Monthly cost-of-living calculator
Replace every sample input with your own quote, bill or allowance. The calculator does not send or store your figures.
The sample figures illustrate the mechanics only. Add income tax, savings, debt, remittances and major travel separately. Refundable deposits belong in a move-in cash plan, not the recurring total.
A useful way through this page
- Replace housing first: it is usually the largest swing factor.
- Use the actual household, commute, care and healthcare arrangements.
- Add tax, savings, debt and remittances outside the living-cost total.
If you are planning a move, do not start with a city ranking. Start with the home, commute and people in the household. Those three choices usually move the result more than small differences in groceries or mobile plans. The official average gives context; your quotes and bills build the budget.
They assume public transport, a mixed cook-and-eat-out diet and no car, helper or international-school fees. Savings, income tax, debt payments and overseas travel are outside the totals.
What Singapore’s official household average means
SingStat’s latest full Household Expenditure Survey found average monthly expenditure of S$5,931 per resident household in 2023, excluding imputed rent for owner-occupied homes. It is a useful national reference, but not the price of a standard lifestyle.
- It covers resident households whose reference person is a Singapore Citizen or Permanent Resident, not every expatriate household.
- It combines owners, tenants, different household sizes and very different income levels.
- An average is neither a minimum nor the amount spent by the median household.
- A current market rent may bear little resemblance to the housing expense of a long-time owner.
The detailed HES table records S$7,118.70 including S$1,187.70 of imputed rent for owner-occupied homes. Removing that non-cash statistical item gives the S$5,931 headline. Imputed rent estimates the housing service an owner receives; it is not a bill to add to a cash budget.
| Household Expenditure Survey year | Total including imputed rent | Imputed owner rent | Total excluding it |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | S$3,033.40 | S$371.80 | S$2,661.60 |
| 1998 | S$3,627.60 | S$451.90 | S$3,175.70 |
| 2003 | S$3,797.80 | S$445.90 | S$3,351.90 |
| 2008 | S$4,432.50 | S$623.60 | S$3,808.90 |
| 2013 | S$5,815.30 | S$1,046.80 | S$4,768.50 |
| 2018 | S$6,160.80 | S$998.00 | S$5,162.80 |
| 2023 | S$7,118.70 | S$1,187.70 | S$5,931.00 |
These are nominal monthly averages for resident households, not per-person budgets. “Excluding imputed rent” is the published total minus the survey estimate for owner-occupied accommodation. Changes reflect prices, household composition, tenure and behaviour, so this is not a cost-of-living index.
Prices have moved since 2023. In July 2026, CPI-All Items was 2.2% higher year on year. CPI measures price change, however, not how many dollars a particular household needs.
Dated official price anchors
| Cost | Reference checked 3 Sep 2026 | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| HDB whole-flat rent | Q2 2026 medians included S$2,800 for a 3-room Bedok flat and S$3,500 for a 4-room Tampines flat. | Check the exact town and flat type; this is not a quote for one unit. |
| Adult public transport | S$1.28–S$2.57 per basic card journey; Adult Monthly Travel Pass S$122. | Compare expected distance fares with the pass before buying. |
| Electricity | 34.78 cents/kWh including GST, valid 1 Jul–30 Sep 2026. | Multiply by actual or estimated kWh, then add water and gas. |
| Domestic water | S$3.24/m³ before GST for the first 40m³; S$4.39/m³ above 40m³. | The higher rate applies only to volume above the threshold. |
| Lease duty | 0.4% of total rent for leases up to four years, subject to IRAS rules. | Divide the duty by the lease months for a monthly comparison. |
There is no authoritative islandwide median for one bedroom. Food, insurance, mobile, leisure and room-rental inputs on this site are therefore labelled as editorial assumptions unless tied to a named source or quote.
Three illustrative monthly budgets
| Category | Single, HDB room | Couple, 3-room flat | Family, 4-room flat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent and annualised lease duty | S$1,506 | S$2,811 | S$3,514 |
| Utilities and communications | S$125 | S$320 | S$440 |
| Groceries, meals and drinks out | S$700 | S$1,300 | S$1,800 |
| Public transport and local rides | S$130 | S$260 | S$450 |
| Healthcare and insurance | S$150 | S$300 | S$500 |
| Childcare, school and activities | — | — | S$1,200 |
| Personal, household and leisure | S$480 | S$750 | S$950 |
| Irregular-cost buffer | S$250 | S$400 | S$650 |
| Total | S$3,341 | S$6,141 | S$9,504 |
The single-adult room rent of S$1,500 is an editable market assumption. The couple and family examples use named HDB town-and-flat medians. The family has two adults, one preschool child and one primary-school child; its care allowance must be replaced with citizenship-specific fees.
Housing is the decision that changes everything
For Q2 2026, published whole-flat HDB medians ranged materially by town. Among reported values, 3-room flats included S$2,500 in Choa Chu Kang, S$2,800 in Bedok and S$3,300 in Central. Four-room examples included S$3,000, S$3,400 and S$4,600 respectively. Condition, furnishings, lease terms and MRT proximity still change the individual quote.
Owners should replace rent with actual mortgage cash flow, property tax, service and conservancy charges or maintenance fees, home insurance and a repairs reserve. Mortgage principal builds equity, so it is not economically identical to rent, but it remains a real affordability constraint.
A car is also a separate major decision. These scenarios assume public transport; use the car ownership cost guide before adding a vehicle.
Is Singapore expensive?
It can be, but the useful answer is category-specific. Open-market housing, private cars and international-school fees can make a household budget very high. Basic public transport is distance-priced, mobile service is competitive, and food spending can remain moderate when a household uses supermarkets and lower-cost food outlets deliberately.
International city rankings are poor substitutes for a personal budget: they often model an expatriate consumption basket and may include premium housing or schooling. Compare the exact home, commute, care arrangement and insurance available to you.
Citizens, PRs and foreigners need different budgets
Citizens and permanent residents may have employee CPF deducted before cash reaches the bank. New PRs can be on graduated contribution rates. Foreign employees generally do not contribute to CPF, but may need larger allowances for private healthcare, insurance, relocation and visits home.
Preschool subsidies, school fees and healthcare support also depend on status and detailed eligibility. Income-tax residence is a separate question from immigration status. Build from take-home cash and use the actual scheme, employer plan or fee schedule that applies to each household member.
Upfront cash is not the same as monthly cost
| Item | Budget treatment |
|---|---|
| First month’s rent | Normal monthly expense. |
| Refundable security deposit | Move-in cash requirement, not spending unless retained. |
| Lease stamp duty | Genuine cost; annualise when comparing homes. |
| Furniture and setup | One-off cost or spread over expected useful life. |
| Utility and telecom deposits | Record separately when refundable. |
Budget methodology: how to adapt the model
- Insert the actual rent or owner housing cash flow.
- Replace transport with expected journeys or full car ownership cost.
- Separate employer-paid and personally paid healthcare and insurance.
- Use the relevant childcare or school quotation for every child.
- Convert annual bills into monthly sinking funds.
- Track food and discretionary spending for four ordinary weeks.
- Add savings, income tax, debt and remittances outside the living-cost total.
Add rent, excluded utilities, the changed commute and annualised moving costs. A cheaper home that creates regular ride-hailing or a difficult school journey may not reduce the household total.
Related guides
Primary sources
- SingStat — Report on the Household Expenditure Survey 2023
- data.gov.sg — Average monthly household expenditure by type
- SingStat — Singapore Consumer Price Index, July 2026
- data.gov.sg — HDB median rent by town and flat type
- Public Transport Council — Current fares and passes
- EMA — Q3 2026 electricity and town-gas tariffs
- PUB — Domestic water price
- IRAS — Stamp duty when renting a property
- ECDA — Anchor Operator fee caps
Last fact-checked: 3 September 2026. Rules, fees and official pages can change; check the linked source before acting.