Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Matale

For one person, living is cheaper in Matale: $119 a month against $3,594 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $41,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Singapore
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Singapore Living Index

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Singapore

🇸🇬 Singapore

$3,594

/mo nomad

Matale

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$119

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Matale

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

A single person spends $3,594 per month in Singapore vs $119 in Matale, rent included.

Singapore $3,594
Matale $119

A couple spends around $5,314 per month in Singapore vs $199 in Matale, rent included.

Singapore $5,314
Matale $199

A family of three spends $7,033 per month in Singapore vs $278 in Matale, rent included.

Singapore $7,033
Matale $278

Singapore costs about 2910% more than Matale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Singapore sits 166% above the global median, while Matale is 91% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 SGD 14.84

$1.86 LKR 618

522.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 SGD 90.5

$9.21 LKR 3,062

667.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 SGD 10.84

$4.62 LKR 1,537

83.12%

Cappuccino

$5.18 SGD 6.64

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

$1.84 SGD 2.36

$0.47 LKR 157

291.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 SGD 1.58

$0.27 LKR 89.8

355.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.50 SGD 12.17

$2.42 LKR 805

292.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.86 SGD 12.63

Milk (1 liter)

$3.02 SGD 3.87

$1.70 LKR 565

77.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 SGD 3.42

$0.37 LKR 123

621.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 SGD 3.54

$0.68 LKR 227

307.35%

Eggs

$3.72 SGD 4.77

$1.11 LKR 368

235.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.01 SGD 26.92

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 SGD 12.75

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.13 SGD 32.20

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 SGD 5.88

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 SGD 3.96

$0.58 LKR 192

432.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 SGD 5.95

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 SGD 2.79

$0.86 LKR 285

153.49%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 SGD 2.99

$0.55 LKR 183

323.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 SGD 2.96

$0.52 LKR 172

344.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 SGD 2.39

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SGD 1.98

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.11 SGD 18.08

Wine (Bottle)

$23.24 SGD 29.78

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.73 SGD 6.06

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 SGD 6.14

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 SGD 1.96

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.5 SGD 124

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 SGD 4.59

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 SGD 0.97

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.98 SGD 21.75

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.46 SGD 3.15

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

$159.4K SGD 204.2K

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

$155.7K SGD 199.5K

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

$168 SGD 215

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

$12.24 SGD 15.68

$3.74 LKR 1,242

227.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.18 SGD 36.11

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$111 SGD 142

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.60 SGD 14.86

Cinema Ticket

$12.24 SGD 15.68

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

$1,899 SGD 2,433

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.1K SGD 50.1K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.6 SGD 102

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 SGD 65.0

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 SGD 143

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 SGD 160

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,191 SGD 4,089

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,257 SGD 2,892

$33.57 LKR 11.2K

6623.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,173 SGD 7,910

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,035 SGD 5,170

$48.65 LKR 16.2K

8193.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.6K SGD 30.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.5K SGD 21.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,526 SGD 5,799

$184 LKR 61.1K

2364.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.44

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

Last update for Singapore: November 2, 2026

Last update for Matale: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Singapore

$2.3K 62.8%

Matale

–

Groceries & Markets

Singapore

$459 12.8%

Matale

–

Eating Out

Singapore

$260 7.2%

Matale

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Singapore

$208 5.8%

Matale

–

Clothing & Footwear

Singapore

$165 4.6%

Matale

–

Sport & Entertainment

Singapore

$135 3.8%

Matale

–

Getting Around

Singapore

$110 3.1%

Matale

–

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Singapore are about 25 times higher, 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 in Singapore versus $9 in Matale. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $459 vs $38 – making Matale the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇬 Singapore

🇱🇰 Matale

🕒 Local time

23:51 11:51 PM

21:21 9:21 PM

2 h 30 min behind Singapore

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,535,002 Capital

40,800

💱 Currency

Singapore Dollar SGD $

Sri Lankan Rupee LKR Rs

📈 Exchange rate

1 SGD = 0.78 USD

1 SGD = 0.695 EUR

1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD

1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

LKR, USD, EUR to SGD – Singapore Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇬 Singapore Dollar ($)

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.78 USD). 1 EUR = 1.44 SGD (1 SGD = 0.695 EUR).

Sri Lankan Rupee exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 333 LKR (1,000 LKR = 3.01 USD). 1 EUR = 373 LKR (1,000 LKR = 2.68 EUR).

USD to SGD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Singapore Matale 2,660 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Singapore
Matale

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 Matale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Singapore costs about 2910% more than Matale, 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.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,392 per month in Singapore and $179 in Matale. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,594 in Singapore and $119 in Matale. That makes Matale about 97% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 1100% more in Singapore, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $800 monthly budget goes further in Matale, where all-in costs run around $119, than in Singapore at $3,594. In Matale it covers expenses comfortably, while in Singapore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Singapore has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $119 in Matale to $3,594 in Singapore. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

If budget matters most, go with Matale. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Singapore makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.