Cost of Living · SG vs CN
🇸🇬 Singapore vs 🇨🇳 Shanghai: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $1,772 in Singapore vs $1,011 in China — 42.94% cheaper.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in China
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: -47.39%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: -47.39%
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: -47.39%
Closest to Singapore prices
- ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L: -16.28%
- 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle: -16.71%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): -16.77%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | Singapore | China | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $1,236 | $650 (4,675 CNY) | -47.39% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $989 | $520 (3,740 CNY) | -47.39% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $2,260 | $1,189 (8,548 CNY) | -47.39% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $13.70 | $8.27 (59 CNY) | -39.64% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $57.06 | $34.45 (248 CNY) | -39.62% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $8.58 | $5.42 (39 CNY) | -36.83% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.90 | $0.62 (4 CNY) | -31.11% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $2.62 | $1.82 (13 CNY) | -30.53% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $2.79 | $1.93 (14 CNY) | -30.82% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $8.20 | $5.68 (41 CNY) | -30.73% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $3.28 | $2.27 (16 CNY) | -30.79% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $3.93 | $2.73 (20 CNY) | -30.53% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $9.84 | $6.81 (49 CNY) | -30.79% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $1.64 | $1.14 (8 CNY) | -30.49% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $4.57 | $2.76 (20 CNY) | -39.61% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $7.24 | $6.03 (43 CNY) | -16.71% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $3.80 | $2.30 (17 CNY) | -39.47% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.89 | $1.31 (9 CNY) | -30.69% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $50.70 | $32.05 (230 CNY) | -36.79% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $2.15 | $1.36 (10 CNY) | -36.74% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $3.04 | $1.84 (13 CNY) | -39.47% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $1.37 | $0.83 (6 CNY) | -39.42% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.86 | $0.72 (5 CNY) | -16.28% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $156 | $98.60 (709 CNY) | -36.79% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $54.60 | $34.51 (248 CNY) | -36.79% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $35.10 | $22.19 (160 CNY) | -36.78% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $38.04 | $22.97 (165 CNY) | -39.62% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $10.65 | $6.43 (46 CNY) | -39.62% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $22.83 | $13.78 (99 CNY) | -39.64% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $49.80 | $41.45 (298 CNY) | -16.77% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $81.49 | $67.82 (488 CNY) | -16.78% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $190 | $115 (826 CNY) | -39.63% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much cheaper is China than Singapore?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $1,011 in China versus $1,772 in Singapore — 42.94% less. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in China?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $2.76 in China (≈ 19.84 CNY), versus about $4.57 in Singapore.
- How much is rent in China compared to Singapore?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $650/month in China versus $1,236/month in Singapore (-47.39%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.