$2.3K
Dharwad
$77 96.6% $2.2K
Groceries & Markets
Singapore
$459
Dharwad
$101 78% $358
Eating Out
Singapore
$260
Dharwad
$73 71.9% $187
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
$208
Dharwad
$43 79.3% $165
Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
$165
Dharwad
$51 69.1% $114
Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
$135
Dharwad
$20 85.4% $115
Getting Around
Singapore
$110
Dharwad
$10 90.9% $100

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,191 in Singapore and $119 in Dharwad. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71 in Singapore vs $7 in Dharwad for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $459 vs $101 per month, with Dharwad cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇬 Singapore
🇮🇳 Dharwad
🕒 Local time
07:49 7:49 AM
05:19 5:19 AM
2 h 30 min behind Singapore
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,535,002 Capital
100,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

INR, USD, EUR to SGD – Singapore Dollar Converter

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.78 USD). 1 EUR = 1.43 SGD (1 SGD = 0.698 EUR).

Indian Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 93.9 INR (100 INR = 1.06 USD). 1 EUR = 105 INR (1,000 INR = 9.53 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Singapore Dharwad 3,530 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Singapore
  • Dharwad

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 Dharwad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Singapore and in Dharwad?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $3,594 in Singapore and $374 in Dharwad, so Dharwad is about 90% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Singapore compared to Dharwad?
You’d need roughly $5,392 in Singapore and $562 in Dharwad to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Singapore and in Dharwad?
Rent for a central apartment: $3,191 in Singapore versus $119 in Dharwad. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Singapore or Dharwad?
All in, you’ll spend $3,594 per month in Singapore versus $374 in Dharwad – Dharwad is about 90% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
How do commuting costs compare in Singapore and in Dharwad?
A monthly transit pass in Dharwad runs roughly 93% less than in Singapore. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $374 in Dharwad versus $3,594 in Singapore, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Dharwad but tight or insufficient in Singapore. The gap between the two cities makes Dharwad the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Where should families live: Singapore or Dharwad?
For families, Dharwad is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Singapore, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Is Singapore or Dharwad safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Singapore and Dharwad are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Where should expats move: Singapore or Dharwad?
Expats usually find Dharwad gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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