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: $3,651 in Singapore versus $2,958 in Hackensack, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,223 in Singapore versus $4,654 in Hackensack, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,796 in Singapore versus $6,351 in Hackensack, NJ.

Living in Singapore is roughly 23% more expensive than Hackensack, NJ, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Singapore 172% above, Hackensack, NJ 121% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.73 SGD 13.85

$19.74 $19.74

-45.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 SGD 101

$101 $101

-22.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 SGD 10.18

$14.25 $14.25

-44.70%

Cappuccino

$4.92 SGD 6.35

$5.32 $5.32

-7.52%

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

$1.63 SGD 2.11

$2.37 $2.37

-31.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 SGD 1.59

$1.93 $1.93

-36.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 SGD 10.13

$7.15 $7.15

9.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.61 SGD 12.40

$8.94 $8.94

7.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 SGD 3.97

$1.27 $1.27

141.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 SGD 3.11

$3.81 $3.81

-36.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 SGD 3.62

$5.27 $5.27

-46.68%

Eggs

$3.37 SGD 4.36

$4.79 $4.79

-29.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 SGD 24.97

$14.09 $14.09

37.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.36 SGD 14.66

$10.29 $10.29

10.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.95 SGD 29.63

$17.43 $17.43

31.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 SGD 5.84

$5.02 $5.02

-9.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SGD 3.80

$1.77 $1.77

66.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.86 SGD 6.28

$3.93 $3.93

23.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 SGD 3.40

$4.12 $4.12

-36.17%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 SGD 3.19

$2.76 $2.76

-10.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 SGD 2.79

$2.64 $2.64

-18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 SGD 2.60

$2.47 $2.47

-18.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SGD 1.95

$2.67 $2.67

-43.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.24 SGD 17.09

$11.83 $11.83

11.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.27 SGD 32.62

$15.05 $15.05

67.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.31 SGD 5.57

$1.70 $1.70

153.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 SGD 6.72

$4.29 $4.29

21.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 SGD 2.04

$3.53 $3.53

-55.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.7 SGD 121

$60.7 $60.7

54.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 SGD 4.53

$3.07 $3.07

14.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 SGD 1.00

$2.10 $2.10

-63.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.11 SGD 20.80

$24.46 $24.46

-34.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 SGD 2.84

$0.91 $0.91

141.76%

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

$142.1K SGD 183.5K

$23.4K $23.4K

508.63%

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

$129.1K SGD 166.7K

$25.6K $25.6K

405.23%

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

$160 SGD 206

$212 $212

-24.48%

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

$18.36 SGD 23.70

$53.9 $53.9

-65.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.57 SGD 47.21

$58.2 $58.2

-37.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$117 SGD 151

$45.75 $45.75

155.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.39 SGD 16.00

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 SGD 15.04

$20.34 $20.34

-42.72%

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

$1,184 SGD 1,529

$1,393 $1,393

-14.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.9K SGD 38.6K

$16.1K $16.1K

85.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.2 SGD 106

$49.02 $49.02

67.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.04 SGD 55.6

$63.1 $63.1

-31.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SGD 139

$88.2 $88.2

21.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 SGD 169

$98.6 $98.6

32.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,101 SGD 4,003

$1,772 $1,772

74.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,280 SGD 2,943

$1,634 $1,634

39.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,201 SGD 8,006

$3,390 $3,390

82.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,793 SGD 4,897

$3,271 $3,271

15.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.5K SGD 30.3K

$3,570 $3,570

557.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.5K SGD 21.3K

$3,240 $3,240

409.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,285 SGD 5,532

$6,265 $6,265

-31.61%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Hackensack, NJ: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,101 in Singapore and $1,772 in Hackensack, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hackensack, NJ pays 46% 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 $101 in Hackensack, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $457 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 23% 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, Hackensack, NJ earns 46% less. 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: $3,101 in Singapore versus $1,772 in Hackensack, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,184 in Singapore versus $1,393 in Hackensack, NJ. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% 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 $2,958 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 23% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.