Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Matara

For one person, living is cheaper in Matara: $581 a month against $3,594 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $36,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

171

Cost of Living Index in Singapore
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Singapore Living Index
28

Cost of Living Index in Matara
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Matara Living Index

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Singapore

🇸🇬 Singapore

$3,594

/mo nomad

Matara

🇱🇰 Sri Lanka

$581

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Matara

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

A single person spends $3,594 per month in Singapore vs $581 in Matara, rent included.

Singapore $3,594
Matara $581

A couple spends around $5,314 per month in Singapore vs $850 in Matara, rent included.

Singapore $5,314
Matara $850

A family of three spends $7,033 per month in Singapore vs $1,118 in Matara, rent included.

Singapore $7,033
Matara $1,118

Singapore costs about 519% more than Matara, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Singapore sits 166% above the global median, while Matara is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 SGD 14.84

$3.86 LKR 1,283

200.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 SGD 90.5

$24.60 LKR 8,180

187.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 SGD 10.84

$7.57 LKR 2,518

11.76%

Cappuccino

$5.18 SGD 6.64

$2.44 LKR 813

112.30%

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

$1.84 SGD 2.36

$0.68 LKR 225

170.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 SGD 1.58

$0.25 LKR 83.0

392.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.50 SGD 12.17

$2.26 LKR 751

320.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.86 SGD 12.63

$2.98 LKR 992

230.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.02 SGD 3.87

$1.58 LKR 526

91.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 SGD 3.42

$0.57 LKR 190

368.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 SGD 3.54

$0.78 LKR 260

255.13%

Eggs

$3.72 SGD 4.77

$1.45 LKR 484

156.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.01 SGD 26.92

$15.08 LKR 5,013

39.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.95 SGD 12.75

$5.02 LKR 1,668

98.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.13 SGD 32.20

$7.69 LKR 2,558

226.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.59 SGD 5.88

$6.67 LKR 2,218

-31.18%

Banana (1kg)

$3.09 SGD 3.96

$0.46 LKR 153

571.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 SGD 5.95

$4.17 LKR 1,385

11.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 SGD 2.79

$0.84 LKR 279

159.52%

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 SGD 2.99

$0.97 LKR 322

140.21%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 SGD 2.96

$0.62 LKR 208

272.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 SGD 2.39

$1.26 LKR 419

47.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.55 SGD 1.98

$0.46 LKR 153

236.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.11 SGD 18.08

$10.27 LKR 3,415

37.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.24 SGD 29.78

$13.79 LKR 4,585

68.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.73 SGD 6.06

$1.77 LKR 589

167.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.79 SGD 6.14

$2.84 LKR 943

68.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.53 SGD 1.96

$0.29 LKR 95.2

427.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.5 SGD 124

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.58 SGD 4.59

$0.41 LKR 135

773.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 SGD 0.97

$0.31 LKR 102

145.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.98 SGD 21.75

$0.93 LKR 310

1725.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.46 SGD 3.15

$1.38 LKR 458

78.26%

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

$159.4K SGD 204.2K

$43.4K LKR 14.4M

267.24%

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

$155.7K SGD 199.5K

$45.7K LKR 15.2M

240.36%

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

$168 SGD 215

$44.63 LKR 14.8K

276.29%

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

$12.24 SGD 15.68

$4.15 LKR 1,381

194.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.18 SGD 36.11

$20.43 LKR 6,795

37.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$111 SGD 142

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.60 SGD 14.86

Cinema Ticket

$12.24 SGD 15.68

$4.46 LKR 1,482

174.44%

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

$1,899 SGD 2,433

$40.78 LKR 13.6K

4556.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.1K SGD 50.1K

$17.5K LKR 5.8M

123.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.6 SGD 102

$17.76 LKR 5,907

348.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 SGD 65.0

$17.33 LKR 5,764

192.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 SGD 143

$77.5 LKR 25.8K

43.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 SGD 160

$41.81 LKR 13.9K

197.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,191 SGD 4,089

$182 LKR 60.5K

1655.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,257 SGD 2,892

$88.6 LKR 29.5K

2448.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,173 SGD 7,910

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,035 SGD 5,170

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

$105 LKR 35.1K

4193.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.44

12.5

-80.48%

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

Last update for Singapore: November 2, 2026

Last update for Matara: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Singapore

$2.3K 62.8%

Matara

$89 15.3% 96.1% $2.2K

Groceries & Markets

Singapore

$459 12.8%

Matara

$238 40.9% 48.3% $222

Eating Out

Singapore

$260 7.2%

Matara

$104 17.9% 60% $156

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Singapore

$208 5.8%

Matara

$69 11.9% 66.8% $139

Clothing & Footwear

Singapore

$165 4.6%

Matara

$69 12% 57.9% $95

Sport & Entertainment

Singapore

$135 3.8%

Matara

$8.9 * 1.5% 93.4% $126

Getting Around

Singapore

$110 3.1%

Matara

$3.1 * 0.5% 97.2% $107

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,191 in Singapore versus $182 in Matara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Singapore are about 43 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $71 in Singapore versus $25 in Matara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $459 vs $238 – making Matara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇸🇬 Singapore

🇱🇰 Matara

🕒 Local time

02:09 2:09 AM

23:39 11:39 PM

2 h 30 min behind Singapore

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,535,002 Capital

100,000

💱 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

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Singapore Matara 2,640 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Singapore
Matara

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 Matara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Singapore is pricier by about 519%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,392 per month in Singapore and $871 in Matara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Matara, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $182 there versus $3,191 in Singapore.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,594 in Singapore and $581 in Matara. That makes Matara about 84% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,899 per month in Singapore and $41 in Matara. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Matara, where all-in costs run around $581, than in Singapore at $3,594. In Matara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Singapore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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