How much does one person need per month in Singapore?

A single renter can start with a planning range of S$2,380-4,100 per month, depending on rent location, room type, eating habits, insurance, and commute.

Singapore Cost of Living Guide

Monthly budgets for four common profiles

The upper range is usually driven by housing. The lower range depends on shared housing, lower-cost meals, and commute tolerance.

Profile	Rent	Food	Transport	Utilities	Other	Total
Student or intern Dorm, student housing, or a shared room	S$850-1,800	S$500-800	S$90-140	S$60-130	S$400-650	S$1,900-3,520
Single renter Working adult in a common room or master room	S$1,100-1,900	S$650-950	S$120-180	S$80-160	S$430-910	S$2,380-4,100
Couple or two adults Whole HDB flat or a one-bedroom private apartment	S$3,000-4,500	S$1,000-1,600	S$220-360	S$180-330	S$870-1,860	S$5,270-8,650
Family of three HDB 4-room/5-room or suburban condo	S$3,600-6,000	S$1,600-2,600	S$350-700	S$260-520	S$2,000-5,200	S$7,810-15,020

How to read these numbers

Amounts are in Singapore dollars (S$) and are for planning only. This is not legal, tax, immigration, employment, school admission, or investment advice.
Rent ranges combine HDB benchmarks and common shared-room assumptions; actual prices vary by unit condition and MRT distance.
Transport assumes adult-card commuting; frequent taxis or car ownership need a separate budget.

Keep reading

Sources and update notes

SGBook summarises practical planning ranges and links back to official sources so you can verify before making decisions.

Shareable summary

May 2026 planning range: a single shared-room renter can start with S$2,380-4,100/month; a couple or two adults renting a whole unit can plan S$5,270-8,650/month. Verify deposits, repair terms, and bills before signing.