Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Malang

For one person, living is cheaper in Malang: $474 a month against $3,500 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $36,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

169

Cost of Living Index in Singapore
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Singapore Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Malang
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Malang Living Index

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Singapore

🇸🇬 Singapore

$3,500

/mo nomad

Malang

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$474

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Malang

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

A single person spends $3,500 per month in Singapore vs $474 in Malang, rent included.

Singapore $3,500
Malang $474

A couple spends around $5,265 per month in Singapore vs $729 in Malang, rent included.

Singapore $5,265
Malang $729

A family of three spends $7,030 per month in Singapore vs $984 in Malang, rent included.

Singapore $7,030
Malang $984

Singapore costs about 638% more than Malang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Singapore sits 159% above the global median, while Malang is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.76 SGD 15.04

$1.11 Rp 19.9K

959.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.6 SGD 90.3

$11.07 Rp 199.2K

537.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.55 SGD 10.93

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

209.78%

Cappuccino

$5.20 SGD 6.65

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

288.06%

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

$1.77 SGD 2.27

$0.60 Rp 10.8K

195.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 SGD 1.58

$0.23 Rp 4,146

434.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.26 SGD 10.57

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

262.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.17 SGD 13.00

$4.25 Rp 76.6K

139.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.04 SGD 3.89

$0.99 Rp 17.9K

207.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.55 SGD 3.26

$1.12 Rp 20.2K

127.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 SGD 3.66

$0.84 Rp 15.2K

240.48%

Eggs

$3.53 SGD 4.51

$1.24 Rp 22.4K

184.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.12 SGD 27.01

$5.89 Rp 106.0K

258.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.90 SGD 12.66

$3.09 Rp 55.6K

220.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.42 SGD 32.51

$7.20 Rp 129.7K

253.06%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 SGD 5.85

$2.02 Rp 36.3K

126.24%

Banana (1kg)

$3.13 SGD 4.00

$1.27 Rp 22.8K

146.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.72 SGD 6.03

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

198.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 SGD 2.85

$1.43 Rp 25.7K

55.94%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 SGD 3.29

$1.30 Rp 23.4K

97.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 SGD 2.93

$1.92 Rp 34.6K

19.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.87 SGD 2.39

$0.47 Rp 8,439

297.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.44 SGD 1.84

$0.42 Rp 7,580

242.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.97 SGD 17.87

$2.65 Rp 47.7K

427.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.48 SGD 30.04

$12.47 Rp 224.5K

88.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.54 SGD 5.80

$1.67 Rp 30.1K

171.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 SGD 5.68

$3.00 Rp 53.9K

48.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 SGD 2.01

$0.60 Rp 10.7K

161.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.8 SGD 120

$5.61 Rp 100.9K

1571.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.64 SGD 4.66

$0.48 Rp 8,631

658.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 SGD 0.97

$0.40 Rp 7,244

90.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.14 SGD 20.65

$5.45 Rp 98.1K

196.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.45 SGD 3.14

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

231.08%

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

$155.2K SGD 198.5K

$24.9K Rp 448.9M

522.06%

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

$148.5K SGD 189.9K

$27.7K Rp 498.8M

435.90%

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

$172 SGD 219

$30.83 Rp 555.0K

456.44%

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

$12.39 SGD 15.85

$2.41 Rp 43.3K

414.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.21 SGD 33.53

$19.51 Rp 351.1K

34.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SGD 138

$14.68 Rp 264.3K

635.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.31 SGD 15.74

$4.47 Rp 80.5K

175.39%

Cinema Ticket

$11.64 SGD 14.89

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

506.25%

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

$1,481 SGD 1,894

$30.88 Rp 555.9K

4695.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K SGD 36.3K

$9,452 Rp 170.1M

199.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.6 SGD 103

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

42.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 SGD 64.1

$22.41 Rp 403.4K

123.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 SGD 143

$51.9 Rp 934.9K

115.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 SGD 165

$35.74 Rp 643.3K

260.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,015 SGD 3,856

$136 Rp 2.5M

2112.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,171 SGD 2,777

$91.5 Rp 1.6M

2271.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,842 SGD 7,472

$193 Rp 3.5M

2923.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,044 SGD 5,172

$156 Rp 2.8M

2484.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.8K SGD 30.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.8K SGD 21.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,385 SGD 5,608

$203 Rp 3.7M

2056.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.44

-39.00%

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

Last update for Singapore: October 13, 2026

Last update for Malang: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Singapore

$2.2K 62%

Malang

$92 19.3% 95.8% $2.1K

Groceries & Markets

Singapore

$458 13.1%

Malang

$169 35.7% 63% $288

Eating Out

Singapore

$256 7.3%

Malang

$56 11.9% 77.9% $199

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Singapore

$210 6%

Malang

$53 11.1% 74.9% $157

Clothing & Footwear

Singapore

$167 4.8%

Malang

$75 15.8% 55.2% $92

Sport & Entertainment

Singapore

$131 3.8%

Malang

$19 3.9% 85.9% $113

Getting Around

Singapore

$107 3.1%

Malang

$10 2.2% 90.2% $97

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,015 in Singapore versus $136 in Malang. 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 2057% 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 $11.00 in Malang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $458 vs $169 – making Malang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇬 Singapore

🇮🇩 Malang

🕒 Local time

10:42 10:42 AM

09:42 9:42 AM

1 h behind Singapore

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,535,002 Capital

857,891

💱 Currency

Singapore Dollar SGD $

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

1 SGD = 0.782 USD

1 SGD = 0.694 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to SGD – Singapore Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇬 Singapore Dollar ($)

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.782 USD). 1 EUR = 1.44 SGD (1 SGD = 0.694 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,268 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR).

USD to SGD in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Singapore Malang 1,420 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Singapore
Malang

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 Malang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Singapore is pricier by about 638%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,251 per month in Singapore and $711 in Malang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Malang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 1571% less in Malang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,481 per month in Singapore and $30.88 in Malang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Malang, where all-in costs run around $474, than in Singapore at $3,500. In Malang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Singapore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Malang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Malang. 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.