Moving to Singapore from China
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from China to Singapore — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from China to Singapore, you would find that Singapore is 3.8 times more expensive than China overall. A CN¥500,000 salary in China would need to be roughly SGD361,000 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 68°F in Shanghai, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Singapore cheaper than China?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.9 times more
Groceries
pay 2.3 times more
Transportation
pay 3.8 times more
Housing
pay 7.4 times more
Childcare
pay 2.1 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.9 times 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.
What salary do you need in Singapore?
What does your salary buy?
CN¥500,000 → SGD361,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Singapore
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from China to Singapore, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from China to Singapore.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Singapore performs significantly better than China 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
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Singapore 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
China generally does better on environment, though Singapore leads in air pollution deaths.
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
Singapore generally does better on infrastructure, though China leads in broadband per 100 people.
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 China 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Singapore generally does better on family life, though China leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), State Administration of Taxation (2016), Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in Singapore vs China
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Shanghai | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) | 89°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 89°/78°F (31°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) | 88°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Shanghai | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) | 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.3°C) |
| Feb | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.6°C) |
| Mar | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) | 90°/77°F (32.2°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) | 90°/78°F (32.4°/25.3°C) |
| May | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) | 90°/78°F (32.3°/25.7°C) |
| Jun | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) | 89°/78°F (31.9°/25.7°C) |
| Jul | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.4°C) |
| Aug | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.3°C) |
| Sep | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) | 89°/77°F (31.6°/25.2°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) | 89°/77°F (31.8°/25.0°C) |
| Nov | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) | 88°/76°F (31.2°/24.6°C) |
| Dec | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) | 87°/76°F (30.5°/24.3°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Meteorological Service Singapore
Can you move from China to Singapore?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China 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.
China passport holder visiting Singapore
Visa Free
Singapore passport holder visiting China
Visa FreeData: 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 China?
No — Singapore is on average about 277% more expensive than China. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Singapore?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly SGD90,250 in Singapore on a CN¥500,000 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 27.8 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 China across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Singapore is 0.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China.
How is healthcare in Singapore compared to China?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Singapore leads in health coverage index. There are 28.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Singapore, compared to 31.1 in China. Singapore scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Singapore compared to China?
The average high temperature in Singapore is 89°F, compared to 68°F in Shanghai. Singapore receives around 83.2 in of rainfall per year, while Shanghai gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in Singapore?
The official languages in Singapore are Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil. In China, the official language is Chinese.
