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

Name: United States
Address: US

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,651 per month in Singapore vs $2,643 in United States, rent included.

A couple spends around $5,224 per month in Singapore vs $3,857 in United States, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,796 per month in Singapore vs $5,070 in United States, rent included.

Singapore costs about 38% more than United States on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Singapore and United States are pricier than the global median – Singapore by 172%, United States by 97%.

Singapore has a wider regional cost range ($3,651–$3,651) than United States ($1,343–$5,081), so location matters more when choosing where to live in Singapore.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.86 SGD 13.90

$20.04 $20.04

-45.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.8 SGD 101

$76.0 $76.0

3.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.69 SGD 9.84

$11.42 $11.42

-32.66%

Cappuccino

$4.87 SGD 6.24

$5.39 $5.39

-9.65%

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

$1.67 SGD 2.13

$2.55 $2.55

-34.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 SGD 1.59

$2.04 $2.04

-39.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.95 SGD 10.17

$6.14 $6.14

29.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.12 SGD 11.68

$7.18 $7.18

27.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.97 SGD 3.80

$1.04 $1.04

185.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 SGD 3.06

$3.65 $3.65

-34.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.90 SGD 3.71

$4.73 $4.73

-38.69%

Eggs

$3.29 SGD 4.22

$4.38 $4.38

-24.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.62 SGD 25.11

$12.76 $12.76

53.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.33 SGD 14.51

$12.42 $12.42

-8.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.43 SGD 28.71

$16.41 $16.41

36.68%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 SGD 5.71

$5.42 $5.42

-17.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.98 SGD 3.81

$1.65 $1.65

80.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.84 SGD 6.20

$4.59 $4.59

5.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.63 SGD 3.36

$4.91 $4.91

-46.44%

Potato (1kg)

$2.47 SGD 3.16

$2.92 $2.92

-15.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.24 SGD 2.86

$3.13 $3.13

-28.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 SGD 2.63

$2.26 $2.26

-8.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 SGD 2.02

$2.30 $2.30

-31.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.16 SGD 16.85

$9.89 $9.89

33.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$25.27 SGD 32.35

$15.10 $15.10

67.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 SGD 5.41

$1.91 $1.91

120.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.19 SGD 6.65

$3.66 $3.66

41.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 SGD 2.02

$2.48 $2.48

-36.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$92.3 SGD 118

$64.8 $64.8

42.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.65 SGD 4.67

$3.84 $3.84

-4.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 SGD 0.97

$1.76 $1.76

-56.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.65 SGD 21.32

$30.58 $30.58

-45.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.28 SGD 2.91

$0.96 $0.96

137.50%

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

$142.0K SGD 181.8K

$30.5K $30.5K

366.00%

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

$129.9K SGD 166.3K

$26.4K $26.4K

392.40%

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

$160 SGD 205

$204 $204

-21.45%

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

$18.12 SGD 23.19

$57.3 $57.3

-68.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.90 SGD 47.24

$71.2 $71.2

-48.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$116 SGD 149

$46.67 $46.67

148.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.38 SGD 15.85

$22.12 $22.12

-44.03%

Cinema Ticket

$11.61 SGD 14.86

$13.84 $13.84

-16.11%

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

$1,189 SGD 1,522

$1,384 $1,384

-14.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K SGD 37.5K

$22.7K $22.7K

29.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.1 SGD 105

$53.0 $53.0

54.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.22 SGD 55.3

$43.17 $43.17

0.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 SGD 135

$90.6 $90.6

16.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 SGD 166

$114 $114

13.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,139 SGD 4,019

$1,766 $1,766

77.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,243 SGD 2,872

$1,459 $1,459

53.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,114 SGD 7,827

$2,832 $2,832

115.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,739 SGD 4,787

$2,411 $2,411

55.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$23.7K SGD 30.3K

$3,287 $3,287

620.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.1K SGD 20.6K

$2,650 $2,650

506.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,253 SGD 5,444

$4,379 $4,379

-2.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.19

6.51

-51.00%

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

Last update for Singapore: May 31, 2026

Last update for United States: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $3,101 in Singapore vs $1,637 in United States. For reference, capital cities sit at $3,101 in Singapore and $2,591 in Washington, DC.

Average salary: $4,285 in Singapore vs $4,500 in United States. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 89% higher in Singapore.

Public transport is 276% 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 United States: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

United States is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 14% 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 United States, contributing to the overall 14% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$4,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in United States, but in Singapore it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

United States 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.