Asia · Singapore
Cost of living in Singapore
Singapore is 39% cheaper than the US, ranking #61 of 203 countries we cover for cost of living. The local currency is SGD (S$).
World Bank data through 2024 · last reviewed 2026-06.
What drives the cost here
Price levels by category, where the world average = 100. Above 100 is pricier than the global norm; below it is cheaper.
In Singapore, transport is the priciest category relative to the world (173), while restaurants & hotels is the most affordable (70).
Category price levels: World Bank ICP 2021 (world average = 100) · source
What your money is worth here
A $100,000 US lifestyle would cost roughly $61,000 in Singapore.
Quality of life
97/100 · #12 of 198Beyond cost — health, safety, and connectivity. The score is a transparent, equal-weight composite of the verified metrics below (see methodology).
About Singapore
A Malay trading port known as Temasek existed on the island of Singapore by the 14th century. The settlement changed hands several times in the ensuing centuries and was eventually burned in the 17th century, falling into obscurity. In 1819, the British founded modern Singapore as a trading colony on the same site and granted it full internal self-government for all matters except defense and foreign affairs in 1959. Singapore joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963 but was ousted two years later and became independent.
Read the full background
Singapore subsequently became one of the world's most prosperous countries, with strong international trading links and per capita GDP among the highest globally. The People’s Action Party has won every general election in Singapore since the end of the British colonial era, aided by its success in delivering consistent economic growth, as well as the city-state's fragmented opposition and electoral procedures that strongly favor the ruling party.
Background from the CIA World Factbook (public domain), archived 2026-06-03.
Frequently asked
Is Singapore expensive to live in?
Singapore is 39% cheaper than the US, ranking #61 of the 203 countries we track. Its most expensive category relative to the world is transport; restaurants & hotels costs the least.
How much money do you need to live in Singapore?
A lifestyle that costs $100,000 in the United States would cost roughly $61,000 in Singapore, going by overall price levels. The salary translator turns your own figure into a local equivalent.
Is Singapore cheaper than the United States?
Yes. Its overall price level is 61.1, against 100 for the United States.
What is the quality of life in Singapore?
Singapore scores 97 out of 100 on our quality-of-life index (#12 of 198), a composite of life expectancy, safety, health, and connectivity, with life expectancy around 83 years.
Every number, sourced.
We cite the exact source and year for each figure. Derived values are computed at build time, never hand-entered.
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