Last updated on: February 2, 2025
Cost of Living in Singapore 2025: A Family Guide for Couples and Parents with Kids
Insights from a Survey Responses
The cost of living is one of the first things to consider when planning a move to a new country for work or permanent residence.
Singapore, well-known for its high standard of living, comes with its own set of expenses. To help expats with families better understand these costs, I surveyed nearly 150 participants via a Google Form, focusing on the cost of living in Singapore.
In my previous articles, I analysed the cost of living and rental expenses for singles in Singapore. Both articles are linked below.
This article focuses on families (couples and those with kids), breaking down the survey findings to provide a clear picture of what to expect regarding monthly expenses in Singapore in 2025.
TL;DR
Couples Without Kids:
- Monthly expenses range between S$4,800 and S$5,500.
- Major costs: Rental (S$2967), Groceries (S$783), and Dining Out (S$351).
Families With Kids:
- Monthly expenses range between S$6,500 and S$7,500.
- Major costs: Rental (S$3092), Groceries (S$1006), and Children Expenses (S$1338).
Rental costs differ based on location, type (Condo or HDB), the number of rooms, and other factors.
Whole unit rental ranges from S$2200 to S$4500, with the majority paying between S$2800 and S$3500.
The audience of the survey
Pass Type
The survey received 142 responses. Among them, 93 are EP (or DP of an EP) holders, 30 are S Pass holders, and 15 are Singapore PR holders. I only consider these 138 (93+30+15) responses for the analysis.
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EP (or DP of an EP) 93
EP holders are foreign professionals, managers, and executives with higher salaries and specialised skills
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S Pass 30
S Pass holders are mid-level skilled workers in industries like construction, manufacturing, healthcare, and services.
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Singapore PR 15
nationality
I shared the survey link in a community WhatsApp group where all participants are Sri Lankans working in Singapore. Additionally, some of my Indian and Indonesian friends working in Singapore also responded to the survey. As a percentage, close to 95% of the respondents are Sri Lankans.
All amounts are in Singapore dollars.
Singapore Dollar (SGD)
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USD 0.74
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INR 64.10
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LKR 219.30
The analysis is divided into couples without kids and families with kids to reflect the different spending patterns observed in the survey results. This approach provides a clearer understanding of the cost of living for each family type.
1. Cost of living for a couple without kids
The following table provides an overview of the average monthly expenses for couples without kids living in Singapore. These averages are based on survey responses.
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Rental S$ 2967
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Mobile Bill S$ 57
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Utilities S$ 147
Electricity, water, and internet
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Groceries S$ 783
Vegetables, fruits, meat, and toiletries
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Dining Out S$ 351
Eating at restaurants or hawker centers
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Public Transport S$ 130
Buses and MRT rides
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Taxi/Cabs S$ 132
Ride-hailing services like Grab
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Personal Care S$ 58
Haircuts and spa
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Shopping S$ 177
Clothing and footwear
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Subscriptions S$ 42
Netflix, Spotify, YouTube Premium etc.
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Entertainment S$ 75
Movies, sports, or social outings
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Total without Gym & Insurance S$ 4919
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Gym Fee S$ 149
63% of the respondents do not pay for a gym
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Insurance S$ 210
46% of the respondents do not pay for insurance
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Total with Gym & Insurance S$ 5278
The cost of living varies based on lifestyle choices. A couple living in Singapore without kids typically needs between S$4,800 and S$5,500 monthly to cover basic and lifestyle expenses.
Since the majority of the respondents are Sri Lankans who typically cook at home as part of their culture, these costs reflect that lifestyle. If you come from a different cultural background and dine out more frequently, your expenses may vary.
2. Cost of Living for Families with Kids
The following table provides an overview of the average monthly expenses for families with kids living in Singapore. These averages are based on survey responses. Please note that the number of kids in each family was not included in the survey, so costs may vary based on family size.
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Rental S$ 3092
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Mobile Bill S$ 71
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Utilities S$ 207
Electricity, water, and internet
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Groceries S$ 1006
Vegetables, fruits, meat, and toiletries
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Dining Out S$ 298
Eating at restaurants or hawker centers
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Public Transport S$ 135
Buses and MRT rides
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Taxi/Cabs S$ 135
Ride-hailing services like Grab
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Personal Care S$ 76
Haircuts and spa
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Shopping S$ 173
Clothing and footwear
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Subscriptions S$ 35
Netflix, Spotify, YouTube Premium etc.
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Entertainment S$ 80
Movies, sports, or social outings
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Children Expenses S$ 1338
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Total without Gym & Insurance S$ 6646
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Gym Fee S$ 115
75% of the respondents do not pay for a gym
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Insurance S$ 242
25% of the respondents do not pay for insurance
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Total with Gym & Insurance S$ 7003
The cost of living varies based on lifestyle choices. A family living in Singapore with kids typically needs between S$6,500 and S$7,500 monthly to cover basic and lifestyle expenses.
All the numbers mentioned in the above two tables are based on couples and families who live in a unit without sharing it with anyone.
In the survey, a small percentage (less than 10%) of respondents live in shared units, such as renting the whole unit and subletting 1-2 rooms, typically a common room. This can reduce rental costs by approximately S$800 per month.
That’s it for today, guys. Thank You for Reading! I hope you found this article informative and useful.
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