Singapore vs Shanghai Cost of Living
Singapore (Singapore) · Overall index 78.2 — Shanghai (China) · Overall index 47.2
Summary
- Overall, Shanghai is 40% cheaper than Singapore.
- Rent in Shanghai is 57% cheaper than in Singapore.
- Transport in Shanghai is 40% cheaper than in Singapore.
| Item | Singapore | Shanghai | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -57% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,802 | $1,123 | -60% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,887 | $819 | -57% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $6,049 | $2,667 | -56% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $3,490 | $1,498 | -57% |
| Groceries | -31% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.1 | $0.89 | -19% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.89 | $2.39 | -39% |
| Rice (1kg) | $4.33 | $3.36 | -22% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.94 | $3.12 | -21% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $12.9 | $8.28 | -36% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $12.2 | $8 | -34% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $19.3 | $12.9 | -33% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.93 | $3.55 | -28% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.96 | $1.42 | -28% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $4.02 | $3.11 | -23% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $5.53 | $3.04 | -45% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.84 | $1.83 | -36% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.66 | $1.6 | -40% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.3 | $1.6 | -30% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.14 | $1.62 | -24% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $14.8 | $9.46 | -36% |
| Transport | -40% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.23 | $1.25 | -44% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $99.1 | $69.5 | -30% |
| Taxi, base fare | $3.23 | $1.95 | -40% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.75 | $0.91 | -48% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.78 | $0.52 | -33% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $24,838 | $13,544 | -45% |
| Dining out | -36% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $21.6 | $11.2 | -48% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $105 | $71.4 | -32% |
| Fast food combo meal | $9.73 | $6.06 | -38% |
| Cappuccino | $4.28 | $3.29 | -23% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.2 | $1.53 | -30% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $6.69 | $3.76 | -44% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $7.94 | $4.63 | -42% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.82 | $1.27 | -30% |
| Telecom | -26% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $53.2 | $37.8 | -29% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $55.4 | $42.3 | -24% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.32 | $0.21 | -34% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $12.9 | $10.7 | -17% |
| Utilities & household | -33% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $158 | $113 | -28% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.22 | $0.14 | -36% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.04 | $2.88 | -29% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.24 | $0.81 | -35% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $19.2 | $13.2 | -31% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $80.6 | $49.5 | -39% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $14.4 | $8.96 | -38% |
| Men's haircut | $28.1 | $20.7 | -26% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $24.6 | $15.8 | -36% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,858 | $1,193 | -36% |
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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