Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Incheon

For one person, living is cheaper in Incheon: $1,373 a month against $3,500 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $25,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Singapore
🇸🇬 Singapore
$3,500
/mo nomad
Incheon
🇰🇷 South Korea
$1,373
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Incheon

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

A single person spends $3,500 per month in Singapore vs $1,373 in Incheon, rent included.

  • Singapore $3,500
  • Incheon $1,373

A couple spends around $5,265 per month in Singapore vs $2,106 in Incheon, rent included.

  • Singapore $5,265
  • Incheon $2,106

A family of three spends $7,030 per month in Singapore vs $2,839 in Incheon, rent included.

  • Singapore $7,030
  • Incheon $2,839

Singapore costs about 155% more than Incheon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Singapore and Incheon sit above the global median – Singapore by 159%, Incheon by 2%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Singapore
Incheon
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.76 SGD 15.05
$5.92 ₩7,874
98.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.6 SGD 90.4
$34.73 ₩46.2K
103.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 SGD 10.94
$6.55 ₩8,703
30.53%
Cappuccino
$5.20 SGD 6.66
$3.75 ₩4,988
38.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 SGD 2.27
$1.61 ₩2,147
9.94%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 SGD 1.58
$0.64 ₩851
92.19%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.26 SGD 10.58
$3.42 ₩4,544
141.52%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.17 SGD 13.01
$4.63 ₩6,162
119.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Singapore
Incheon
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.04 SGD 3.89
$2.04 ₩2,715
49.02%
White Bread (500g)
$2.55 SGD 3.26
$3.13 ₩4,160
-18.53%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.86 SGD 3.66
$2.34 ₩3,109
22.22%
Eggs
$3.53 SGD 4.51
$3.33 ₩4,427
6.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.12 SGD 27.02
$15.51 ₩20.6K
36.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.90 SGD 12.67
$7.88 ₩10.5K
25.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.42 SGD 32.53
$11.06 ₩14.7K
129.84%
Apples (1kg)
$4.57 SGD 5.85
$7.84 ₩10.4K
-41.71%
Banana (1kg)
$3.13 SGD 4.00
$3.16 ₩4,206
-0.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.72 SGD 6.04
$5.66 ₩7,529
-16.61%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.23 SGD 2.85
$6.38 ₩8,481
-65.05%
Potato (1kg)
$2.57 SGD 3.29
$3.45 ₩4,585
-25.51%
Onion (1kg)
$2.29 SGD 2.93
$2.42 ₩3,213
-5.37%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.87 SGD 2.39
$2.08 ₩2,768
-10.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.44 SGD 1.84
$1.15 ₩1,528
25.22%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.97 SGD 17.88
$3.47 ₩4,609
302.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.48 SGD 30.05
$18.82 ₩25.0K
24.76%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.54 SGD 5.80
$2.20 ₩2,931
106.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 SGD 5.68
$3.24 ₩4,306
37.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Singapore
Incheon
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.57 SGD 2.01
$1.06 ₩1,412
48.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$93.8 SGD 120
$24.53 ₩32.6K
282.23%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.64 SGD 4.66
$3.57 ₩4,752
1.96%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.76 SGD 0.97
$0.64 ₩852
18.75%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.14 SGD 20.66
$9.24 ₩12.3K
74.68%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.45 SGD 3.14
$1.40 ₩1,860
75.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$155.2K SGD 198.5K
$29.0K ₩38.6M
434.86%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$148.5K SGD 190.0K
$28.6K ₩38.0M
420.08%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
Incheon
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 SGD 220
$209 ₩277.2K
-17.72%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.39 SGD 15.86
$35.24 ₩46.9K
-64.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.21 SGD 33.54
$20.80 ₩27.7K
26.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
Incheon
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$108 SGD 138
$33.40 ₩44.4K
223.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.31 SGD 15.75
$38.21 ₩50.8K
-67.78%
Cinema Ticket
$11.64 SGD 14.90
$11.26 ₩15.0K
3.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Singapore
Incheon
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,481 SGD 1,895
$295 ₩392.8K
401.21%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$28.3K SGD 36.3K
$18.2K ₩24.1M
56.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
Incheon
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.6 SGD 103
$57.1 ₩76.0K
40.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.1 SGD 64.1
$32.82 ₩43.6K
52.68%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 SGD 143
$69.5 ₩92.4K
60.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129 SGD 165
$84.3 ₩112.1K
52.93%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Singapore
Incheon
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,015 SGD 3,858
$611 ₩812.1K
393.59%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,171 SGD 2,778
$361 ₩480.1K
501.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,842 SGD 7,475
$1,275 ₩1.7M
358.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$4,044 SGD 5,174
$693 ₩921.3K
483.53%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$23.8K SGD 30.4K
$6,723 ₩8.9M
253.87%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$16.8K SGD 21.4K
$5,498 ₩7.3M
204.66%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Singapore
Incheon
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,385 SGD 5,611
$2,411 ₩3.2M
81.83%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.44
4.08
-40.20%

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

Last update for Singapore: October 13, 2026

Last update for Incheon: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Singapore
$2.2K
Incheon
$361 83.4% $1.8K
Groceries & Markets
Singapore
$458
Incheon
$399 12.9% $59
Eating Out
Singapore
$256
Incheon
$147 42.4% $108
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
$210
Incheon
$265 25.9% $54
Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
$167
Incheon
$110 34.4% $57
Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
$131
Incheon
$56 57.4% $75
Getting Around
Singapore
$107
Incheon
$36 66.9% $72

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,015 in Singapore versus $611 in Incheon. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 82% higher in Singapore, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Singapore versus $35.00 in Incheon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $458 vs $399 – making Incheon the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇬 Singapore
🇰🇷 Incheon
🕒 Local time
07:10 7:10 AM
08:10 8:10 AM
1 h ahead of Singapore
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,535,002 Capital
2,870,545
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to SGD – Singapore Dollar Converter

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.781 USD). 1 EUR = 1.44 SGD (1 SGD = 0.695 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Singapore Incheon 4,650 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Singapore
  • Incheon

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 Incheon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Incheon cheaper than Singapore?
Yes – Singapore is pricier by about 155%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,251 per month in Singapore and $2,059 in Incheon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Incheon, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Singapore or in Incheon?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $71.0 in Singapore and $35.00 in Incheon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Singapore and in Incheon?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,500 in Singapore and $1,373 in Incheon. That's a gap of about 155%.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Singapore or in Incheon?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Incheon, where all-in costs run around $1,373, than in Singapore at $3,500. In Incheon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Singapore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Singapore or Incheon more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Incheon – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Singapore or Incheon?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Incheon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Singapore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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