Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Imphal

For one person, living is cheaper in Imphal: $351 a month against $3,594 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $38,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Singapore, Singapore
Imphal, India
Singapore
🇸🇬 Singapore
$3,594
/mo nomad
Imphal
🇮🇳 India
$351
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Imphal

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,594 in Singapore versus $351 in Imphal.

  • Singapore $3,594
  • Imphal $351

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,314 in Singapore versus $572 in Imphal.

  • Singapore $5,314
  • Imphal $572

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,033 in Singapore versus $792 in Imphal.

  • Singapore $7,033
  • Imphal $792

Living in Singapore is roughly 923% more expensive than in Imphal, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Singapore is 166% above, Imphal is 74% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Singapore
Imphal
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.58 SGD 14.84
$2.15 ₹201
438.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.7 SGD 90.5
$8.58 ₹805
723.43%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.46 SGD 10.84
$4.48 ₹421
88.84%
Cappuccino
$5.18 SGD 6.64
$0.76 ₹71.1
581.58%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.84 SGD 2.36
$0.42 ₹39.59
338.10%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 SGD 1.58
$0.18 ₹16.68
583.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$9.50 SGD 12.17
$1.03 ₹96.8
822.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.86 SGD 12.63
$2.83 ₹266
248.41%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Singapore
Imphal
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.02 SGD 3.87
$0.73 ₹68.4
313.70%
White Bread (500g)
$2.67 SGD 3.42
$0.80 ₹75.2
233.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.77 SGD 3.54
$0.40 ₹37.54
592.50%
Eggs
$3.72 SGD 4.77
$1.29 ₹121
188.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.01 SGD 26.92
$4.64 ₹436
352.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.95 SGD 12.75
$2.88 ₹271
245.49%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.13 SGD 32.20
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$4.59 SGD 5.88
$1.88 ₹176
144.15%
Banana (1kg)
$3.09 SGD 3.96
$0.69 ₹64.6
347.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.64 SGD 5.95
$0.94 ₹88.3
393.62%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.18 SGD 2.79
$0.45 ₹42.35
384.44%
Potato (1kg)
$2.33 SGD 2.99
$0.38 ₹35.92
513.16%
Onion (1kg)
$2.31 SGD 2.96
$0.41 ₹38.87
463.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.86 SGD 2.39
$0.52 ₹48.51
257.69%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.55 SGD 1.98
$0.25 ₹23.64
520.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.11 SGD 18.08
$4.92 ₹462
186.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.24 SGD 29.78
$11.32 ₹1,063
105.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.73 SGD 6.06
$1.50 ₹141
215.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.79 SGD 6.14
$1.45 ₹137
230.34%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
-
$5.40 ₹507
-
🚌 Getting Around
Singapore
Imphal
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.53 SGD 1.96
$0.31 ₹28.97
393.55%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.5 SGD 124
$7.60 ₹714
1169.21%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.58 SGD 4.59
$1.08 ₹101
231.48%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.76 SGD 0.97
$0.33 ₹31.34
130.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.98 SGD 21.75
$1.42 ₹134
1095.77%
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
$12.3K ₹1.2M
1199.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$155.7K SGD 199.5K
$17.2K ₹1.6M
806.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
Imphal
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$168 SGD 215
$67.6 ₹6,350
148.32%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.24 SGD 15.68
$3.20 ₹300
282.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.18 SGD 36.11
$4.88 ₹458
477.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
Imphal
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$111 SGD 142
$5.35 ₹502
1967.66%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$11.60 SGD 14.86
$1.62 ₹152
616.05%
Cinema Ticket
$12.24 SGD 15.68
$2.65 ₹249
361.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Singapore
Imphal
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,899 SGD 2,433
$14.65 ₹1,375
12860.55%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$39.1K SGD 50.1K
$1,556 ₹146.1K
2413.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
Imphal
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.6 SGD 102
$20.87 ₹1,960
281.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.7 SGD 65.0
$20.74 ₹1,947
144.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 SGD 143
$31.35 ₹2,944
255.98%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$125 SGD 160
$32.24 ₹3,027
286.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Singapore
Imphal
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,191 SGD 4,089
$88.9 ₹8,349
3489.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,257 SGD 2,892
$42.95 ₹4,033
5154.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$6,173 SGD 7,910
$251 ₹23.6K
2358.29%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$4,035 SGD 5,170
$181 ₹17.0K
2124.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$23.6K SGD 30.2K
$423 ₹39.7K
5477.74%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$16.5K SGD 21.2K
$258 ₹24.2K
6308.36%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Singapore
Imphal
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,526 SGD 5,799
$184 ₹17.3K
2361.14%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.44
14.35
-83.00%

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

Last update for Singapore: November 2, 2026

Last update for Imphal: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Singapore
$2.3K
Imphal
$43 98.1% $2.2K
Groceries & Markets
Singapore
$459
Imphal
$110 76% $349
Eating Out
Singapore
$260
Imphal
$53 79.6% $207
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
$208
Imphal
$76 63.7% $133
Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
$165
Imphal
$47 71.3% $118
Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
$135
Imphal
$11 92.1% $124
Getting Around
Singapore
$110
Imphal
$12 89.5% $98

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,191 in Singapore and $89 in Imphal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Singapore pays about 25 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $71 in Singapore vs $9 in Imphal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $459 vs $110 per month, with Imphal cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇬 Singapore
🇮🇳 Imphal
🕒 Local time
04:17 4:17 AM
01:47 1:47 AM
2 h 30 min behind Singapore
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,535,002 Capital
500,000
💱 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 Imphal 2,820 km ≈ 4 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Singapore
  • Imphal

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 Imphal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Singapore and in Imphal?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $3,594 in Singapore and $351 in Imphal, so Imphal is about 90% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city pays better: Singapore or Imphal?
Average pay in Singapore is about 25 times higher, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do apartment prices compare in Singapore and in Imphal?
Rent for a central apartment: $3,191 in Singapore versus $89 in Imphal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 317% higher in Singapore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Imphal – a meal for two runs $9 versus $71 in Singapore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $351 in Imphal versus $3,594 in Singapore, a $1,200 budget is realistic in Imphal but tight or insufficient in Singapore. The gap between the two cities makes Imphal the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Where should families live: Singapore or Imphal?
For families, Imphal is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Singapore, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Where should expats move: Singapore or Imphal?
Expats usually find Imphal gentler on the wallet – expenses run 90% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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