Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Gwangju

For one person, living is cheaper in Gwangju: $1,329 a month against $3,500 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $26,100 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
64

Cost of Living Index in Gwangju
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Gwangju Living Index

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Singapore

🇸🇬 Singapore

$3,500

/mo nomad

Gwangju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,329

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Gwangju

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,500 in Singapore versus $1,329 in Gwangju.

Singapore $3,500
Gwangju $1,329

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,265 in Singapore versus $2,038 in Gwangju.

Singapore $5,265
Gwangju $2,038

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,030 in Singapore versus $2,747 in Gwangju.

Singapore $7,030
Gwangju $2,747

Living in Singapore is roughly 163% more expensive than in Gwangju, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Singapore is 159% above, Gwangju is 2% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.76 SGD 15.05

$5.98 ₩7,948

96.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 SGD 90.4

$34.07 ₩45.3K

107.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 SGD 10.94

$6.12 ₩8,131

39.71%

Cappuccino

$5.20 SGD 6.66

$3.25 ₩4,317

60.00%

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

$1.77 SGD 2.27

$1.60 ₩2,127

10.62%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 SGD 1.58

$0.63 ₩837

95.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.26 SGD 10.58

$2.48 ₩3,297

233.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.17 SGD 13.01

$4.52 ₩6,008

125.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 SGD 3.89

$1.71 ₩2,269

77.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 SGD 3.26

$2.37 ₩3,153

7.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 SGD 3.66

$2.26 ₩3,009

26.55%

Eggs

$3.53 SGD 4.51

$2.74 ₩3,639

28.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.12 SGD 27.02

$8.85 ₩11.8K

138.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SGD 12.67

$7.97 ₩10.6K

24.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.42 SGD 32.53

$11.26 ₩15.0K

125.75%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 SGD 5.85

$5.15 ₩6,854

-11.26%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 SGD 4.00

$3.04 ₩4,037

2.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.72 SGD 6.04

$3.76 ₩5,002

25.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 SGD 2.85

$3.04 ₩4,037

-26.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 SGD 3.29

$3.57 ₩4,747

-28.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 SGD 2.93

$1.89 ₩2,515

21.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 SGD 2.39

$2.00 ₩2,663

-6.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 SGD 1.84

$1.35 ₩1,791

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.97 SGD 17.88

$3.45 ₩4,584

304.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.48 SGD 30.05

$11.10 ₩14.8K

111.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.54 SGD 5.80

$1.46 ₩1,935

210.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 SGD 5.68

$2.27 ₩3,024

95.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 SGD 2.01

$1.06 ₩1,410

48.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.8 SGD 120

$68.2 ₩90.6K

37.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 SGD 4.66

$3.18 ₩4,223

14.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 SGD 0.97

$0.62 ₩821

22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.14 SGD 20.66

$7.79 ₩10.4K

107.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.45 SGD 3.14

$1.22 ₩1,616

100.82%

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

$155.2K SGD 198.5K

$28.0K ₩37.3M

453.47%

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

$148.5K SGD 190.0K

$35.3K ₩46.9M

320.75%

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

$172 SGD 220

$210 ₩279.5K

-18.40%

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

$12.39 SGD 15.86

$43.76 ₩58.2K

-71.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.21 SGD 33.54

$21.18 ₩28.2K

23.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SGD 138

$51.7 ₩68.7K

109.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.31 SGD 15.75

$11.71 ₩15.6K

5.12%

Cinema Ticket

$11.64 SGD 14.90

$11.25 ₩15.0K

3.47%

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

$1,481 SGD 1,895

$300 ₩399.0K

393.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K SGD 36.3K

$17.9K ₩23.8M

58.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.6 SGD 103

$31.74 ₩42.2K

153.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 SGD 64.1

$26.01 ₩34.6K

92.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 SGD 143

$63.6 ₩84.5K

75.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 SGD 165

$88.6 ₩117.8K

45.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,015 SGD 3,858

$495 ₩657.9K

509.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,171 SGD 2,778

$363 ₩482.7K

497.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,842 SGD 7,475

$1,164 ₩1.5M

401.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,044 SGD 5,174

$747 ₩992.8K

441.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.8K SGD 30.4K

$7,812 ₩10.4M

204.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.8K SGD 21.4K

$6,383 ₩8.5M

162.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,385 SGD 5,611

$2,883 ₩3.8M

52.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.44

3.6

-32.22%

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

Last update for Singapore: October 13, 2026

Last update for Gwangju: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Singapore

$2.2K 62%

Gwangju

$363 27.3% 83.3% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

Singapore

$458 13.1%

Gwangju

$308 23.2% 32.7% $150

Eating Out

Singapore

$256 7.3%

Gwangju

$135 10.2% 47% $120

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Singapore

$210 6%

Gwangju

$275 20.7% 30.9% $65

Clothing & Footwear

Singapore

$167 4.8%

Gwangju

$94 7.1% 43.5% $73

Sport & Entertainment

Singapore

$131 3.8%

Gwangju

$74 5.6% 43.5% $57

Getting Around

Singapore

$107 3.1%

Gwangju

$79 5.9% 26.8% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,015 in Singapore and $495 in Gwangju. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Singapore pays 52% 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 $34.00 in Gwangju for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $458 vs $308 per month, with Gwangju cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇬 Singapore

🇰🇷 Gwangju

🕒 Local time

08:26 8:26 AM

09:26 9:26 AM

1 h ahead of Singapore

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,535,002 Capital

1,467,996

💱 Currency

Singapore Dollar SGD $

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

1 SGD = 0.781 USD

1 SGD = 0.695 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, 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).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

USD to SGD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Singapore Gwangju 4,450 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Singapore
Gwangju

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 Gwangju: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Gwangju is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 163% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 52% 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 $495 in Gwangju. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Gwangju – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $71.0 in Singapore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,500 per month in Singapore versus $1,329 in Gwangju – a 163% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,329 in Gwangju versus $3,500 in Singapore, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Gwangju but tight or insufficient in Singapore. The gap between the two cities makes Gwangju 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 Gwangju 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 Gwangju gentler on the wallet – expenses run 163% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.