Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and United Kingdom Cost of Living Comparison Between Singapore and United Kingdom

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,625 per month in Singapore vs $2,365 in United Kingdom, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,161 per month in Singapore vs $3,470 in United Kingdom, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,696 per month in Singapore vs $4,575 in United Kingdom, rent included.

The cost of living in Singapore is about 53% higher than in United Kingdom on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Singapore and United Kingdom are pricier than the global median – Singapore by 172%, United Kingdom by 78%.

The regional cost range is wider in Singapore ($3,625$3,625) than in United Kingdom ($1,652$3,902), so city choice matters more there.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Singapore
United Kingdom
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$11.05 SGD 14.16
$20.15 £14.94
-45.16%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$76.8 SGD 98.4
$88.5 £65.6
-13.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.64 SGD 9.78
$10.33 £7.66
-26.04%
Cappuccino
$4.94 SGD 6.33
$4.53 £3.36
9.05%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.71 SGD 2.19
$2.38 £1.76
-28.15%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23 SGD 1.58
$1.70 £1.26
-27.65%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.95 SGD 10.19
$6.61 £4.90
20.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.60 SGD 12.30
$6.24 £4.62
53.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Singapore
United Kingdom
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$3.07 SGD 3.94
$1.64 £1.22
87.20%
White Bread (500g)
$2.40 SGD 3.07
$1.67 £1.23
43.71%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$2.81 SGD 3.61
$2.22 £1.65
26.58%
Eggs
$3.42 SGD 4.38
$3.98 £2.95
-14.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.52 SGD 25.01
$9.60 £7.11
103.33%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.16 SGD 14.30
$9.15 £6.78
21.97%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.86 SGD 29.28
$13.94 £10.33
63.99%
Apples (1kg)
$4.54 SGD 5.82
$2.94 £2.18
54.42%
Banana (1kg)
$2.90 SGD 3.71
$1.67 £1.24
73.65%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.76 SGD 6.10
$2.85 £2.12
67.02%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.74 SGD 3.51
$3.44 £2.55
-20.35%
Potato (1kg)
$2.42 SGD 3.10
$1.70 £1.26
42.35%
Onion (1kg)
$2.15 SGD 2.76
$1.61 £1.19
33.54%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.98 SGD 2.54
$1.12 £0.83
76.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.53 SGD 1.96
$1.52 £1.13
0.66%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$13.38 SGD 17.14
$20.60 £15.27
-35.05%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.89 SGD 29.33
$10.60 £7.86
115.94%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.38 SGD 5.61
$2.87 £2.13
52.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.08 SGD 6.50
$3.27 £2.43
55.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Singapore
United Kingdom
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.55 SGD 1.98
$3.23 £2.40
-52.01%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$93.2 SGD 119
$93.3 £69.1
-0.12%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.66 SGD 4.69
$5.28 £3.91
-30.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.72 SGD 0.93
$1.52 £1.13
-52.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$16.53 SGD 21.18
$26.79 £19.85
-38.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.17 SGD 2.78
$1.98 £1.47
9.60%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$139.3K SGD 178.4K
$37.9K £28.1K
267.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$129.7K SGD 166.2K
$40.6K £30.1K
219.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Singapore
United Kingdom
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$158 SGD 202
$325 £241
-51.47%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$18.28 SGD 23.42
$17.63 £13.07
3.69%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$36.88 SGD 47.24
$42.17 £31.26
-12.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Singapore
United Kingdom
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$116 SGD 149
$45.93 £34.04
153.47%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.39 SGD 15.87
$15.86 £11.76
-21.88%
Cinema Ticket
$11.63 SGD 14.90
$13.36 £9.91
-12.95%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Singapore
United Kingdom
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,188 SGD 1,522
$1,736 £1,287
-31.57%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$29.3K SGD 37.6K
$21.3K £15.8K
37.42%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Singapore
United Kingdom
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$83.2 SGD 107
$90.8 £67.3
-8.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$43.52 SGD 55.8
$45.24 £33.53
-3.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 SGD 137
$102 £75.9
4.54%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$127 SGD 163
$102 £75.5
24.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Singapore
United Kingdom
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,182 SGD 4,077
$1,412 £1,047
125.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,303 SGD 2,950
$1,122 £832
105.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$6,262 SGD 8,022
$2,367 £1,754
164.59%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,759 SGD 4,815
$1,827 £1,354
105.73%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$23.4K SGD 30.0K
$5,662 £4,196
313.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$16.3K SGD 20.9K
$4,424 £3,279
268.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Singapore
United Kingdom
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$4,033 SGD 5,166
$3,238 £2,400
24.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.19
5.75
-44.52%

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

Last update for Singapore: July 28, 2026

Last update for United Kingdom: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $3,206 in Singapore vs $1,266 in United Kingdom. For reference, capital cities sit at $3,206 in Singapore and $3,021 in London.

Average salary: $3,941 in Singapore vs $3,174 in United Kingdom. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 153% higher in Singapore.

Salaries are 24% higher in Singapore, and purchasing power comes out stronger in United Kingdom.

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 United Kingdom: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do Singapore and United Kingdom compare in cost of living?
United Kingdom is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 31% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
How do rents compare between Singapore and United Kingdom?
Housing costs more in Singapore, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but Singapore consistently has higher rents.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: Singapore or United Kingdom?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in United Kingdom, contributing to the overall 31% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
How far does $2,500 go in Singapore compared to United Kingdom?
$2,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in United Kingdom, but in Singapore it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
How do I choose between living in Singapore and in United Kingdom?
United Kingdom 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.

Singapore vs other spots: cost of living compared

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