Edition 9 September 2026
Singapore
A basic month in Singapore runs $1,990. A comfortable one runs $4,910. Both are totals for one person, all in, including rent, at the rates of 8 September 2026.
No friction, triple the cost
- A basic month
- $1,990
- A comfortable month
- $4,910
- Visa
- Employer only
- Public transport
- Excellent
- Air
- Clean
Who Singapore suits, and who it does not
Choose Singapore if an employer is bringing you. Everything works. The water is drinkable, the air is usually clean, the trains run, the hospitals are in the middle of town and the airport is the best in the region. There is no meter scam and no resort-rate electricity. In a series full of cities where the friction is the story, here the friction is genuinely low.
Do not choose Singapore if any of these is you.
- You have no employer.
- You are funding yourself.
- You want to own property.
- You want to drive.
- You want the region to feel cheap.
The guide gives the reason behind each one, with its figures.
Where people actually live
- Orchard, River Valley and Tanglin — Districts 9 and 10
- Tanjong Pagar, the CBD and Marina Bay — Districts 1 and 2
- Tiong Bahru — District 3
- Holland Village and Bukit Timah — Districts 10, 11 and 21
- East Coast, Katong and Joo Chiat — District 15
- Novena, Newton and Thomson — District 11
- Queenstown, Dover and one-north — Districts 3 and 5
- Punggol and Sengkang — District 19
- Sentosa Cove
The rest of the city
Compare Singapore
Singapore rules
Edition 9 September 2026. Every figure carries the date it was true and the source it came from. We last changed this page on 21 September 2026.