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: $3,553 in Singapore versus $3,419 in Hackensack, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,199 in Singapore versus $5,210 in Hackensack, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,845 in Singapore versus $7,002 in Hackensack, NJ.

Living in Singapore is roughly 4% more expensive than in Hackensack, NJ, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Singapore 160% above, Hackensack, NJ 150% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.64 SGD 14.87

$24.66 $24.66

-52.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.1 SGD 79.4

$101 $101

-38.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 SGD 11.00

$13.16 $13.16

-34.57%

Cappuccino

$5.03 SGD 6.42

$5.34 $5.34

-5.81%

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

$1.77 SGD 2.27

$2.38 $2.38

-25.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 SGD 1.50

$1.60 $1.60

-26.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.18 SGD 10.45

$8.05 $8.05

1.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.03 SGD 12.81

$7.84 $7.84

27.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.16 SGD 4.03

$1.32 $1.32

139.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.53 SGD 3.23

$4.31 $4.31

-41.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.80 SGD 3.58

$5.90 $5.90

-52.54%

Eggs

$3.70 SGD 4.73

$5.87 $5.87

-36.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.13 SGD 27.01

$12.31 $12.31

71.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.81 SGD 12.54

$7.79 $7.79

25.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.21 SGD 32.21

$16.94 $16.94

48.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 SGD 5.75

$5.37 $5.37

-16.20%

Banana (1kg)

$3.00 SGD 3.83

$1.73 $1.73

73.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.72 SGD 6.04

$4.37 $4.37

8.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 SGD 2.93

$5.03 $5.03

-54.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 SGD 3.23

$3.08 $3.08

-18.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 SGD 3.00

$3.09 $3.09

-23.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.83 SGD 2.34

$2.86 $2.86

-36.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.43 SGD 1.83

$2.92 $2.92

-51.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.09 SGD 18.00

$11.25 $11.25

25.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.37 SGD 29.87

$15.14 $15.14

54.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.71 SGD 6.02

$1.70 $1.70

177.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.39 SGD 5.61

$3.47 $3.47

26.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 SGD 1.95

$3.40 $3.40

-55.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 SGD 128

$60.5 $60.5

65.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 SGD 4.61

$2.97 $2.97

21.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 SGD 0.98

$2.01 $2.01

-62.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.02 SGD 21.75

$23.81 $23.81

-28.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.52 SGD 3.21

$1.06 $1.06

137.74%

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

$158.1K SGD 202.0K

$35.6K $35.6K

343.72%

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

$145.5K SGD 186.0K

$24.8K $24.8K

487.69%

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

$164 SGD 209

$211 $211

-22.44%

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

$12.44 SGD 15.89

$56.1 $56.1

-77.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.11 SGD 34.65

$49.64 $49.64

-45.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 SGD 139

$44.22 $44.22

146.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.97 SGD 15.30

Cinema Ticket

$11.84 SGD 15.13

$20.19 $20.19

-41.36%

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

$1,461 SGD 1,866

$1,384 $1,384

5.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.0K SGD 37.0K

$16.0K $16.0K

81.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 SGD 103

$44.08 $44.08

82.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.5 SGD 65.8

$56.7 $56.7

-9.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 SGD 144

$88.0 $88.0

27.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 SGD 164

$101 $101

26.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,006 SGD 3,842

$2,363 $2,363

27.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,134 SGD 2,727

$1,932 $1,932

10.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,997 SGD 7,663

$4,236 $4,236

41.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,934 SGD 5,027

$3,717 $3,717

5.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.2K SGD 29.6K

$3,553 $3,553

552.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.8K SGD 21.5K

$3,364 $3,364

399.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,145 SGD 5,297

$6,205 $6,205

-33.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.43

6.28

-61.31%

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

Last update for Singapore: September 12, 2026

Last update for Hackensack, NJ: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,006 in Singapore and $2,363 in Hackensack, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hackensack, NJ pays 50% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62.0 in Singapore vs $101 in Hackensack, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $458 vs $418, 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 4% 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 50% 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: $3,006 in Singapore versus $2,363 in Hackensack, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,461 in Singapore versus $1,384 in Hackensack, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% 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 $3,419 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 4% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.