Moving to Singapore from Canada
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Canada to Singapore — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Canada to Singapore, you would find that Singapore is 52.4% more expensive than Canada overall. A CA$106,294 salary in Canada would need to be roughly SGD213,320 in Singapore to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Singapore averages 89°F vs 52°F in Ottawa, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Canada to Singapore.
What does your salary buy?
CA$106,294 → SGD213,320
To maintain the same standard of living in Singapore
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 30.2% less
Groceries
pay 17.8% more
Transportation
pay 2.4 times more
Housing
pay 55.4% more
Childcare
pay 2.1 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 49.2% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Canada to Singapore, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Canada to Singapore.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Singapore performs significantly better than Canada across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
Singapore generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Canada generally does better on environment, though Singapore leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Canada performs better than Singapore across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
Singapore performs significantly better than Canada across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
Singapore generally does better on family life, though Canada leads in education spending.
Data: Canada Revenue Agency, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Ottawa | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) | 89°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) | 89°/78°F (31°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) | 88°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Ottawa | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) | 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.3°C) |
| Feb | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.6°C) |
| Mar | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) | 90°/77°F (32.2°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) | 90°/78°F (32.4°/25.3°C) |
| May | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) | 90°/78°F (32.3°/25.7°C) |
| Jun | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) | 89°/78°F (31.9°/25.7°C) |
| Jul | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.4°C) |
| Aug | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.3°C) |
| Sep | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) | 89°/77°F (31.6°/25.2°C) |
| Oct | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) | 89°/77°F (31.8°/25.0°C) |
| Nov | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) | 88°/76°F (31.2°/24.6°C) |
| Dec | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) | 87°/76°F (30.5°/24.3°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service of Canada,
Meteorological Service Singapore
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Canada and Singapore. To live, work, or study long-term in Singapore, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Singapore's immigration authority.
Canada passport holder visiting Singapore
Visa Free
Singapore passport holder visiting Canada
Electronic Travel AuthorisationData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Singapore than Canada?
No — Singapore is on average about 120% more expensive than Canada. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Singapore?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly SGD53,330 in Singapore on a CA$106,294 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Singapore?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Singapore has 37.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Singapore safe for expats?
Singapore performs significantly better than Canada across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Singapore is 0.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 2.3 in Canada.
How is healthcare in Singapore compared to Canada?
Singapore generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. There are 26.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Singapore, compared to 25.0 in Canada. Singapore scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Canada: 91).
What's the weather like in Singapore compared to Canada?
The average high temperature in Singapore is 89°F, compared to 52°F in Ottawa. Singapore receives around 83.2 in of rainfall per year, while Ottawa gets 37.1 in.
What language do they speak in Singapore?
The official languages in Singapore are Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil. In Canada, the official languages are English and French.
