The cost of living in Singapore has been highlighted as one of the highest in the world today. The high costs are largely attributable to the large influx of foreign skilled workers and foreign direct investment into Singapore. Infrastructure, education and technology in Singapore are world-class here so you get much in return for the high cost.
High Cost of Living in Singapore, but Very Low Tax
Note: One thing to consider is that the tax rate in Singapore is one of the lowest in the world, so you will have a significantly larger monthly sum at your disposal than you might think. So remember to consider the cost of living in Singapore relative to your NET income each month of work. For a more detailed look, please visit our income tax page.
Singapore has been rated the 8th most expensive city in the world for expats
Cost of Accommodation
Rent in Singapore competes with most expensive cities in the world. For a decent two-bedroom condominium in a relatively central area, you will pay around S$4000. Go closer to one of the more prestigious areas (like River Valley or Dunearn Road) and accommodation goes up by 20-25% to S$4800-S$5000. A landed property (with e.g. four bedrooms) will cost you S$15,000+. For more on the various areas to live and costs, check out our accommodation section. Make sure you have something sorted for when you land in Singapore. If you’re looking for immediate accommodation in Singapore at reduced cost, check out Hotels Combined to get the cheapest rates going. Short term accommodation and serviced apartments that offer similar services and amenities come at a higher cost and with more flexibility. A comfortable studio apartment located reasonably centrally will cost S$5000-6000 per month from the likes of Global Residences. Charges can be arranged weekly also, often at added cost. If you are looking for ways to save money here then look at two things. Firstly, a great way to save is by getting a HDB (Housing Development Board) flat. These are no ordinary government-style flats! Many are beautifully furnished and modern. By renting a HDB flat you could get one for S$2,500-S$3,000 depending on location. Most of Singapore is very well serviced transport-wise so you’re never hugely isolated from work.
Cost of Socialising
Drinking in Singapore is an expensive hobby. A reasonable bar will set you back S$10 for a pint of lager or beer and S$14 for a glass
The rewards and incentives you get from your bank can save you a lot
of wine. Watch out for ‘One for One’ offers: this actually means ‘Two for the price of One’!. If you’re looking for some places to empty your wallet in (and have a phenomenal night out) check out our nightlife section. Eating in Singapore can cost as much or as little as you like, and a rise in price might not necessarily result in greater quality. Check out our dining guide for eating ideas to suit all budgets. Singapore also has a revolutionary online food delivery website called Food Panda. From here, one can order from some of the top restaurants in Singapore, and prices are reasonable. A great way to save significant cost on dining, drinking and shopping (20% and more, sometimes) is to check out the offers attached to the top banks in Singapore. For example, Citibank have significant offers on at the moment on dining, drinking and shopping. Visit their website for more.
Cost of Transport
The cost of driving in Singapore can be extremely expensive, costing as much as $100,000 for the license to put a car on the road. There are alternative options that can be more affordable to those living in Singapore. Visit Avis’ useful driving guide to learn more about driving in Singapore. Public transport in Singapore is extremely good value in comparison to many other elements of daily living in Singapore. Buy an EZ links card at any MRT station and you’ll save hugely on bus and MRT travel. Taxis are also extremely good value- a 10 minute trip will set you back around S$6. Getting to work has never been so straight-forward. For more on transport in Singapore please visit our guide.
Cost of Healthcare
Healthcare in Singapore can be prohibitively expensive so you need to make sure that you are well-covered when you arrive here. Check out our Healthcare section for more.
Cost of Utilities
Electricity & Water costs are relatively expensive. For a two-bed apartment you should expect to pay around S$150-200 per month on electricity and water depending on usage of course. Don’t forget to switch off the air-con when you don’t need it- it’ll save you a lot!
A drink in Fullerton Bay Hotel’s Lantern will set you back close to $20, but the views over Singapore’s Marina Bay are spectacular
Cost of Education
The cost of living in Singapore can be relatively high when it comes to your children’s education. International schools’ tuition fees can range from S$6,000 to S$17,000 per year for the Swiss School. Visit our education section for more.
Cost of Groceries
Grocery Shopping in Singapore is expensive as almost everything is imported. Here is a list of prices to give you an idea (estimated): Bag of Ground Coffee: S$10 Minced meat (250g): S$9 Butter (250g): S$4.70 Fresh Milk (1L): S$3.25 Loaf of Sliced Bread: S$1.95 
This is a good source of information! Thank you very much for making it available in the web. God bless you, sir!
The cost of living is high that’s why it is important to have a stable career in Singapore.
Some company is ready to pay S$4500/month is it sufficient to survive there. Please help me out..
As a foreigner, you won’t survive on this salary, unless you are sharing a room and never go out. .
You will also find the cheaper apartments are hard to find, and hdb flats ate generally only for locals, and there is a long waiting list.
My electricity bill was much higher than the amount mentioned above, but I put the aircon on 20 degrees to sleep.
Mobile phone calls also add up, especially if you are calling back home.
With a S$4500 per mo pay you can survive if you are single. If this is your first job in SGP, you probably should consider this as your opportunity to get to SGP. Think about managing a tight life for the first 12-18 months. Once you are there you will get better opportunities, probably move on to higher paying jobs. Again it all depends on what you want your lifestyle to be.
Some tips are:
1 – Make sure you have someone to sponsor you for the initial few weeks, so you have a place to crash for the initial 2-4 weeks you get there. So you get used to the way of life in SGP and get a hang of how to survive.
2 – Look for a paying guest accommodation, a family renting out a room in their house. This will cost anything between S$500 to S$1000 based on location, built year and room type (master, etc..).Here you do not have to pay for utilities separately, do not need to buy appliances, because you use the fridge, washer, TV etc that the home has and do not need to buy furniture. In many cases you can even get free cable TV & internet, depends on how you negotiate.
3 – Use public transport as much as possible; expect spending around S$300 a month for a single person. Taxis will add up cost easily, so use it only for emergencies or totally avoid it. The public transportation is excellent. If your job requires you to work wee hours, transportation may be a hazel & expensive if they do not provide transportation, especially if you are in remote locations (yeah, in small SGP you can be in remote locations). So negotiate that with your employer so you can reimburse taxi fare during odd hours.
4 – Food and Clothing – estimate it to be between S$500 and S$750. The foods at the hawker centers are awesome, cheap and you have plenty of choices. Probably you can have a beer and meal for under S$12.
5 – If you plan to party 2 weekend nights in a month, estimate about $120 per night minimum
With this lifestyle, you can save $1000 per month after taxes. Yeah it’s not a lavish lifestyle, but this is only for the first 12-18 months until you find your next better paying job.
Good Luck.
In Singapore, given the quality, taken in moderation and living as the locals do, the monthly cost be around $6600 per month. Here is how I spend it:
* Cost of housing – 3 bedroom, 1hall, 1 kitchen (1300 sq ft appartment): $2500
* Food – breakfast, lunch, dinner: $650
* Education for 1 child (top 10 in Singapore): $60
* Extra lesson for 1 child (to compete in the top 10 school): $700
* Transportation (mixture of taxi, MRT and bus): $800
* Utilities (electricity, water and gas): $500
* Amortised cost of household furnishing: $200
* Home-cleanning services, 3 times a week: $500
* Groceries (coffee powder = $5 per month): $200
Total: $6110
Say you
Opps that was sent too fast.
Part 2 continues – this is what I think is the minimum
* Cost of housing – 2 bedroom, 1hall, 1 kitchen (1000 sq ft appartment): $2000
* Food – breakfast, lunch, dinner: $600
* Education for 1 child (top 10 in Singapore): $60
* Extra lesson for 1 child (to compete in the top 10 school): $50, self coaching
* Transportation (mixture of MRT and bus): $300
* Utilities (electricity, water and gas): $300
* Amortised cost of household furnishing: $200
* Home-cleanning services, 3 times a week: $0 – do it yourself
* Groceries (coffee powder = $5 per month): $150
Total: $3660
So I think to allocate $4000 would be safe.
Do NOT forget – your salary of $4500 is before deduction. Allow about $900 for CPF deduction, if you opt for it. As foreigner, you can opt for a much lesser amount to be deducted. see www.cpf.gov.sg for details or you can ask you HR professionals for advise.
Thanks for the info. Is it SGD or USD?
So expensive.
Yes you are very true about Singapore economy. Here every 1 out of 3 singapore population is millionaire and they can afford this lifestyle very easily. Even singapore market is also very good place to invest.
Hi,
I would just like to point out that owning a car is very expensive and can be a significant outflow from your salary. At the current prices (at its peak), a Toyota Corolla Altis costs SGD 110,000 !!!!
The range for education (international schools) given in the article is inaccurate. According to my experience, decent international schools can set you back by at least SGD 22,000 per year.
I am a financial consultant. Actually if you are a single , with $4500 pay monthly. That is already very comfortable. Provided:
1) You rent just a room instead of the whole unit. (rental for a room in the public housing areas probably will cost you around $700 – $1000 per month)
2) Your objective of working in Singapore is for the salary and to save up. And not to spend everything on luxury items.
Essential expenditure:
utility bills + mobile + internet : $350 averagely
transport: $250
food: $750
The above will at least take around half of your take home pay, that means you will still be left around $2000 for you other personal needs and hobbies. or for other savings + insurance.
Some local singaporeans don’t even earn $2000 per month.
Thank you Cai for an another perspective on costs! Singapore has alot to offer even when it comes to different lifestyles and cost ranges. I’ve lived there myself as a studen 3 yrs ago and I know it is possible to survive on 2000S$ covering all costs.
It is in the end up to you how you want to live.
$5 for a taxi ride??? Wonder how far you can go! And with all the surcharges, most of the time the meter starts at $7/$8.
Thanks a million for this- living in Singapore seems pretty damn pricey! $10 for a pint? Looks like the social life might suffer a little…
I think it’s great to get this many different opinions on the cost of living in Singapore as there is no right answer…. Great article!
May be, being a bachelor and not enjoying bachelor hood completely, you can stay and save little with S$4500 monthly but if you have a family to join in, forget it. As you might have read from others, half of your salary is eaten up by rent and if you have a kid, being a foreigner need around 1000 for his/her studies in a good school. Then comes the food, utilities, transportation, public life to add few necessaries. I would agree with the gentleman that you need at least S$5000-5500 to survive with family with moderate living.
For 2 Adult(Husband wife) and 3 year kid what would be average life living cost…Like(2 bed room Flat)+fooding+schooling+local transpoatation etc.
Hi Vinay,
It depends on where your 2 bedroom flat is located. Nearer to places like Jurong, a meal can cost between $2-$3.50, but nearer to the city, a meal can cost between $5 to $7.
As for school fees, they are rather affordable for public schools. Education only gets really expensive at the university level. You can find out more about school fees for primary school here http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/primary/
For allowance, primary school students usually get $2 daily since the canteen vendors are heavily subsidised.
For local transportation, if you travel via MRT (1 ride), it will usually cost you about $100 a month per adult. For children, they’ll be entitled to student passes so it will be very affordable.
If you need anything else, let me know.
Hi All,
I am currently based in London and have been offered a post in Singapore with a package of SGD120,000 pa + bonus + all relocation expenses i.e. flights/hotels/shipping etc. Is this considered to be a good package for a family with one child (3.5 yrs old) to have a decent life style?
Yes Mark! I’d think so. If you rent a fully furnished HDB, you should have about $7000/month left for all your other expenses. That’d be the middle-class household (not individual) income for the average Singaporean.
Most comments made above are based on living in a HDB and eating at hawkers but most expats (well, those I know anyway) live in condos and dont eat hawker food very often, in which case costs are more like what was written in the article. You can certainly live cheaper if you’re happy to live in a HDB and eat at hawkers otherwise its more like this:
2-3 bed condo $4k – $6k per month
Food $1.5k
Utilities, cable tv, 2 mobiles $500
Restaurant dinner with wine $80 – $130 per person
Pint of beer / Glass of wine $12 – $18
Taxi $8-$15 for a 10-15 min journey
International school (when you get to it) $20k pa give or take $5k
Full time live in domestic help is around $800pm
We are currently expatting and since you live in Singapore as an expat I wonder if you can give me a better idea of specific costs.
Grocery bill (including cleaning materials) for a month for an average family of 4 (2 adults and 2 kids 10 and 12). Would the S$1.5 cover this, or is this just the food portion? Where we currently live, cleaning goods are wickedly expensive and the actual food portion of the monthly bill is small by comparison.
International schooling is very expensive from what I can see, USD45 000 for 2 kids at an IB school, any suggestions or is this about the norm?
Is it possible to have domestic help Mon – Fri but NOT live in? If so what would such help charge?
Then housing, we have 2 dogs and 2 kids and have always lived in a house with a garden – I don’t mind living in older houses – the garden and space is more important than fabulous finishes. Soooo with a budget of S$5000 – S$6000 for rent would we be able to find something as I hear housing is at a premium in Singapore?
Do expats entertain more at home, or more out at restaurants?
Thanx
Sounds like you will definitely be able to enjoy the luxury of living in a condo, near cbd, cabbing to places, hiring a full time helper and put your child into full time daycare!!! As for what you eat and where you shop will depend on your preferences, ie. decent or not will depend on your family.
We are expats with a local-ish salary (sgd $4500) living in an hdb. I am a stay at home mum with a toddler. We spend $2400 on rent, hundreds on utilities (aircon is necessary as long as we are at home!) We are a little frugal and live a simple life. Hubby feels that being able to have alcohol few times a week is a luxury. We cannot afford daycare because they only offer full time enrolment in most centres which really is a bummer… I guess we are managing somehow… Hope my comment can help give you an idea of what you can do with the package that you have been offered.
To answer your question, in my opinion, you will most likely be able to have a decent lifestyle!!! Good luck!!
Hi guys
Please let me know where exactly we get a room for rent (cheap) and can i save $2000 if my monthly sal is $5000 per month and what all precautions to be taken to achieve this.
Thanks
Room rent – 700 to 1000 (depends on how good it is)
Transportation (Bus, MRT and sometimes taxi) – 200
Food – 500
Partying (once in 2 weeks) – 300
Miscellaneous – 200
You can very well save more than 2k here..
Hi there!!
My husband is move to Singapore already but I’m still in the UK because of my 3.5 years old is in preschool here. Can any one recommence some international school that doesn’t cost me future? I mean reasonable fee and good one. How can I enroll to that school? I’m planning to leave UK about April time and gonna look for school for my daughter start on September time.
Thank you.
Hi everyone!
Where would you prefer me to rent out since I’ve accepted a technical job in Suntec Towers near the Promenade but with only S$3500 basic? I’ve accepted this position because it offered me twice of what I am earning now in MY. I am willing to sacrifice & am very thrifty just for the sake of my family back home. I’ve been reading these threads & I hope you could provide me specific guides & places if it’s not too much for this is my first time in SG. I would be there by mid-February.
A million thanks & any help would be really much appreciated!
Congratulations on the job! Suntec City Tower 3 is right above the Promenade MRT station. Whilst you could stay in the Bugis/Chinatown/City Hall areas (which are very nearby, walkable or just a few bus stops), it could be expensive (up to SGD 1k rental for an HDB room) but the convenience and money saved on transportation could ease stress.
Otherwise anywhere along the MRT Circle line from Mountbatten to Serangoon could be reasonable & relatively convenient too. Good luck!
hi Everyone
I have been offered job at a university for a fixed monthly salary of S$4400 as a postdoc and this is my second postdoc. This was mentioned on my Employment pass approval. The university still has not sent me the salary package. So just wondering if the salary is S$4400, is it possible to survive ( im married with one baby) with this amount.
I have an opportunity to be relocated, and company is offering to pay my housing (up to 8,000 SGD) and also an aditional SGD 7,000 monthly. They will pay 90% of my kids school. I have a wife and 2 kids. What kind of lifestyle that will provide? Thank you!
8000SGD per month will certainly get you a nice condo in most areas of Singapore. Cars are super expensive in Singapore, so hopefully you are not thinking of getting one. Foodwise, pretty much can be anything. If you shop at the markets and cook your own food, not expensive if you get local ingredients. Will start to get pricey if you are after more “Western” things like cheeses, deli goods, etc. Eating at hawker centre should be just a few dollars a meal, while dining out with alcohol will make you poor quite quickly. So, it really depends on your lifestyle choice.
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As on 2013, its not worth living in Singapore if your family income is lesser than SGD 8,000 per month.
Hi, I am into IT and having an offer of 6000 SGD per month in hand and I will be coming with my wife. My office would be at Robinsons road. Is 6000 SGD sufficient to live happily in Singapore, and what would be the best place to stay near office?
Could anyone elaborate on the tax structure paid on monthly income with som examples please. Thank you.
Hi Everyone, I am currently working in mumbai and have been offered to shift to Singapore with my wife (No relocation provided – How much will that cost approximately) and salary is about 6000 SGD per month. Please help me to understand if this is a good enough to live a decent life style in SG.
Hello all,
Can a family of five Two adults Three small children live in Singapore for a year off 20,000 USD?
Did you mean 20,000 USD for 1 year ? Which is around 25,000 SGD per year and 2083 SGD per month. I would say its definitely not possible to live with this money in S’pore. But if you had meant 20,000 USD per month, then you can live a luxurious life in S’pore.
Hi there, did you mean 200k SGD instead?
Because realistically, $20,000 may proved to be quite tight for a family of five to live in Singapore. I am sorry but this is true. Especially because you would have to rent a room or an apartment, which will take at least $500/mth for a single room or $2000/mth for a small flat.
Singapore can be pricey, for those who seek a lavish lifestyle. For the vast majority of common people with a decent paycheck, it is fairly affordable provided you are able to live like the locals. (Like me)
Here’s a breakdown of my monthly expenditure as a single, living with parents:
1) Public transport: $200
Compare to other major world cities, our public transport is dirt cheap. Bus service and MRT (Singaporean Metro) covers about every inch of our land.
2) Food: $350
Get acquainted REAL Singaporean food, served at local hawker centers and food courts. They are cheap and taste pretty awesome.
3) Bills: $200
These should cover electricity & water, internet connect, and mobile plan.
4) Leisure: $250
This is the amount I set aside for misc. spending. Like nights out with friends, or dinning in an ordinary restaurant during weekends. *** I am not a heavy drinker, therefore my bills for leisure activities is relatively low. For those who loves a pint or two after work everyday, alcohol is expensive here.
Total: $1000 SGD
I’ve lived this way for the past few years, not luxurious, but definitely a decent standard of living. So don’t be put off when you see others claiming insane cost of living, its all subjective and varies from person to person. All I can say is the majority of people here live the way I do. Local fresh graduates here only make a starting salary of around $3000-$4000.
Spend within your limits, and your stay in Singapore will be an enjoyable experience!
Is it Possible to live a moderate life in Singapore with 4700 SGD per month with me and my wife?
Yes. You can live comfortably in an above-average house and spare cash to dine in fine restaurants and not-too-much branded clothings. But if its for the long-term, its better to buy a house here than rent it. Renting is kinda expensive (around 1k).
A normal Singaporean guy has an average of 2 to 3k salary. So you are above average.
Hi All,
I am planning a move to Singapore during July-August of 2013, when looking for a place to stay (wife, 7 year old daughter, pet dog and possibly maid), would i be able to get a 3 bedroom, spacious (+2,500sq ft) apartment, condo for about SGD5k?. One agent has said that i would need to look at an ‘out of town’ area, don’t know asingapore, so how far is ‘out of town’ and is my budget reasonable?
Hi everyone,
My husband got offered a job in Singapore. His boss asked him to come back to him next week, with an estimated salary in mind. My husband and I are quite young. We’re both just starting out in our careers. But he is extremely good at what he does. Hence, the company sending him to Singapore to start a new branch outside of Europe.
Now, my question is, what would be an ideal salary for him to request?
We’re both used to living comfortably. We’re not overly luxurious by any means, but nor are we very frugal either. We both like to shop, and he’s a foodie. So he enjoys cooking good food, and eating at good restaurants. He came up with 8000USD after taxes per month. But would that be enough to sustain the both of us? I will not have a job while I’m out there, as I’ll be working on my dissertation. So I’m worried about the general cost of living, shopping, traveling, eating out etc.
Help is very much appreciated!
Thank you all,
Tina
Hi tina!
I thought this was a good reference in ur case
good luck!
“An expat in Singapore
on January 13, 2013 at 2:33 pm said:
Most comments made above are based on living in a HDB and eating at hawkers but most expats (well, those I know anyway) live in condos and dont eat hawker food very often, in which case costs are more like what was written in the article. You can certainly live cheaper if you’re happy to live in a HDB and eat at hawkers otherwise its more like this:
2-3 bed condo $4k – $6k per month
Food $1.5k
Utilities, cable tv, 2 mobiles $500
Restaurant dinner with wine $80 – $130 per person
Pint of beer / Glass of wine $12 – $18
Taxi $8-$15 for a 10-15 min journey
International school (when you get to it) $20k pa give or take $5k
Full time live in domestic help is around $800pm
Reply ↓”
Hi all, my wife and I are planning to relocate to SG in June. My wife has accepted an offer, I am also in talks regarding an internal transfer with my company, but also exploring options (no harm in looking right???!!). Anyway, our salary (combined) per month will be around $10,800. We’ll looking to save minimum $6k per month (after tax) so any advice on how we plan this? I have done rough estimates and confident we can do it. We don’t drink, smoke or go clubbing.
By my reckoning, we have $4300 – $4500 set aside for living costs so here is my breakdown:
Rent: $2500 per month
Utilities/Bills: $350 per month
Internet = TV – $80 per month
Mobile phones – $100 per month (combined)
Commuting: $250 per month (combined)
Groceries: $400
Spare cash: $500 – 600 per month (for our own pleasure)
How does the above look? Realistic?