Study in Singapore: Housing & Living Costs

Singapore often ranks as one of the most expensive countries in the world to live in, so it’s important to find out how much it’s going to cost before studying abroad in Singapore.

Fortunately, students can take advantage of the many student discounts on offer on things like food, accommodation, and entertainment. Before moving abroad to study, it’s important that you have a budget in mind. You'll need to think about things like whether you'll live in student accommodations, share a room, or be able to work on a student permit.

Some average costs of living (in SEG and USD) are:

• Monthly rent (1 bedroom apartment): $2800 ($2100) *
• Utilities (monthly average): $104 ($75)
• Monthly public transport pass: $120 ($90)
• Meal (inexpensive restaurant): $13 ($9.50)
• Coffee: $5 ($3.75)
• Milk (1 liter): $3.20 ($2.40)
• Vegetables (1kg): $3 ($2.25)
• Eggs (dozen): $3.20 ($2.40)
• Water (1.5 liter): $1.60 ($1.20)
• Chicken (1kg): $10 ($7.50)
• Wine (bottle): $30 ($22.50)
• Rice: $2.70 ($2)

* Private accommodation is expensive, so many students share or live in student dorms. 

As in any country, housing costs vary greatly depending on what type of accommodation you live in, if you share it with someone, and how close to the city center you are. As a student, the best bet to save some money would be to find a roommate and live in a shared place. If you'd like more space to yourself, however, there are plenty of other options.

A condo apartment with shared bathroom facilities or just a room in a shared flat can cost approximately US$700 – US$2000 per month. If you want to live on your own, studios and one-bedroom apartments will cost anywhere between US$1,500 – US$4,500 per month. Fortunately, you can save some money by living further away from the city center, and, thanks to efficient public transport, you can still make it to and from class with ease.

The best option, however, would be to seek accommodation through the school where you'll be studying. Typical student dormitories house six students per apartment. Rooms are often furnished, and there is usually a student housing office to help if anything breaks or doesn’t work. Plus, student dorms are a great way to get to know people. Students from both Singapore and abroad live together, which can add to your study abroad experience.