Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Australia Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and Australia

Name: Australia
Address: AU

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,625 per month in Singapore vs $2,181 in Australia, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,161 per month in Singapore vs $3,218 in Australia, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,696 per month in Singapore vs $4,254 in Australia, rent included.

The cost of living in Singapore is about 66% higher than in Australia on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Singapore and Australia are pricier than the global median – Singapore by 172%, Australia by 64%.

The regional cost range is wider in Singapore ($3,625–$3,625) than in Australia ($1,595–$2,799), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.05 SGD 14.16

$15.97 A$22.66

-30.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.8 SGD 98.4

$79.0 A$112

-2.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.64 SGD 9.78

$9.68 A$13.74

-21.07%

Cappuccino

$4.94 SGD 6.33

$3.58 A$5.08

37.99%

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

$1.71 SGD 2.19

$2.56 A$3.64

-33.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 SGD 1.58

$2.22 A$3.15

-44.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 SGD 10.19

$6.34 A$8.99

25.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.60 SGD 12.30

$6.95 A$9.86

38.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$3.07 SGD 3.94

$1.56 A$2.22

96.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 SGD 3.07

$2.53 A$3.59

-5.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 SGD 3.61

$2.00 A$2.83

40.50%

Eggs

$3.42 SGD 4.38

$4.26 A$6.05

-19.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.52 SGD 25.01

$8.75 A$12.42

123.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.16 SGD 14.30

$8.23 A$11.68

35.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.86 SGD 29.28

$14.15 A$20.08

61.55%

Apples (1kg)

$4.54 SGD 5.82

$3.26 A$4.63

39.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.90 SGD 3.71

$2.81 A$3.99

3.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.76 SGD 6.10

$3.00 A$4.26

58.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.74 SGD 3.51

$4.31 A$6.12

-36.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.42 SGD 3.10

$2.55 A$3.62

-5.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.15 SGD 2.76

$2.16 A$3.07

-0.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.98 SGD 2.54

$2.22 A$3.15

-10.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.53 SGD 1.96

$1.53 A$2.17

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.38 SGD 17.14

$31.28 A$44.38

-57.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.89 SGD 29.33

$14.09 A$20.00

62.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 SGD 5.61

$4.44 A$6.30

-1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.08 SGD 6.50

$4.90 A$6.96

3.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.55 SGD 1.98

$2.95 A$4.19

-47.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.2 SGD 119

$95.9 A$136

-2.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.66 SGD 4.69

$3.49 A$4.95

4.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.72 SGD 0.93

$1.84 A$2.61

-60.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.53 SGD 21.18

$37.26 A$52.9

-55.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.17 SGD 2.78

$1.17 A$1.66

85.47%

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

$139.3K SGD 178.4K

$28.7K A$40.8K

384.67%

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

$129.7K SGD 166.2K

$22.5K A$31.9K

477.44%

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

$158 SGD 202

$173 A$246

-8.92%

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

$18.28 SGD 23.42

$26.62 A$37.77

-31.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.88 SGD 47.24

$53.1 A$75.3

-30.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$116 SGD 149

$46.82 A$66.4

148.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.39 SGD 15.87

$16.38 A$23.25

-24.36%

Cinema Ticket

$11.63 SGD 14.90

$13.56 A$19.24

-14.23%

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

$1,188 SGD 1,522

$1,571 A$2,229

-24.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K SGD 37.6K

$12.6K A$17.9K

132.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.2 SGD 107

$72.1 A$102

15.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.52 SGD 55.8

$51.6 A$73.2

-15.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 SGD 137

$101 A$144

5.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 SGD 163

$108 A$153

17.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,182 SGD 4,077

$1,398 A$1,984

127.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,303 SGD 2,950

$1,086 A$1,541

112.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,262 SGD 8,022

$2,272 A$3,223

175.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,759 SGD 4,815

$1,751 A$2,485

114.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.4K SGD 30.0K

$7,955 A$11.3K

193.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.3K SGD 20.9K

$5,978 A$8,483

172.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,033 SGD 5,166

$4,053 A$5,751

-0.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.19

6.35

-49.76%

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

Last update for Singapore: July 28, 2026

Last update for Australia: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $3,206 in Singapore vs $1,230 in Australia. For reference, capital cities sit at $3,206 in Singapore and $1,557 in Canberra.

Average salary: $3,941 in Singapore vs $3,808 in Australia. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 161% higher in Singapore.

Public transport is 37% more expensive in Singapore.

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 Australia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Australia is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 65% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in Singapore, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Singapore consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Australia, contributing to the overall 65% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Australia, but in Singapore it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

Australia is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.