Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Howrah

For one person, living is cheaper in Howrah: $385 a month against $3,594 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $38,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Singapore, Singapore
Howrah, India
Singapore
🇸🇬 Singapore
$3,594
/mo nomad
Howrah
🇮🇳 India
$385
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Howrah

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,594 in Singapore versus $385 in Howrah.

  • Singapore $3,594
  • Howrah $385

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,314 in Singapore versus $510 in Howrah.

  • Singapore $5,314
  • Howrah $510

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,033 in Singapore versus $635 in Howrah.

  • Singapore $7,033
  • Howrah $635

Living in Singapore is roughly 833% more expensive than in Howrah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Singapore is 166% above, Howrah is 71% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Singapore
Howrah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.58 SGD 14.84
$2.16 ₹203
436.11%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.7 SGD 90.5
$9.69 ₹910
629.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.46 SGD 10.84
$4.28 ₹402
97.66%
Cappuccino
$5.18 SGD 6.64
$1.38 ₹130
275.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 SGD 2.36
$0.41 ₹38.80
348.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 SGD 1.58
$0.11 ₹9.96
1018.18%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.50 SGD 12.17
$1.56 ₹146
508.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.86 SGD 12.63
$2.99 ₹281
229.77%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Singapore
Howrah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.02 SGD 3.87
$0.64 ₹60.4
371.87%
White Bread (500g)
$2.67 SGD 3.42
$0.47 ₹43.83
468.09%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.77 SGD 3.54
$0.67 ₹62.7
313.43%
Eggs
$3.72 SGD 4.77
$1.10 ₹103
238.18%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.01 SGD 26.92
$6.29 ₹590
234.02%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.95 SGD 12.75
$2.61 ₹245
281.23%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.13 SGD 32.20
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$4.59 SGD 5.88
$2.18 ₹205
110.55%
Banana (1kg)
$3.09 SGD 3.96
$0.83 ₹77.6
272.29%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.64 SGD 5.95
$1.39 ₹130
233.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 SGD 2.79
$0.61 ₹57.5
257.38%
Potato (1kg)
$2.33 SGD 2.99
$0.31 ₹28.99
651.61%
Onion (1kg)
$2.31 SGD 2.96
$0.47 ₹44.03
391.49%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.86 SGD 2.39
$0.30 ₹27.89
520.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 SGD 1.98
$0.26 ₹24.24
496.15%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.11 SGD 18.08
$4.98 ₹468
183.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.24 SGD 29.78
$10.76 ₹1,010
115.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.73 SGD 6.06
$1.37 ₹129
245.26%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.79 SGD 6.14
$2.86 ₹268
67.48%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$8.38 ₹787
-
🚌 Getting Around
Singapore
Howrah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.53 SGD 1.96
$0.17 ₹16.32
800.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.5 SGD 124
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.58 SGD 4.59
$0.60 ₹56.5
496.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.76 SGD 0.97
$0.33 ₹31.32
130.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.98 SGD 21.75
$1.62 ₹153
948.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.46 SGD 3.15
$1.11 ₹104
121.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$159.4K SGD 204.2K
$13.2K ₹1.2M
1108.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$155.7K SGD 199.5K
$19.8K ₹1.9M
685.67%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
Howrah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$168 SGD 215
$44.23 ₹4,153
279.70%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.24 SGD 15.68
$3.56 ₹334
243.82%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.18 SGD 36.11
$6.20 ₹582
354.52%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
Howrah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$111 SGD 142
$14.23 ₹1,336
677.37%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.60 SGD 14.86
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$12.24 SGD 15.68
$3.18 ₹299
284.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Singapore
Howrah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,899 SGD 2,433
$27.26 ₹2,560
6865.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$39.1K SGD 50.1K
$1,264 ₹118.7K
2996.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
Howrah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.6 SGD 102
$24.89 ₹2,337
219.97%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.7 SGD 65.0
$25.89 ₹2,431
95.79%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 SGD 143
$34.23 ₹3,214
226.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 SGD 160
$28.51 ₹2,677
336.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Singapore
Howrah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,191 SGD 4,089
$118 ₹11.1K
2596.05%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,257 SGD 2,892
$79.5 ₹7,463
2739.68%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$6,173 SGD 7,910
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$4,035 SGD 5,170
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$23.6K SGD 30.2K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$16.5K SGD 21.2K
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Singapore
Howrah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,526 SGD 5,799
$365 ₹34.3K
1139.47%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.44
9
-72.89%

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

Last update for Singapore: November 2, 2026

Last update for Howrah: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Singapore
$2.3K
Howrah
$79 96.5% $2.2K
Groceries & Markets
Singapore
$459
Howrah
$115 75% $345
Eating Out
Singapore
$260
Howrah
$63 75.9% $197
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
$208
Howrah
$54 74.1% $154
Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
$165
Howrah
$51 69% $114
Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
$135
Howrah
$21 84.8% $115
Getting Around
Singapore
$110
Howrah
$3 * 97.3% $107

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,191 in Singapore and $118 in Howrah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Singapore pays about 12 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $71 in Singapore vs $10 in Howrah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $459 vs $115 per month, with Howrah cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇬 Singapore
🇮🇳 Howrah
🕒 Local time
06:34 6:34 AM
04:04 4:04 AM
2 h 30 min behind Singapore
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,535,002 Capital
1,072,161
💱 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 Howrah 2,900 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Singapore
  • Howrah

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 Howrah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Singapore or Howrah?
Howrah wins on cost – living expenses run 89% lower than in Singapore. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Howrah the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Singapore or in Howrah?
Average pay in Singapore is about 12 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Singapore compared to Howrah?
Rent for a central apartment: $3,191 in Singapore versus $118 in Howrah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Singapore and in Howrah?
Childcare runs $1,899 in Singapore versus $27 in Howrah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Singapore and in Howrah?
Dining out is cheaper in Howrah – a meal for two runs $10 versus $71 in Singapore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $800/month in Singapore or in Howrah?
At $385 in Howrah versus $3,594 in Singapore, a $800 budget is realistic in Howrah but tight or insufficient in Singapore. The gap between the two cities makes Howrah the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Singapore or Howrah?
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.
How safe is Singapore compared to Howrah?
Safety-wise, Singapore and Howrah are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
Should I move to Singapore or to Howrah?
It comes down to priorities – Howrah wins on affordability, Singapore on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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