With 29% of its population coming from overseas, the South-East Asian city-state of Singapore is a global hub for expats. Singapore offers an incredible way of life, combining a tropical climate with all the luxuries of living in a great metropolis.
No wonder it’s on our list of the 9 best places to move as an expat in 2023. If you and your family are thinking of moving there too, one of your first questions is likely to be how expensive is it to live in Singapore?
The cost of living in Singapore
Singapore is one of the most expensive countries to live in the world. As an expat, your monthly expenses in Singapore are likely to be much higher than elsewhere in the world. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a high-quality lifestyle in Singapore. With a decent salary and the right budget, you can make the most of everything this country has to offer.
In this guide, we’ll cover the cost of living in Singapore as an expat, going over everything from the average rent in Singapore to the cost of everyday essentials like food, energy and public transportation.
According to 2022 data, the cost of living in Singapore is around 39.1% higher than in the United Kingdom. While the cost of many consumer items and everyday essentials in Singapore is far lower than in the West, rental prices dramatically push up the cost of living in Singapore. Rent in Singapore is almost three times as expensive as in the UK costing, on average, 181% more.
The good news is that skilled workers can expect to earn a good salary, which makes the cost of living in Singapore more manageable. In 2020, the average salary for a middle manager working in Singapore was SGD$119,927/US$88,045.
On top of this, tax rates in Singapore are very lenient and capped at 22%, so you will get to keep much more of your pay than you would in other countries.
The tax rates in Singapore in 2022 are as follows: