Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Paro

For one person, living is cheaper in Paro: $152 a month against $3,594 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $41,300 less a year.

171

Cost of Living Index in Singapore
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Singapore Living Index

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Singapore

🇸🇬 Singapore

$3,594

/mo nomad

Paro

🇧🇹 Bhutan

$152

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Paro

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

A single person spends $3,594 per month in Singapore vs $152 in Paro, rent included.

Singapore $3,594
Paro $152

A couple spends around $5,314 per month in Singapore vs $305 in Paro, rent included.

Singapore $5,314
Paro $305

A family of three spends $7,033 per month in Singapore vs $457 in Paro, rent included.

Singapore $7,033
Paro $457

Singapore costs about 2260% more than Paro.

Singapore sits 166% above the global median, while Paro is 89% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.58 SGD 14.84

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.7 SGD 90.5

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.46 SGD 10.84

Cappuccino

$5.18 SGD 6.64

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

$1.84 SGD 2.36

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 SGD 1.58

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.50 SGD 12.17

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.86 SGD 12.63

Milk (1 liter)

$3.02 SGD 3.87

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 SGD 3.42

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 SGD 3.54

Eggs

$3.72 SGD 4.77

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

Oranges (1kg)

$4.64 SGD 5.95

Tomato (1kg)

$2.18 SGD 2.79

Potato (1kg)

$2.33 SGD 2.99

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 SGD 2.96

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

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

$3.62 BTN 342

220.44%

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

$198 BTN 18.8K

1508.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,257 SGD 2,892

$152 BTN 14.4K

1381.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,173 SGD 7,910

$490 BTN 46.4K

1158.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,035 SGD 5,170

$454 BTN 42.9K

789.64%

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

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 Paro: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Singapore

$2.3K 62.8%

Paro

–

Groceries & Markets

Singapore

$459 12.8%

Paro

–

Eating Out

Singapore

$260 7.2%

Paro

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Singapore

$208 5.8%

Paro

–

Clothing & Footwear

Singapore

$165 4.6%

Paro

–

Sport & Entertainment

Singapore

$135 3.8%

Paro

–

Getting Around

Singapore

$110 3.1%

Paro

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,191 in Singapore versus $198 in Paro. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Good to know

🇸🇬 Singapore

🇧🇹 Paro

🕒 Local time

07:28 7:28 AM

05:28 5:28 AM

2 h behind Singapore

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,535,002 Capital

11,448

💱 Currency

Singapore Dollar SGD $

Bhutanese Ngultrum BTN Nu.

📈 Exchange rate

1 SGD = 0.78 USD

1 SGD = 0.698 EUR

1,000 BTN = 10.58 USD

1,000 BTN = 9.46 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

BTN, 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 = 1.43 SGD (1 SGD = 0.698 EUR).

Bhutanese Ngultrum exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 94.54 BTN (100 BTN = 1.06 USD). 1 EUR = 106 BTN (1,000 BTN = 9.46 EUR).

USD to SGD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Singapore Paro 3,290 km ≈ 4 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Singapore
Paro

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 Paro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Singapore costs about 2260% more than Paro, 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 $228 in Paro. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Paro, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $198 there versus $3,191 in Singapore.

A $1,200 monthly budget goes further in Paro, where all-in costs run around $152, than in Singapore at $3,594. In Paro it covers expenses comfortably, while in Singapore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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