Cost of Living · SG vs US
🇸🇬 Singapore vs 🇺🇸 New York: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $1,772 in Singapore vs $2,410 in United States — 35.99% more expensive.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in United States
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): 10.44%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): 10.44%
- ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L: 10.47%
Closest to Singapore prices
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: +41.6%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: +41.6%
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: +41.6%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | Singapore | United States | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $1,236 | $1,750 | +41.6% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $989 | $1,400 | +41.6% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $2,260 | $3,200 | +41.6% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $13.70 | $18.00 | +31.39% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $57.06 | $75.00 | +31.44% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $8.58 | $11.00 | +28.21% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.90 | $1.10 | +22.22% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $2.62 | $3.20 | +22.14% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $2.79 | $3.40 | +21.86% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $8.20 | $10.00 | +21.95% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $3.28 | $4.00 | +21.95% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $3.93 | $4.80 | +22.14% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $9.84 | $12.00 | +21.95% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $1.64 | $2.00 | +21.95% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $4.57 | $6.00 | +31.29% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $7.24 | $8.00 | +10.5% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $3.80 | $5.00 | +31.58% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.89 | $2.30 | +21.69% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $50.70 | $65.00 | +28.21% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $2.15 | $2.75 | +27.91% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $3.04 | $4.00 | +31.58% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $1.37 | $1.80 | +31.39% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.86 | $0.95 | +10.47% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $156 | $200 | +28.21% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $54.60 | $70.00 | +28.21% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $35.10 | $45.00 | +28.21% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $38.04 | $50.00 | +31.44% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $10.65 | $14.00 | +31.46% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $22.83 | $30.00 | +31.41% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $49.80 | $55.00 | +10.44% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $81.49 | $90.00 | +10.44% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $190 | $250 | +31.43% |
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 more expensive is United States than Singapore?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $2,410 in United States versus $1,772 in Singapore — 35.99% more. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in United States?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $6.00 in United States, versus about $4.57 in Singapore.
- How much is rent in United States compared to Singapore?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $1,750/month in United States versus $1,236/month in Singapore (+41.6%). 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.