Cost of living in Singapore: a realistic monthly breakdown
Rent, hawker food, transport, healthcare and the things expats forget. Realistic monthly budgets for a single professional and a family in Singapore.
Singapore regularly appears near the top of global cost of living rankings. That is true for some things, especially housing, cars and alcohol, and not for others. Hawker food, public transport and taxes can be surprisingly reasonable. Your monthly cost depends mostly on where you live and how you eat.
Housing: the biggest decision
Most foreigners rent either an HDB flat (public housing, often a room in a flat with the owner or other tenants) or a condominium with pool and gym.
Typical monthly rents in 2026, in Singapore dollars:
- Room in an HDB flat: 1,000 to 1,800
- Common room in a condo: 1,400 to 2,200
- Whole HDB flat (3 room): 3,000 to 3,800
- One bedroom condo in the city fringe: 3,300 to 4,500
- Three bedroom condo: 5,500 to 9,000 and above
Rents rose very sharply in 2022 and 2023, then eased. Leases are usually for one or two years, with a deposit of one month per year of lease, and agent fees for some arrangements.
Keep reading
How to budget for a move abroad
The real costs of relocating: visas, flights, deposits, the first months before salary arrives and the hidden extras. A simple framework and worked numbers.
3 min read Updated Sep 2026