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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,476 per month in Singapore vs $1,752 in Seoul, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,218 per month in Singapore vs $2,801 in Seoul, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,959 per month in Singapore vs $3,850 in Seoul, rent included.

Singapore costs about 98% more than Seoul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Singapore and Seoul sit above the global median – Singapore by 153%, Seoul by 28%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.77 SGD 14.97

$9.76 ₩13.3K

20.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.3 SGD 85.6

$65.6 ₩89.2K

2.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.59 SGD 10.92

$7.14 ₩9,710

20.31%

Cappuccino

$5.19 SGD 6.60

$4.02 ₩5,467

29.10%

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

$1.84 SGD 2.34

$1.64 ₩2,224

12.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 SGD 1.48

$0.83 ₩1,122

40.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.24 SGD 10.48

$3.59 ₩4,877

129.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.04 SGD 12.76

$5.73 ₩7,792

75.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.05 SGD 3.88

$2.11 ₩2,863

44.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 SGD 3.17

$3.11 ₩4,228

-19.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.72 SGD 3.46

$4.25 ₩5,779

-36.00%

Eggs

$3.74 SGD 4.75

$3.38 ₩4,591

10.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.17 SGD 26.92

$17.01 ₩23.1K

24.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.85 SGD 12.53

$10.06 ₩13.7K

-2.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.51 SGD 32.43

$24.88 ₩33.8K

2.53%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 SGD 5.73

$7.36 ₩10.0K

-38.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.02 SGD 3.83

$3.47 ₩4,718

-12.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.83 SGD 6.14

$5.55 ₩7,539

-12.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 SGD 2.89

$6.26 ₩8,503

-63.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 SGD 3.22

$3.65 ₩4,955

-30.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 SGD 3.02

$2.43 ₩3,307

-2.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 SGD 2.26

$2.73 ₩3,707

-34.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 SGD 1.80

$1.08 ₩1,468

31.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.34 SGD 18.23

$3.23 ₩4,397

343.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.77 SGD 30.22

$18.34 ₩24.9K

29.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.55 SGD 5.78

$2.36 ₩3,210

92.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.45 SGD 5.66

$3.12 ₩4,247

42.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 SGD 2.01

$1.16 ₩1,581

36.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.0 SGD 126

$44.79 ₩60.9K

120.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 SGD 4.49

$3.56 ₩4,833

-0.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 SGD 1.03

$0.58 ₩795

39.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.62 SGD 21.13

$8.88 ₩12.1K

87.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.47 SGD 3.14

$1.45 ₩1,969

70.34%

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

$156.1K SGD 198.5K

$29.1K ₩39.5M

436.87%

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

$145.8K SGD 185.3K

$28.1K ₩38.2M

419.13%

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

$162 SGD 206

$196 ₩267.0K

-17.41%

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

$12.73 SGD 16.19

$34.49 ₩46.9K

-63.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.15 SGD 34.51

$19.80 ₩26.9K

37.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 SGD 137

$57.0 ₩77.5K

89.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.17 SGD 14.20

$16.05 ₩21.8K

-30.40%

Cinema Ticket

$11.79 SGD 14.98

$11.04 ₩15.0K

6.79%

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

$1,491 SGD 1,896

$1,891 ₩2.6M

-21.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.5K SGD 37.5K

$22.0K ₩30.0M

34.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.8 SGD 100

$56.3 ₩76.6K

39.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.6 SGD 65.6

$32.45 ₩44.1K

59.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$111 SGD 141

$68.2 ₩92.8K

62.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 SGD 165

$79.4 ₩107.9K

63.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,949 SGD 3,749

$865 ₩1.2M

241.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,156 SGD 2,741

$601 ₩816.9K

258.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,006 SGD 7,635

$2,497 ₩3.4M

140.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,893 SGD 4,949

$1,225 ₩1.7M

217.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.6K SGD 30.0K

$28.2K ₩38.3M

-16.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.7K SGD 21.2K

$11.3K ₩15.4M

47.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,122 SGD 5,241

$3,486 ₩4.7M

18.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.43

4.08

-40.44%

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

Last update for Singapore: September 1, 2026

Last update for Seoul: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,949 in Singapore versus $865 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 18% 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 $67.0 in Singapore versus $66.0 in Seoul. Groceries tell a different story – $458 in Singapore vs $464 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 98% more than Seoul, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,214 per month in Singapore and $2,628 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 121% less in Seoul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,491 per month in Singapore and $1,891 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 $1,752, than in Singapore at $3,476. 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.