Cost of living comparison

 Singapore
compared to
 Japan
Japan vs. Singapore Cost of Living Summary

Japan is 39.8% cheaper than Singapore overall.

Restaurants
pay 35.4% less in Japan
Groceries
pay 9.9% less in Japan
Housing
pay 46.6% less in Japan
Childcare
pay 67.7% less in Japan
Entertainment and Sports
pay 41.7% less in Japan
Clothing
pay 37.4% less in Japan

Expenses including childcare, housing, entertainment and sports, clothing, restaurants, and groceries are lower in Japan.

Japan vs. Singapore Cost Breakdown

If you lived in Japan instead of Singapore, you would:

pay 35.4% less for restaurants

 
Singapore
Japan
Basic meal with drink at inexpensive restaurant $10.16
SGD13.19
$6.44
¥936
Fast food combo meal
McDonalds, or similar
$7.52
SGD9.77
$4.94
¥718
Bottle of Coca-Cola (11 fl. oz) $1.52
SGD1.97
$0.97
¥141

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pay 9.9% less for groceries

 
Singapore
Japan
Bread
1 loaf
$2.11
SGD2.73
$1.52
¥221
Local cheese (8 oz) $8.41
SGD10.93
$5.72
¥832
Milk (1 gallon) $10.38
SGD13.48
$5.46
¥793

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pay (unknown) more for transportation

 
Singapore
Japan
Gasoline (1 gallon) $8.18
SGD10.63
$4.22
¥614
Monthly public transit pass $90.29
SGD117.23
$57.82
¥8,405
New Volkswagen Golf 1.4 (standard edition) $135,434.68
SGD175,843.51
$22,042.19
¥3,204,394

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pay 46.6% less for housing

 
Singapore
Japan
Internet connection
50 mbps or faster, cable/dsl
$36.16
SGD46.95
$31.09
¥4,520
1-Bedroom apartment in downtown area $2,745.11
SGD3,564.15
$500.38
¥72,743
1-Bedroom apartment outside city center $1,988.78
SGD2,582.16
$325.42
¥47,308

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pay 67.7% less for childcare

 
Singapore
Japan
Private preschool for 1 child, monthly $1,189.74
SGD1,544.72
$288.10
¥41,883
Middle school for 1 child, two semesters $27,370.99
SGD35,537.51
$11,095.30
¥1,612,985

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pay 41.7% less for entertainment and sports

 
Singapore
Japan
Domestic/local beer (1 pint) $6.73
SGD8.74
$2.71
¥394
Cappuccino in mid-range area $4.71
SGD6.11
$2.78
¥404
Pack of cigarettes
Marlboro or similar
$12.64
SGD16.41
$3.98
¥579

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pay 37.4% less for clothing

 
Singapore
Japan
Regular jeans
Levi's brand
$66.32
SGD86.10
$40.54
¥5,894
Regular dress
from H&M or similar store
$44.36
SGD57.60
$26.82
¥3,899
Running shoes
Nike or Adidas
$96.71
SGD125.56
$54.08
¥7,862

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The statistics used to build this comparison are calculated using data from users just like you. We average the price of thousands of data points entered by users across the world. Learn more about our data sources. Page last updated: May 2025
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