Cost of Living: New York vs Singapore
How expensive is Singapore compared with New York City? The national price level of everyday spending versus the New York metro area, and the salary — in US dollars and SGD — that buys the same standard of living.
Salary converter
Before taxes. Income tax, sales tax and benefits differ a lot between places and aren’t included.
The numbers
- Cities
- Singapore
- Price level vs US average
- 78.3 (New York metro: 112.6)
- Exchange rate (2025 avg.)
- 1 USD = 1.307 SGD
- Purchasing-power parity
- 1 USD of US-average spending ≈ 1.024 SGD
- Source
- World Bank, PPP conversion factor for private consumption ÷ exchange rate (2025); New York: BEA 2024
Frequently asked questions
Is Singapore cheaper than New York?
Yes. Singapore is 30% cheaper than the New York metro area overall (index 70, New York = 100).
What salary in Singapore equals $100,000 in New York?
About $69,567 a year (about SGD 90,955 at purchasing-power parity) buys the same standard of living in Singapore as $100,000 in the New York metro area, before taxes.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank price levels of household consumption for 2025 (purchasing power parity conversion factor divided by the market exchange rate), compared with BEA’s 2024 figure for the New York metro area.