Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Hackensack, NJ Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Hackensack, NJ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,534 in Singapore versus $2,965 in Hackensack, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,201 in Singapore versus $4,732 in Hackensack, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,868 in Singapore versus $6,498 in Hackensack, NJ.

Living in Singapore is roughly 19% more expensive than in Hackensack, NJ, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Singapore 164% above, Hackensack, NJ 122% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.07 SGD 14.29

$19.90 $19.90

-44.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.6 SGD 100

$98.6 $98.6

-21.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.93 SGD 10.23

$14.23 $14.23

-44.27%

Cappuccino

$4.90 SGD 6.33

$5.46 $5.46

-10.26%

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

$1.71 SGD 2.21

$2.36 $2.36

-27.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 SGD 1.54

$1.96 $1.96

-38.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.01 SGD 10.33

$6.93 $6.93

15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.57 SGD 12.36

$8.93 $8.93

7.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.98 SGD 3.85

$1.34 $1.34

122.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 SGD 3.06

$3.71 $3.71

-36.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 SGD 3.62

$5.32 $5.32

-47.37%

Eggs

$3.28 SGD 4.24

$4.76 $4.76

-31.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.09 SGD 24.64

$13.91 $13.91

37.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.36 SGD 14.66

$10.45 $10.45

8.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.45 SGD 28.98

$17.11 $17.11

31.21%

Apples (1kg)

$4.44 SGD 5.74

$4.89 $4.89

-9.20%

Banana (1kg)

$3.03 SGD 3.92

$1.78 $1.78

70.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.00 SGD 6.45

$4.00 $4.00

25.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.70 SGD 3.48

$4.30 $4.30

-37.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 SGD 3.13

$2.83 $2.83

-14.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 SGD 2.79

$2.58 $2.58

-16.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 SGD 2.60

$2.45 $2.45

-17.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.50 SGD 1.94

$2.64 $2.64

-43.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.34 SGD 17.22

$12.04 $12.04

10.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.85 SGD 29.49

$15.11 $15.11

51.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.23 SGD 5.46

$1.77 $1.77

138.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.28 SGD 6.81

$4.37 $4.37

20.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 SGD 1.96

$3.41 $3.41

-55.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.9 SGD 119

$59.2 $59.2

55.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.69 SGD 4.76

$3.03 $3.03

21.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 SGD 0.92

$2.03 $2.03

-64.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.44 SGD 21.22

$24.19 $24.19

-32.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.25 SGD 2.91

$0.87 $0.87

158.62%

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

$139.2K SGD 179.7K

$23.5K $23.5K

493.57%

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

$128.3K SGD 165.6K

$25.1K $25.1K

410.35%

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

$156 SGD 202

$213 $213

-26.58%

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

$18.58 SGD 23.98

$52.9 $52.9

-64.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.67 SGD 47.34

$58.6 $58.6

-37.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$117 SGD 151

$45.11 $45.11

160.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.29 SGD 15.86

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 SGD 15.01

$19.69 $19.69

-40.93%

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

$1,193 SGD 1,541

$1,394 $1,394

-14.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.6K SGD 38.2K

$15.9K $15.9K

86.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.4 SGD 108

$50.5 $50.5

65.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.23 SGD 54.5

$63.0 $63.0

-32.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SGD 138

$85.6 $85.6

24.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 SGD 169

$99.9 $99.9

31.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,100 SGD 4,002

$1,777 $1,777

74.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,268 SGD 2,928

$1,648 $1,648

37.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,263 SGD 8,085

$3,368 $3,368

85.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,803 SGD 4,909

$3,218 $3,218

18.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$22.8K SGD 29.4K

$3,672 $3,672

520.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.3K SGD 21.1K

$3,268 $3,268

399.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,978 SGD 5,135

$6,098 $6,098

-34.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.19

6.62

-51.81%

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

Last update for Singapore: July 21, 2026

Last update for Hackensack, NJ: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,100 in Singapore and $1,777 in Hackensack, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hackensack, NJ pays 53% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $78.0 in Singapore vs $99.0 in Hackensack, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $448 vs $412, with Hackensack, NJ cheaper for home cooking.

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 Hackensack, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hackensack, NJ wins on cost – living expenses run 19% lower than in Singapore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hackensack, NJ the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 53% lower in Hackensack, NJ. 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: $3,100 in Singapore versus $1,777 in Hackensack, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,193 in Singapore versus $1,394 in Hackensack, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Singapore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Hackensack, NJ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Hackensack, NJ delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,965 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Hackensack, NJ hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Singapore and Hackensack, NJ 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 Hackensack, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 19% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.