²ÝÁñÉçÇø

Menu
²ÝÁñÉçÇø
Search
Magazine
Search

Singapore: The world's most expensive city

Veedushi

Hello everyone,

Singapore remains the world's most expensive city for expats the 3rd consecutive year according to Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) report on the cost of living in major cities worldwide. The City State is followed by Zurich, Hong Kong, Geneva and Paris.

Note that this survey, conducted since more than 30 years and published twice a year, takes into account more than 400 individual prices of 160 products and services, including food, clothes, household items, transports, utility bills, private school fees, leisure, etc.

According to this report, buying and running a car is 2.7 times more expensive in Singapore than in New York. As regards utility bills and buying clothes, you will have to anticipate heavy expenses.

Find more information here :

So what do you think about the cost of living in Singapore?

See also

Living in Singapore: the expat guideCost of living in Singapore in 2025Taxes for expats in SingaporeSpass and EP application at the same time[LTVP] Female Singaporean and Nepalese Man
beppi

The report is right: Singapore isn't cheap by any measure.
If you visit or move there, remember to bring lots of cash!

SAMASIMO-EXPAT

I applied for job in bank in Singapore and waiting reply from them. how much average salary for bank jobs in singapore for experienced employees?

beppi

Samasimo: The salary level depends very much on your background (education, work experience, other skills) and the exact job description (responsibilities, etc.), thus this cannot be answered based on the very little information you gave.
Perhaps you can google Singapore salary surveys, which are regularly published by various consultancies and headhunters and are available on the net. I think I also posted a few links on this forum in the past - you could try to find that post, too.

SAMASIMO-EXPAT

thankxx beppi

Ameer700

Hi

I can not agree more. I came in 1998 and when I compare it with the first time I came in the cost increased exponentialy.


Ameer

SAMASIMO-EXPAT

So guys. How is the everage monthly budget for single man to spend his time working, going out for dinner and drink, normal shopping and so on ?

beppi

Samasimo:
This cannot be answered easily, as there is a wide range of lifestyles, expectations and spending habits. If you live frugally and are o.k. with the limited privacy and luxury of a sublet room in a shared flat, you might manage on S$2000-3000, but if you want your own apartment, some restaurant meals and entertainment including an occasional beer, you will need double of that or more.

maqsewe

Having lived and worked in both Singapore and Luanda, Angola, i believe Luanda is the most expensive of the two.

AdamDevis

Singapore is also the most expensive city for shopping clothes.
The five most expensive cities also includes Paris, Oslo, Zurich and Sydney. Tokyo, who led the list, dropped to ninth place last year.
But in Singapore, one of the cheapest online gifts - **
EIU expects the cost of living index for the 131 cities in the world twice a year, using as a starting point subsistence level in New York.

Ten years ago, Singapore was only 18 m in the index.
Large cities in India were considered the least expensive in the world.

SAMASIMO-EXPAT

I think it all depends on where you eat, where you buy your clothes and where you choose to live. In other words, live more like the locals and it will seem less expensive.

Also, many Singaporeans and ²ÝÁñÉçÇøs choose to live across the border in Malaysia in Johore Baru. They can buy or rent houses or apartments a lot cheaper than in Singapore and of course most everything else in regards to the cost of living is less expensive. They commute to work from Malaysia to Singapore everyday.

That does not mean that Singapore is any less expensive, but it is a solution to some people's problem with the high cost of living.

Canman53

@ Maqsewe
I'm guessing that may no longer be true with the crash of the oil price?

ollie.busy

well ... sorry -i'm quite new here! is it possible to live in indonesia and take the boat daily to go to work ?
thanks :)

beppi

The ferry to and from Batam takes 45-60min each way. So even if you live and work very near the ferry terminals on both sides and the customs formalities are quick, you lose about 3 hours every day (and have to pay S$50/day for the ticket).
Apart from that, you need a residence visa for Indonesia. I cannot comment on how to get that.

ollie.busy

sounds like it's not the best idea ;) thanks forthe info

surya2k

There is no way a foreigner can stay in Indonesia and work in Singapore. You will not get a residential visa in Indonesia and nor Singapore govt will allow you to do so.

Though daily ferry ticket is cheap, both ways you can get less than $35 per day.

beppi

surya2k wrote:

There is no way a foreigner can stay in Indonesia and work in Singapore. You will not get a residential visa in Indonesia and nor Singapore govt will allow you to do so.


Of course one can think of constellations where this is possible: He might be an Indonesian, or married to one, or already possess a residence permit for Indonesia by another way (though wanting to live there and work in Singapore will NOT give him a visa, that's clear). The Singapore authorities could care less - a Singapore work visa gives you the right, but not duty to live in Singapore - as many commuting Johoreans show.