Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ulsan and Singapore

For one person, living is cheaper in Ulsan: $1,339 a month against $3,500 in Singapore, rent and utilities included – about $25,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Ulsan
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Ulsan Living Index
169

Cost of Living Index in Singapore
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Singapore Living Index

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Ulsan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,339

/mo nomad

Singapore

🇸🇬 Singapore

$3,500

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ulsan and in Singapore

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ulsan and in Singapore actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,339 in Ulsan versus $3,500 in Singapore.

Ulsan $1,339
Singapore $3,500

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,185 in Ulsan versus $5,265 in Singapore.

Ulsan $2,185
Singapore $5,265

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,030 in Ulsan versus $7,030 in Singapore.

Ulsan $3,030
Singapore $7,030

Living in Ulsan costs roughly 62% less than in Singapore, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ulsan is 1% below, Singapore is 159% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.62 ₩10.1K

$11.76 SGD 15.05

-35.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.63 ₩59.3K

$70.6 SGD 90.4

-36.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.93 ₩7,882

$8.55 SGD 10.94

-30.64%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ₩4,410

$5.20 SGD 6.66

-36.15%

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

$0.88 ₩1,175

$1.77 SGD 2.27

-50.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ₩619

$1.23 SGD 1.58

-61.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.01 ₩4,006

$8.26 SGD 10.58

-63.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 ₩5,826

$10.17 SGD 13.01

-56.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.36 ₩3,139

$3.04 SGD 3.89

-22.37%

White Bread (500g)

$3.25 ₩4,315

$2.55 SGD 3.26

27.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.16 ₩4,207

$2.86 SGD 3.66

10.49%

Eggs

$2.73 ₩3,634

$3.53 SGD 4.51

-22.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.88 ₩14.5K

$21.12 SGD 27.02

-48.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.63 ₩14.1K

$9.90 SGD 12.67

7.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.54 ₩32.6K

$25.42 SGD 32.53

-3.46%

Apples (1kg)

$11.39 ₩15.1K

$4.57 SGD 5.85

149.23%

Banana (1kg)

$3.74 ₩4,975

$3.13 SGD 4.00

19.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.09 ₩10.8K

$4.72 SGD 6.04

71.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.05 ₩8,048

$2.23 SGD 2.85

171.30%

Potato (1kg)

$6.01 ₩7,992

$2.57 SGD 3.29

133.85%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 ₩4,328

$2.29 SGD 2.93

42.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 ₩3,844

$1.87 SGD 2.39

54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₩1,707

$1.44 SGD 1.84

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.12 ₩4,154

$13.97 SGD 17.88

-77.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.52 ₩24.6K

$23.48 SGD 30.05

-21.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 ₩3,264

$4.54 SGD 5.80

-46.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.44 ₩4,577

$4.44 SGD 5.68

-22.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 ₩1,511

$1.57 SGD 2.01

-27.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.8 SGD 120

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.89 ₩3,849

$3.64 SGD 4.66

-20.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,040

$0.76 SGD 0.97

2.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.96 ₩22.6K

$16.14 SGD 20.66

5.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ₩1,899

$2.45 SGD 3.14

-41.63%

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

$30.0K ₩39.9M

$155.2K SGD 198.5K

-80.65%

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

$34.1K ₩45.4M

$148.5K SGD 190.0K

-77.01%

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

$197 ₩261.8K

$172 SGD 220

14.77%

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

$37.06 ₩49.3K

$12.39 SGD 15.86

199.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.21 ₩36.2K

$26.21 SGD 33.54

3.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.4 ₩80.3K

$108 SGD 138

-44.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.31 SGD 15.75

Cinema Ticket

$10.30 ₩13.7K

$11.64 SGD 14.90

-11.51%

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

$263 ₩349.3K

$1,481 SGD 1,895

-82.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ₩29.3M

$28.3K SGD 36.3K

-22.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.5 ₩68.5K

$80.6 SGD 103

-36.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.56 ₩60.6K

$50.1 SGD 64.1

-9.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.0 ₩81.2K

$112 SGD 143

-45.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 ₩99.7K

$129 SGD 165

-41.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 ₩495.3K

$3,015 SGD 3,858

-87.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$244 ₩324.7K

$2,171 SGD 2,778

-88.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$761 ₩1.0M

$5,842 SGD 7,475

-86.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$648 ₩861.8K

$4,044 SGD 5,174

-83.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,483 ₩6.0M

$23.8K SGD 30.4K

-81.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,479 ₩3.3M

$16.8K SGD 21.4K

-85.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,331 ₩3.1M

$4,385 SGD 5,611

-46.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

2.44

72.95%

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

Last update for Ulsan: October 11, 2026

Last update for Singapore: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Ulsan

$489 36.5%

Singapore

$458 13.1% 6.4% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ulsan

$261 19.5%

Singapore

$210 6% 19.5% $51

Accommodation & Living

Ulsan

$244 18.2%

Singapore

$2.2K 62% 789% $1.9K

Eating Out

Ulsan

$148 11%

Singapore

$256 7.3% 73.1% $108

Clothing & Footwear

Ulsan

$105 7.8%

Singapore

$167 4.8% 59.3% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Ulsan

$81 6.1%

Singapore

$131 3.8% 62.1% $50

Getting Around

Ulsan

$11 * 0.9%

Singapore

$107 3.1% 847% $96

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $373 in Ulsan and $3,015 in Singapore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Singapore pays 88% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $45.00 in Ulsan vs $71.0 in Singapore. Groceries flip the comparison at $489 vs $458, with Singapore cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Ulsan

🇸🇬 Singapore

🕒 Local time

06:15 6:15 AM

05:15 5:15 AM

1 h behind Ulsan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,129,827

5,535,002 Capital

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Singapore Dollar SGD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

1 SGD = 0.781 USD

1 SGD = 0.695 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SGD, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Singapore Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.28 SGD (1 SGD = 0.781 USD). 1 EUR = 1.44 SGD (1 SGD = 0.695 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Ulsan Singapore 4,630 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Ulsan
Singapore

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

Ulsan vs Singapore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ulsan is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and leisure. The 161% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 88% lower in Singapore. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $373 in Ulsan versus $3,015 in Singapore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $263 in Ulsan versus $1,481 in Singapore. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ulsan – a meal for two runs $45.00 versus $71.0 in Singapore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,339 in Ulsan versus $3,500 in Singapore, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Ulsan but tight or insufficient in Singapore. The gap between the two cities makes Ulsan 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.

Safety-wise, Ulsan and Singapore are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ulsan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Singapore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.