Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Jakarta

For one person, living is cheaper in Jakarta: $793 a month against $3,454 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $31,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Singapore
🇸🇬 Singapore
$3,454
/mo nomad
Jakarta
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$793
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Jakarta

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

A single person spends $3,454 per month in Singapore vs $793 in Jakarta, rent included.

  • Singapore $3,454
  • Jakarta $793

A couple spends around $5,224 per month in Singapore vs $1,283 in Jakarta, rent included.

  • Singapore $5,224
  • Jakarta $1,283

A family of three spends $6,994 per month in Singapore vs $1,772 in Jakarta, rent included.

  • Singapore $6,994
  • Jakarta $1,772

Singapore costs about 335% more than Jakarta, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Singapore sits 158% above the global median, while Jakarta is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Singapore
Jakarta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.53 SGD 14.77
$2.63 Rp 47.1K
338.40%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$71.2 SGD 91.2
$16.93 Rp 302.9K
320.50%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 SGD 11.22
$3.33 Rp 59.5K
163.06%
Cappuccino
$5.25 SGD 6.73
$2.00 Rp 35.8K
162.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.83 SGD 2.34
$0.43 Rp 7,775
325.58%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.25 SGD 1.60
$0.25 Rp 4,472
400.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.42 SGD 10.79
$2.57 Rp 45.9K
227.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.02 SGD 12.83
$3.85 Rp 68.9K
160.26%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Singapore
Jakarta
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.94 SGD 3.76
$1.42 Rp 25.5K
107.04%
White Bread (500g)
$2.47 SGD 3.16
$1.09 Rp 19.4K
126.61%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.71 SGD 3.47
$0.91 Rp 16.2K
197.80%
Eggs
$3.73 SGD 4.77
$1.77 Rp 31.7K
110.73%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.54 SGD 27.58
$9.22 Rp 164.9K
133.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.52 SGD 12.20
$3.11 Rp 55.6K
206.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.98 SGD 33.27
$7.78 Rp 139.1K
233.93%
Apples (1kg)
$4.48 SGD 5.74
$2.87 Rp 51.4K
56.10%
Banana (1kg)
$3.11 SGD 3.99
$1.32 Rp 23.5K
135.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.62 SGD 5.92
$2.50 Rp 44.6K
84.80%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.23 SGD 2.86
$1.39 Rp 24.9K
60.43%
Potato (1kg)
$2.50 SGD 3.20
$1.38 Rp 24.8K
81.16%
Onion (1kg)
$2.38 SGD 3.05
$2.10 Rp 37.6K
13.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.78 SGD 2.28
$0.94 Rp 16.8K
89.36%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 SGD 1.93
$0.51 Rp 9,105
196.08%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$14.18 SGD 18.16
$2.80 Rp 50.1K
406.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.79 SGD 30.47
$20.83 Rp 372.7K
14.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.51 SGD 5.78
$2.05 Rp 36.7K
120.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.57 SGD 5.86
$3.04 Rp 54.4K
50.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Singapore
Jakarta
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.58 SGD 2.03
$0.27 Rp 4,809
485.19%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.4 SGD 123
$11.86 Rp 212.1K
712.39%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.63 SGD 4.65
$0.50 Rp 8,982
626.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.80 SGD 1.02
$0.33 Rp 5,888
142.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.18 SGD 20.72
$3.42 Rp 61.2K
373.10%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.51 SGD 3.21
$0.87 Rp 15.6K
188.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$155.9K SGD 199.6K
$27.8K Rp 496.8M
461.25%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$145.8K SGD 186.7K
$32.6K Rp 583.5M
346.96%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
Jakarta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$175 SGD 224
$106 Rp 1.9M
65.33%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.45 SGD 15.94
$6.04 Rp 108.0K
106.13%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.64 SGD 34.11
$19.04 Rp 340.7K
39.92%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
Jakarta
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$112 SGD 143
$25.65 Rp 458.8K
334.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.07 SGD 15.46
$13.65 Rp 244.3K
-11.58%
Cinema Ticket
$11.60 SGD 14.85
$3.29 Rp 58.8K
252.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Singapore
Jakarta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,463 SGD 1,874
$153 Rp 2.7M
854.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$28.4K SGD 36.3K
$8,270 Rp 147.9M
242.91%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
Jakarta
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$81.5 SGD 104
$58.7 Rp 1.0M
38.87%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.6 SGD 64.8
$28.37 Rp 507.5K
78.29%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 SGD 143
$70.9 Rp 1.3M
57.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130 SGD 166
$106 Rp 1.9M
22.71%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Singapore
Jakarta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,916 SGD 3,734
$370 Rp 6.6M
688.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,128 SGD 2,725
$200 Rp 3.6M
962.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,654 SGD 7,241
$1,155 Rp 20.7M
389.50%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,968 SGD 5,081
$556 Rp 10.0M
613.29%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$23.6K SGD 30.2K
$3,023 Rp 54.1M
680.75%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$16.8K SGD 21.5K
$1,445 Rp 25.9M
1064.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Singapore
Jakarta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,369 SGD 5,594
$449 Rp 8.0M
872.07%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.44
9.46
-74.21%

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

Last update for Singapore: October 5, 2026

Last update for Jakarta: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Singapore
$2.1K
Jakarta
$200 90.6% $1.9K
Groceries & Markets
Singapore
$457
Jakarta
$218 52.4% $240
Eating Out
Singapore
$256
Jakarta
$78 69.4% $178
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
$214
Jakarta
$131 38.8% $83
Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
$168
Jakarta
$119 29.4% $49
Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
$135
Jakarta
$32 76.1% $103
Getting Around
Singapore
$110
Jakarta
$15 86.3% $95

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,916 in Singapore versus $370 in Jakarta. 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 872% 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 $17.00 in Jakarta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $457 vs $218 – making Jakarta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇸🇬 Singapore
🇮🇩 Jakarta
🕒 Local time
14:02 2:02 PM
13:02 1:02 PM
1 h behind Singapore
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,535,002 Capital
11,337,563 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to SGD – Singapore Dollar Converter

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.781 USD). 1 EUR = 1.44 SGD (1 SGD = 0.696 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,890 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,065 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Singapore Jakarta 890 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Singapore
  • Jakarta

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 Jakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Singapore or Jakarta?
Singapore costs about 335% more than Jakarta, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Singapore and in Jakarta?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,180 per month in Singapore and $1,190 in Jakarta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Singapore or Jakarta?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Jakarta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Singapore and in Jakarta?
Kindergarten costs $1,463 per month in Singapore and $153 in Jakarta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Singapore or in Jakarta?
Groceries cost about 110% more in Singapore, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Singapore or in Jakarta?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jakarta, where all-in costs run around $793, than in Singapore at $3,454. In Jakarta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Singapore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Singapore or Jakarta?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Jakarta costs $793 versus $3,454 in Singapore. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Singapore compared to Jakarta?
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.
Should I move to Singapore or to Jakarta?
If budget matters most, go with Jakarta. 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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