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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,651 per month in Singapore vs $1,742 in Seoul, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,223 per month in Singapore vs $2,892 in Seoul, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,796 per month in Singapore vs $4,043 in Seoul, rent included.

Singapore costs about 110% more than Seoul, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Singapore and Seoul sit above the global median – Singapore by 172%, Seoul by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.73 SGD 13.78

$8.59 ₩13.2K

24.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.5 SGD 101

$54.3 ₩83.2K

44.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.88 SGD 10.13

$6.30 ₩9,659

25.08%

Cappuccino

$4.92 SGD 6.32

$3.88 ₩5,954

26.80%

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

$1.63 SGD 2.10

$1.72 ₩2,643

-5.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 SGD 1.58

$0.86 ₩1,311

43.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 SGD 10.08

$3.60 ₩5,511

118.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.61 SGD 12.34

$5.94 ₩9,101

61.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 SGD 3.95

$2.22 ₩3,410

38.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.41 SGD 3.10

$3.45 ₩5,288

-30.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 SGD 3.61

$3.13 ₩4,804

-10.22%

Eggs

$3.37 SGD 4.34

$3.19 ₩4,886

5.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.34 SGD 24.85

$14.21 ₩21.8K

36.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.36 SGD 14.59

$10.99 ₩16.8K

3.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.95 SGD 29.49

$34.74 ₩53.2K

-33.94%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 SGD 5.81

$7.97 ₩12.2K

-43.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.94 SGD 3.78

$3.46 ₩5,307

-15.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.86 SGD 6.25

$5.43 ₩8,323

-10.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 SGD 3.38

$6.69 ₩10.2K

-60.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 SGD 3.18

$3.80 ₩5,830

-35.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 SGD 2.78

$2.95 ₩4,516

-26.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.01 SGD 2.58

$2.63 ₩4,024

-23.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 SGD 1.94

$1.27 ₩1,947

18.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.24 SGD 17.01

$3.23 ₩4,949

309.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.27 SGD 32.47

$19.49 ₩29.9K

29.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.31 SGD 5.54

$2.42 ₩3,710

78.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.20 SGD 6.68

$3.25 ₩4,977

60.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 SGD 2.03

$1.12 ₩1,710

41.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.7 SGD 120

$47.88 ₩73.4K

95.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.51 SGD 4.50

$3.56 ₩5,458

-1.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 SGD 1.00

$0.54 ₩828

42.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.11 SGD 20.70

$8.72 ₩13.4K

84.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.20 SGD 2.82

$1.25 ₩1,911

76.00%

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

$142.1K SGD 182.6K

$28.3K ₩43.3M

403.03%

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

$129.1K SGD 165.9K

$25.3K ₩38.8M

409.63%

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

$160 SGD 205

$161 ₩246.1K

-0.42%

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

$18.36 SGD 23.58

$34.38 ₩52.7K

-46.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.57 SGD 46.98

$22.41 ₩34.3K

63.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$117 SGD 150

$57.0 ₩87.3K

105.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.39 SGD 15.92

$23.23 ₩35.6K

-46.66%

Cinema Ticket

$11.65 SGD 14.97

$11.19 ₩17.1K

4.11%

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

$1,184 SGD 1,521

$412 ₩631.7K

187.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.9K SGD 38.4K

$23.7K ₩36.3M

26.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.2 SGD 106

$58.7 ₩89.9K

40.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.04 SGD 55.3

$46.80 ₩71.7K

-8.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SGD 138

$78.3 ₩120.0K

37.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 SGD 168

$114 ₩175.0K

14.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,101 SGD 3,984

$957 ₩1.5M

224.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,280 SGD 2,929

$604 ₩924.9K

277.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,201 SGD 7,967

$2,580 ₩4.0M

140.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,793 SGD 4,873

$1,308 ₩2.0M

189.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.5K SGD 30.2K

$18.2K ₩27.9M

29.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.5K SGD 21.2K

$9,223 ₩14.1M

79.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,285 SGD 5,505

$3,095 ₩4.7M

38.46%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Seoul: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,101 in Singapore versus $957 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 38% 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 – $457 in Singapore vs $500 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 110% 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 $5,477 per month in Singapore and $2,613 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 96% less in Seoul. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,184 per month in Singapore and $412 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 $1,742, than in Singapore at $3,651. 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.