Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Tottori

For one person, living is cheaper in Tottori: $1,174 a month against $3,493 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $27,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Singapore
🇸🇬 Singapore
$3,493
/mo nomad
Tottori
🇯🇵 Japan
$1,174
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Singapore and in Tottori

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,493 in Singapore versus $1,174 in Tottori.

  • Singapore $3,493
  • Tottori $1,174

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,174 in Singapore versus $1,879 in Tottori.

  • Singapore $5,174
  • Tottori $1,879

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,855 in Singapore versus $2,584 in Tottori.

  • Singapore $6,855
  • Tottori $2,584

Living in Singapore is roughly 198% more expensive than in Tottori, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Singapore is 158% above, Tottori is 13% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Singapore
Tottori
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.74 SGD 15.02
$9.48 ¥1,498
23.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$74.3 SGD 95.1
$32.02 ¥5,059
132.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.76 SGD 11.21
$4.97 ¥786
76.26%
Cappuccino
$5.32 SGD 6.80
$3.25 ¥513
63.69%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.89 SGD 2.42
$0.88 ¥139
114.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.21 SGD 1.55
$0.74 ¥116
63.51%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.46 SGD 10.82
$3.06 ¥484
176.47%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.83 SGD 12.57
$5.70 ¥901
72.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Singapore
Tottori
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.91 SGD 3.72
$1.51 ¥239
92.72%
White Bread (500g)
$2.52 SGD 3.22
$1.00 ¥159
152.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.86 SGD 3.66
$5.67 ¥895
-49.56%
Eggs
$3.64 SGD 4.66
$2.05 ¥323
77.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.88 SGD 26.71
$8.58 ¥1,356
143.36%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$9.92 SGD 12.69
$7.17 ¥1,132
38.35%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$25.77 SGD 32.98
$11.67 ¥1,843
120.82%
Apples (1kg)
$4.70 SGD 6.02
$4.24 ¥670
10.85%
Banana (1kg)
$3.08 SGD 3.94
$2.23 ¥352
38.12%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.74 SGD 6.06
$4.60 ¥727
3.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.19 SGD 2.80
$3.36 ¥531
-34.82%
Potato (1kg)
$2.57 SGD 3.29
$1.86 ¥294
38.17%
Onion (1kg)
$2.32 SGD 2.97
$1.66 ¥262
39.76%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.86 SGD 2.39
$1.19 ¥188
56.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.39 SGD 1.78
$0.90 ¥142
54.44%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.80 SGD 17.66
$3.77 ¥595
266.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.29 SGD 29.81
$7.71 ¥1,217
202.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.77 SGD 6.10
$1.62 ¥257
194.44%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.69 SGD 6.00
$2.54 ¥401
84.65%
🚌 Getting Around
Singapore
Tottori
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.60 SGD 2.04
$1.08 ¥171
48.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$96.0 SGD 123
$54.2 ¥8,556
77.19%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.61 SGD 4.61
$3.27 ¥517
10.40%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.79 SGD 1.02
$3.88 ¥614
-79.64%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.63 SGD 21.28
$12.25 ¥1,936
35.76%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.56 SGD 3.28
$1.05 ¥167
143.81%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$157.0K SGD 200.8K
$20.9K ¥3.3M
649.63%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$149.8K SGD 191.7K
$14.9K ¥2.3M
908.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
Tottori
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$172 SGD 220
$102 ¥16.1K
68.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.13 SGD 15.53
$24.06 ¥3,801
-49.58%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.02 SGD 35.86
$31.13 ¥4,918
-9.99%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
Tottori
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$108 SGD 138
$52.0 ¥8,209
107.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.24 SGD 15.67
$12.73 ¥2,010
-3.85%
Cinema Ticket
$12.03 SGD 15.39
$12.06 ¥1,905
-0.25%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Singapore
Tottori
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,473 SGD 1,885
$322 ¥50.8K
358.24%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$28.7K SGD 36.8K
$6,609 ¥1.0M
334.88%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
Tottori
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$78.0 SGD 99.9
$34.45 ¥5,442
126.50%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$50.9 SGD 65.1
$23.36 ¥3,690
117.77%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$109 SGD 139
$49.17 ¥7,768
121.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$123 SGD 158
$96.0 ¥15.2K
28.21%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Singapore
Tottori
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,917 SGD 3,733
$272 ¥42.9K
973.78%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,161 SGD 2,765
$330 ¥52.2K
554.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,769 SGD 7,383
$1,117 ¥176.5K
416.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,849 SGD 4,925
$743 ¥117.4K
417.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$23.2K SGD 29.7K
$4,580 ¥723.6K
406.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$16.9K SGD 21.7K
$1,833 ¥289.6K
823.74%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Singapore
Tottori
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,547 SGD 5,818
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.44
1.74
40.23%

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

Last update for Singapore: October 20, 2026

Last update for Tottori: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Singapore
$2.2K
Tottori
$330 84.7% $1.8K
Groceries & Markets
Singapore
$458
Tottori
$275 39.8% $182
Eating Out
Singapore
$258
Tottori
$163 36.9% $95
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
$212
Tottori
$157 25.9% $55
Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
$162
Tottori
$91 43.7% $71
Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
$132
Tottori
$76 42.4% $56
Getting Around
Singapore
$110
Tottori
$81 26.1% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,917 in Singapore and $272 in Tottori. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $74.0 in Singapore vs $32.00 in Tottori for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $458 vs $275 per month, with Tottori cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇸🇬 Singapore
🇯🇵 Tottori
🕒 Local time
04:42 4:42 AM
05:42 5:42 AM
1 h ahead of Singapore
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,535,002 Capital
193,717
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to SGD – Singapore Dollar Converter

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.781 USD). 1 EUR = 1.44 SGD (1 SGD = 0.695 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Singapore Tottori 4,930 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Singapore
  • Tottori

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 Tottori: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Tottori cheaper than Singapore?
Tottori is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 198% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You'd need roughly $5,240 in Singapore and $1,761 in Tottori 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.
What is the rent difference between Singapore and Tottori?
Rent for a central apartment: $2,917 in Singapore versus $272 in Tottori. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What are total monthly expenses in Singapore and in Tottori?
All in, you'll spend $3,493 per month in Singapore versus $1,174 in Tottori – a 198% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Tottori runs roughly 77% less than in Singapore. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Singapore or in Tottori?
At $1,174 in Tottori versus $3,493 in Singapore, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tottori but tight or insufficient in Singapore. The gap between the two cities makes Tottori the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Singapore or in Tottori?
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.
Which city is safer, Singapore or Tottori?
Safety-wise, Singapore and Tottori are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Tottori gentler on the wallet – expenses run 198% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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