Shanghai vs Singapore Cost of Living
Shanghai (China) · Overall index 47.2 — Singapore (Singapore) · Overall index 78.2
Summary
- Overall, Singapore is 66% more expensive than Shanghai.
- Rent in Singapore is 134% more expensive than in Shanghai.
- Transport in Singapore is 68% more expensive than in Shanghai.
| Item | Shanghai | Singapore | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +134% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,123 | $2,802 | +150% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $819 | $1,887 | +130% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,667 | $6,049 | +127% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,498 | $3,490 | +133% |
| Groceries | +46% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.89 | $1.1 | +24% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.39 | $3.89 | +63% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.36 | $4.33 | +29% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.12 | $3.94 | +26% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $8.28 | $12.9 | +56% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $8 | $12.2 | +52% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $12.9 | $19.3 | +50% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.55 | $4.93 | +39% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.42 | $1.96 | +38% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.11 | $4.02 | +29% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.04 | $5.53 | +82% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.83 | $2.84 | +55% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.6 | $2.66 | +66% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.6 | $2.3 | +44% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.62 | $2.14 | +32% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $9.46 | $14.8 | +56% |
| Transport | +68% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.25 | $2.23 | +78% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $69.5 | $99.1 | +43% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.95 | $3.23 | +66% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.91 | $1.75 | +92% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.52 | $0.78 | +50% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $13,544 | $24,838 | +83% |
| Dining out | +57% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $11.2 | $21.6 | +93% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $71.4 | $105 | +47% |
| Fast food combo meal | $6.06 | $9.73 | +61% |
| Cappuccino | $3.29 | $4.28 | +30% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.53 | $2.2 | +44% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.76 | $6.69 | +78% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $4.63 | $7.94 | +71% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.27 | $1.82 | +43% |
| Telecom | +35% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $37.8 | $53.2 | +41% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $42.3 | $55.4 | +31% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.21 | $0.32 | +52% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $10.7 | $12.9 | +21% |
| Utilities & household | +50% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $113 | $158 | +40% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.14 | $0.22 | +57% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.88 | $4.04 | +40% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.81 | $1.24 | +53% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $13.2 | $19.2 | +45% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $49.5 | $80.6 | +63% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $8.96 | $14.4 | +61% |
| Men's haircut | $20.7 | $28.1 | +36% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $15.8 | $24.6 | +56% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,193 | $1,858 | +56% |
2,886 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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