Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Mount Isa

For one person, living is cheaper in Mount Isa: $2,466 a month against $3,493 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $12,300 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
120

Cost of Living Index in Mount Isa
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Mount Isa Living Index

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Singapore

🇸🇬 Singapore

$3,493

/mo nomad

Mount Isa

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,466

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Mount Isa

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,493 in Singapore versus $2,466 in Mount Isa.

Singapore $3,493
Mount Isa $2,466

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,174 in Singapore versus $3,582 in Mount Isa.

Singapore $5,174
Mount Isa $3,582

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,855 in Singapore versus $4,699 in Mount Isa.

Singapore $6,855
Mount Isa $4,699

Living in Singapore is roughly 42% more expensive than in Mount Isa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Singapore 158% above, Mount Isa 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.74 SGD 15.02

$17.59 A$25.32

-33.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.3 SGD 95.1

$83.5 A$120

-11.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.76 SGD 11.21

$10.30 A$14.82

-14.95%

Cappuccino

$5.32 SGD 6.80

$4.09 A$5.88

30.07%

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

$1.89 SGD 2.42

$2.83 A$4.08

-33.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 SGD 1.55

$2.19 A$3.15

-44.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.46 SGD 10.82

$7.58 A$10.90

11.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.83 SGD 12.57

$7.88 A$11.34

24.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.91 SGD 3.72

$1.58 A$2.28

84.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 SGD 3.22

$2.66 A$3.82

-5.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.86 SGD 3.66

$2.27 A$3.27

25.99%

Eggs

$3.64 SGD 4.66

$4.88 A$7.03

-25.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.88 SGD 26.71

$9.12 A$13.12

128.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.92 SGD 12.69

$9.46 A$13.62

4.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.77 SGD 32.98

$14.45 A$20.79

78.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 SGD 6.02

$3.93 A$5.65

19.59%

Banana (1kg)

$3.08 SGD 3.94

$3.11 A$4.48

-0.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.74 SGD 6.06

$3.20 A$4.61

48.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.19 SGD 2.80

$4.67 A$6.72

-53.10%

Potato (1kg)

$2.57 SGD 3.29

$2.68 A$3.85

-4.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.32 SGD 2.97

$2.42 A$3.48

-4.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 SGD 2.39

$2.44 A$3.51

-23.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 SGD 1.78

$1.50 A$2.16

-7.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.80 SGD 17.66

$41.02 A$59.0

-66.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.29 SGD 29.81

$13.90 A$20.00

67.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.77 SGD 6.10

$4.59 A$6.60

3.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.69 SGD 6.00

$5.31 A$7.64

-11.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.60 SGD 2.04

$2.79 A$4.01

-42.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.0 SGD 123

$81.0 A$117

18.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.61 SGD 4.61

$3.51 A$5.04

2.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 SGD 1.02

$1.54 A$2.22

-48.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.63 SGD 21.28

$39.28 A$56.5

-57.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.56 SGD 3.28

$1.37 A$1.97

86.86%

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

$157.0K SGD 200.8K

$26.4K A$38.0K

494.40%

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

$149.8K SGD 191.7K

$29.9K A$43.0K

400.88%

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

$172 SGD 220

$202 A$291

-15.01%

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

$12.13 SGD 15.53

$27.99 A$40.27

-56.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.02 SGD 35.86

$57.2 A$82.4

-51.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SGD 138

$55.3 A$79.6

95.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.24 SGD 15.67

$17.57 A$25.29

-30.34%

Cinema Ticket

$12.03 SGD 15.39

$14.80 A$21.29

-18.72%

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

$1,473 SGD 1,885

$2,134 A$3,071

-30.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.7K SGD 36.8K

$20.5K A$29.5K

40.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.0 SGD 99.9

$77.6 A$112

0.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.9 SGD 65.1

$55.1 A$79.3

-7.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 SGD 139

$107 A$154

1.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 SGD 158

$123 A$176

0.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,917 SGD 3,733

$1,395 A$2,007

109.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,161 SGD 2,765

$1,167 A$1,680

85.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,769 SGD 7,383

$2,102 A$3,025

174.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,849 SGD 4,925

$1,785 A$2,568

115.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.2K SGD 29.7K

$5,804 A$8,352

299.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.9K SGD 21.7K

$4,848 A$6,976

249.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,547 SGD 5,818

$4,368 A$6,286

4.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.44

5.84

-58.22%

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

Last update for Singapore: October 20, 2026

Last update for Mount Isa: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Singapore

$2.2K 61.8%

Mount Isa

$1.2K 47.4% 46% $993

Groceries & Markets

Singapore

$458 13.1%

Mount Isa

$365 14.8% 20.2% $93

Eating Out

Singapore

$258 7.4%

Mount Isa

$294 11.9% 14% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Singapore

$212 6.1%

Mount Isa

$287 11.7% 35.6% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Singapore

$162 4.7%

Mount Isa

$163 6.6% 0.4% $0.7

Sport & Entertainment

Singapore

$132 3.8%

Mount Isa

$85 3.4% 35.7% $47

Getting Around

Singapore

$110 3.2%

Mount Isa

$103 4.2% 6% $6.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,917 in Singapore and $1,395 in Mount Isa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Singapore pays 4% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $74.0 in Singapore vs $84.0 in Mount Isa. Groceries flip the comparison at $458 vs $365, with Mount Isa cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇸🇬 Singapore

🇦🇺 Mount Isa

🕒 Local time

06:20 6:20 AM

08:20 8:20 AM

2 h ahead of Singapore

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,535,002 Capital

17,936

💱 Currency

Singapore Dollar SGD $

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 SGD = 0.781 USD

1 SGD = 0.695 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to SGD – Singapore Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇬 Singapore Dollar ($)

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.781 USD). 1 EUR = 1.44 SGD (1 SGD = 0.695 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

USD to SGD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Singapore Mount Isa 4,590 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

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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 Mount Isa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mount Isa wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Singapore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mount Isa the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 4% higher in Singapore, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,917 in Singapore versus $1,395 in Mount Isa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,473 in Singapore versus $2,134 in Mount Isa. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Singapore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $2,466 in Mount Isa versus $3,493 in Singapore, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mount Isa but tight or insufficient in Singapore. The gap between the two cities makes Mount Isa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Singapore and Mount Isa are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Mount Isa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.