Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Tanjung Balai Karimun

For one person, living is cheaper in Tanjung Balai Karimun: $610 a month against $3,544 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $35,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

170

Cost of Living Index in Singapore
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Singapore Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Tanjung Balai Karimun
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Tanjung Balai Karimun Living Index

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Singapore

🇸🇬 Singapore

$3,544

/mo nomad

Tanjung Balai Karimun

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$610

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Tanjung Balai Karimun

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 Tanjung Balai Karimun actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,544 in Singapore versus $610 in Tanjung Balai Karimun.

Singapore $3,544
Tanjung Balai Karimun $610

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,318 in Singapore versus $1,014 in Tanjung Balai Karimun.

Singapore $5,318
Tanjung Balai Karimun $1,014

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,093 in Singapore versus $1,417 in Tanjung Balai Karimun.

Singapore $7,093
Tanjung Balai Karimun $1,417

Living in Singapore is roughly 481% more expensive than in Tanjung Balai Karimun, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Singapore is 160% above, Tanjung Balai Karimun is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.62 SGD 14.89

$1.60 Rp 29.1K

626.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.4 SGD 95.4

$13.72 Rp 248.9K

442.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.35 SGD 10.69

$3.27 Rp 59.4K

155.35%

Cappuccino

$5.24 SGD 6.71

$1.46 Rp 26.4K

258.90%

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

$1.83 SGD 2.34

$0.46 Rp 8,278

297.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 SGD 1.64

$0.24 Rp 4,375

433.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.33 SGD 10.68

$2.16 Rp 39.2K

285.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.99 SGD 12.79

$3.63 Rp 65.9K

175.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.99 SGD 3.82

$1.03 Rp 18.7K

190.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.58 SGD 3.31

$1.09 Rp 19.8K

136.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.77 SGD 3.55

$0.73 Rp 13.3K

279.45%

Eggs

$3.76 SGD 4.82

$1.62 Rp 29.4K

132.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.85 SGD 26.71

$7.40 Rp 134.4K

181.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.01 SGD 12.82

$2.90 Rp 52.6K

245.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$25.28 SGD 32.38

$8.49 Rp 154.0K

197.76%

Apples (1kg)

$4.52 SGD 5.79

$2.36 Rp 42.7K

91.53%

Banana (1kg)

$3.19 SGD 4.09

$1.20 Rp 21.8K

165.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.57 SGD 5.85

$1.47 Rp 26.7K

210.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.17 SGD 2.77

$1.29 Rp 23.4K

68.22%

Potato (1kg)

$2.48 SGD 3.18

$1.08 Rp 19.6K

129.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 SGD 2.99

$2.03 Rp 36.8K

14.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 SGD 2.44

$0.78 Rp 14.1K

144.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 SGD 1.85

$0.42 Rp 7,680

245.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.85 SGD 17.74

$2.58 Rp 46.9K

436.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.38 SGD 29.95

$20.80 Rp 377.4K

12.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.69 SGD 6.01

$1.77 Rp 32.0K

164.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.80 SGD 6.15

$3.32 Rp 60.2K

44.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.52 SGD 1.94

$0.22 Rp 3,998

590.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.6 SGD 124

$9.92 Rp 180.1K

874.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.71 SGD 4.76

$0.49 Rp 8,942

657.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.81 SGD 1.03

$0.35 Rp 6,365

131.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.41 SGD 21.03

$2.91 Rp 52.9K

463.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.53 SGD 3.24

$0.72 Rp 13.0K

251.39%

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

$156.9K SGD 201.0K

$25.6K Rp 464.2M

513.29%

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

$154.6K SGD 198.0K

$34.6K Rp 627.6M

346.88%

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

$170 SGD 218

$68.4 Rp 1.2M

148.36%

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

$12.39 SGD 15.88

$4.25 Rp 77.2K

191.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.02 SGD 35.90

$20.80 Rp 377.4K

34.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$111 SGD 143

$18.27 Rp 331.5K

509.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.09 SGD 15.48

$8.18 Rp 148.5K

47.80%

Cinema Ticket

$12.21 SGD 15.64

$2.96 Rp 53.7K

312.50%

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

$1,878 SGD 2,406

$90.4 Rp 1.6M

1978.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.1K SGD 37.3K

$7,256 Rp 131.7M

301.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.8 SGD 98.4

$46.89 Rp 850.8K

63.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.5 SGD 66.0

$31.72 Rp 575.5K

62.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SGD 137

$70.4 Rp 1.3M

52.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$123 SGD 158

$60.6 Rp 1.1M

103.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,098 SGD 3,969

$196 Rp 3.5M

1483.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,213 SGD 2,835

$128 Rp 2.3M

1633.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,983 SGD 7,666

$529 Rp 9.6M

1031.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,088 SGD 5,237

$411 Rp 7.5M

895.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.1K SGD 29.6K

$1,280 Rp 23.2M

1706.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.7K SGD 21.4K

$742 Rp 13.5M

2149.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,464 SGD 5,719

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

2.44

9.46

-74.21%

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

Last update for Singapore: October 25, 2026

Last update for Tanjung Balai Karimun: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Singapore

$2.2K 62.5%

Tanjung Balai Karimun

$128 20.9% 94.2% $2.1K

Groceries & Markets

Singapore

$458 12.9%

Tanjung Balai Karimun

$197 32.2% 57.1% $261

Eating Out

Singapore

$255 7.2%

Tanjung Balai Karimun

$61 10% 76.1% $194

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Singapore

$210 5.9%

Tanjung Balai Karimun

$93 15.3% 55.6% $117

Clothing & Footwear

Singapore

$161 4.6%

Tanjung Balai Karimun

$94 15.5% 41.6% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Singapore

$136 3.8%

Tanjung Balai Karimun

$24 4% 82.2% $112

Getting Around

Singapore

$110 3.1%

Tanjung Balai Karimun

$13 2.1% 88.2% $97

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,098 in Singapore and $196 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74 in Singapore vs $14 in Tanjung Balai Karimun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $458 vs $197 per month, with Tanjung Balai Karimun cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇸🇬 Singapore

🇮🇩 Tanjung Balai Karimun

🕒 Local time

00:02 12:02 AM

23:02 11:02 PM

1 h behind Singapore

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,535,002 Capital

48,953

💱 Currency

Singapore Dollar SGD $

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

1 SGD = 0.781 USD

1 SGD = 0.698 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to SGD – Singapore Dollar Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇬 Singapore Dollar ($)

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.781 USD). 1 EUR = 1.43 SGD (1 SGD = 0.698 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 27, 2026: 1 USD = 18,145 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,281 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.93 EUR).

USD to SGD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Singapore Tanjung Balai Karimun 57 km

From you

Singapore
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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 Tanjung Balai Karimun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tanjung Balai Karimun is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and leisure. The 481% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You’d need roughly $5,316 in Singapore and $915 in Tanjung Balai Karimun 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $3,098 in Singapore versus $196 in Tanjung Balai Karimun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $3,544 per month in Singapore versus $610 in Tanjung Balai Karimun – a 481% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Tanjung Balai Karimun runs roughly 90% less than in Singapore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you’re watching your budget.

At $610 in Tanjung Balai Karimun versus $3,544 in Singapore, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Tanjung Balai Karimun but tight or insufficient in Singapore. The gap between the two cities makes Tanjung Balai Karimun the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Expats usually find Tanjung Balai Karimun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.