Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Oita

For one person, living is cheaper in Oita: $1,279 a month against $3,500 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $26,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Singapore
🇸🇬 Singapore
$3,500
/mo nomad
Oita
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,279
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Oita

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,500 in Singapore versus $1,279 in Oita.

  • Singapore $3,500
  • Oita $1,279

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,265 in Singapore versus $2,015 in Oita.

  • Singapore $5,265
  • Oita $2,015

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,030 in Singapore versus $2,750 in Oita.

  • Singapore $7,030
  • Oita $2,750

Living in Singapore is roughly 174% more expensive than in Oita, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Singapore is 159% above, Oita is 5% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Singapore
Oita
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.76 SGD 15.05
$7.34 ¥1,159
60.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$70.6 SGD 90.4
$43.25 ¥6,833
63.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.55 SGD 10.94
$5.83 ¥921
46.66%
Cappuccino
$5.20 SGD 6.66
$3.75 ¥592
38.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.77 SGD 2.27
$1.00 ¥158
77.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 SGD 1.58
$0.72 ¥114
70.83%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.26 SGD 10.58
$3.76 ¥595
119.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$10.17 SGD 13.01
$2.16 ¥342
370.83%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Singapore
Oita
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.04 SGD 3.89
$1.55 ¥245
96.13%
White Bread (500g)
$2.55 SGD 3.26
$1.86 ¥294
37.10%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.86 SGD 3.66
$6.62 ¥1,046
-56.80%
Eggs
$3.53 SGD 4.51
$2.22 ¥351
59.01%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$21.12 SGD 27.02
$18.34 ¥2,897
15.16%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.90 SGD 12.67
$5.23 ¥826
89.29%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.42 SGD 32.53
$18.72 ¥2,957
35.79%
Apples (1kg)
$4.57 SGD 5.85
$3.65 ¥577
25.21%
Banana (1kg)
$3.13 SGD 4.00
$1.84 ¥291
70.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.72 SGD 6.04
$2.77 ¥438
70.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.23 SGD 2.85
$3.30 ¥522
-32.42%
Potato (1kg)
$2.57 SGD 3.29
$2.14 ¥338
20.09%
Onion (1kg)
$2.29 SGD 2.93
$2.55 ¥402
-10.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.87 SGD 2.39
$1.03 ¥162
81.55%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.44 SGD 1.84
$0.92 ¥145
56.52%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.97 SGD 17.88
$3.80 ¥600
267.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.48 SGD 30.05
$6.13 ¥968
283.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.54 SGD 5.80
$1.71 ¥270
165.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 SGD 5.68
$1.84 ¥290
141.30%
🚌 Getting Around
Singapore
Oita
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.57 SGD 2.01
$1.69 ¥267
-7.10%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$93.8 SGD 120
$52.2 ¥8,243
79.72%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.64 SGD 4.66
$3.84 ¥607
-5.21%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.76 SGD 0.97
$2.09 ¥330
-63.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.14 SGD 20.66
$17.75 ¥2,804
-9.07%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.45 SGD 3.14
$1.07 ¥169
128.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$155.2K SGD 198.5K
$21.5K ¥3.4M
620.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$148.5K SGD 190.0K
$17.2K ¥2.7M
765.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
Oita
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 SGD 220
$214 ¥33.8K
-19.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.39 SGD 15.86
$24.58 ¥3,884
-49.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$26.21 SGD 33.54
$33.56 ¥5,302
-21.90%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
Oita
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$108 SGD 138
$51.4 ¥8,122
110.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.31 SGD 15.75
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$11.64 SGD 14.90
$11.13 ¥1,758
4.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Singapore
Oita
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,481 SGD 1,895
$126 ¥19.9K
1072.80%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$28.3K SGD 36.3K
$12.4K ¥2.0M
127.85%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
Oita
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$80.6 SGD 103
$48.61 ¥7,679
65.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.1 SGD 64.1
$25.85 ¥4,083
93.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$112 SGD 143
$66.3 ¥10.5K
68.66%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$129 SGD 165
$47.05 ¥7,433
173.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Singapore
Oita
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,015 SGD 3,858
$464 ¥73.3K
549.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,171 SGD 2,778
$310 ¥49.0K
599.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,842 SGD 7,475
$1,229 ¥194.2K
375.17%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$4,044 SGD 5,174
$718 ¥113.4K
463.37%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$23.8K SGD 30.4K
$3,620 ¥571.9K
557.19%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$16.8K SGD 21.4K
$1,555 ¥245.6K
977.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Singapore
Oita
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,385 SGD 5,611
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.44
1.97
23.86%

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

Last update for Singapore: October 13, 2026

Last update for Oita: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Singapore
$2.2K
Oita
$310 85.7% $1.9K
Groceries & Markets
Singapore
$458
Oita
$315 31.2% $143
Eating Out
Singapore
$256
Oita
$151 40.9% $105
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
$210
Oita
$272 29.3% $62
Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
$167
Oita
$85 49.4% $83
Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
$131
Oita
$74 43.9% $58
Getting Around
Singapore
$107
Oita
$73 31.9% $34

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,015 in Singapore and $464 in Oita. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $71.0 in Singapore vs $43.00 in Oita for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $458 vs $315 per month, with Oita cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇬 Singapore
🇯🇵 Oita
🕒 Local time
23:20 11:20 PM
00:20 12:20 AM
1 h ahead of Singapore
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,535,002 Capital
475,614
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to SGD – Singapore Dollar Converter

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.781 USD). 1 EUR = 1.44 SGD (1 SGD = 0.695 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Singapore Oita 4,580 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Singapore
  • Oita

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 Oita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Singapore or Oita?
Oita wins on cost – living expenses run 174% lower than in Singapore. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Oita the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Singapore and in Oita?
You'd need roughly $5,251 in Singapore and $1,919 in Oita to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Singapore compared to Oita?
Rent for a central apartment: $3,015 in Singapore versus $464 in Oita. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Singapore and in Oita?
Childcare runs $1,481 in Singapore versus $126 in Oita. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Singapore or in Oita?
Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Singapore. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Singapore or in Oita?
At $1,279 in Oita versus $3,500 in Singapore, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Oita but tight or insufficient in Singapore. The gap between the two cities makes Oita the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city offers a better quality of life: Singapore or Oita?
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.
How safe is Singapore compared to Oita?
Safety-wise, Singapore and Oita are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Oita gentler on the wallet – expenses run 174% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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