Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Seoul Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Seoul

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,507 per month in Singapore vs $1,765 in Seoul, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,136 per month in Singapore vs $2,881 in Seoul, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,764 per month in Singapore vs $3,997 in Seoul, rent included.

Singapore costs about 99% more than Seoul, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Singapore and Seoul sit above the global median – Singapore by 163%, Seoul by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.77 SGD 13.92

$8.73 ₩13.0K

23.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.1 SGD 101

$54.3 ₩80.8K

43.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.58 SGD 9.79

$6.47 ₩9,627

17.16%

Cappuccino

$4.84 SGD 6.26

$3.88 ₩5,766

24.74%

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

$1.70 SGD 2.20

$1.65 ₩2,455

3.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.20 SGD 1.55

$0.86 ₩1,274

39.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 SGD 10.14

$3.77 ₩5,610

108.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.15 SGD 11.82

$5.72 ₩8,517

59.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 SGD 3.96

$2.26 ₩3,369

35.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 SGD 3.07

$3.42 ₩5,095

-30.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.79 SGD 3.60

$3.09 ₩4,604

-9.71%

Eggs

$3.29 SGD 4.25

$3.06 ₩4,548

7.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.19 SGD 24.80

$14.51 ₩21.6K

32.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.42 SGD 14.75

$10.76 ₩16.0K

6.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.61 SGD 29.21

$34.54 ₩51.4K

-34.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.56 SGD 5.89

$7.65 ₩11.4K

-40.39%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 SGD 3.85

$3.54 ₩5,272

-15.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.95 SGD 6.40

$5.42 ₩8,063

-8.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 SGD 3.54

$6.49 ₩9,657

-57.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.52 SGD 3.25

$3.87 ₩5,754

-34.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.17 SGD 2.80

$2.87 ₩4,273

-24.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 SGD 2.52

$2.61 ₩3,890

-25.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SGD 1.93

$1.32 ₩1,960

12.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.20 SGD 17.06

$3.32 ₩4,947

297.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.04 SGD 29.77

$16.50 ₩24.5K

39.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 SGD 5.39

$2.38 ₩3,547

75.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.16 SGD 6.66

$3.37 ₩5,015

53.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.59 SGD 2.06

$1.08 ₩1,601

47.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$94.0 SGD 121

$46.87 ₩69.7K

100.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.68 SGD 4.76

$3.46 ₩5,152

6.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 SGD 0.94

$0.57 ₩847

26.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.54 SGD 21.37

$9.00 ₩13.4K

83.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 SGD 2.84

$1.25 ₩1,861

76.00%

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

$142.5K SGD 184.1K

$27.9K ₩41.6M

410.07%

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

$127.5K SGD 164.7K

$25.4K ₩37.7M

402.63%

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

$156 SGD 201

$160 ₩238.5K

-2.98%

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

$18.63 SGD 24.08

$34.41 ₩51.2K

-45.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.75 SGD 48.77

$22.05 ₩32.8K

71.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$120 SGD 155

$58.0 ₩86.2K

107.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 SGD 15.63

$23.44 ₩34.9K

-48.38%

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 SGD 14.90

$10.93 ₩16.3K

5.49%

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

$1,190 SGD 1,537

$417 ₩620.8K

185.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K SGD 37.7K

$23.6K ₩35.1M

23.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.5 SGD 108

$59.2 ₩88.0K

41.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.55 SGD 55.0

$48.41 ₩72.0K

-12.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 SGD 139

$79.9 ₩118.8K

34.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 SGD 166

$115 ₩170.9K

11.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,209 SGD 4,146

$944 ₩1.4M

239.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,299 SGD 2,971

$588 ₩874.6K

291.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,127 SGD 7,916

$2,584 ₩3.8M

137.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,793 SGD 4,901

$1,312 ₩2.0M

189.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.3K SGD 30.1K

$26.0K ₩38.7M

-10.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.4K SGD 21.2K

$10.7K ₩15.9M

53.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,969 SGD 5,128

$3,149 ₩4.7M

26.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.19

4.14

-22.95%

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

Last update for Singapore: July 14, 2026

Last update for Seoul: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,209 in Singapore versus $944 in Seoul. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 26% higher in Singapore, 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 $78.0 in Singapore versus $54.0 in Seoul. Groceries tell a different story – $450 in Singapore vs $491 in Seoul – so Singapore wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Seoul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Singapore costs about 99% more than Seoul, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,261 per month in Singapore and $2,647 in Seoul. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seoul, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 100% less in Seoul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,190 per month in Singapore and $417 in Seoul. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Seoul, where all-in costs run around $1,765, than in Singapore at $3,507. In Seoul it covers expenses comfortably, while in Singapore it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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