Moving to Singapore from Hong Kong
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Hong Kong to Singapore — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Hong Kong to Singapore, you would find that Singapore is 13.8% more expensive than Hong Kong overall. A HK$590,000 salary in Hong Kong would need to be roughly SGD110,000 in Singapore to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Singapore averages 89°F vs 79°F in Hong Kong, 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 Hong Kong?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 35.6% more
Groceries
pay 7.2% less
Transportation
pay 20.1% more
Housing
pay 18.4% more
Childcare
pay 26.3% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.9% 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?
HK$590,000 → SGD110,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Singapore
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to Singapore
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from Hong Kong to Singapore, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How Hong Kong and Singapore stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
Singapore performs significantly better than Hong Kong across all safety metrics.
What about the environment?
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Hong Kong performs better than Singapore across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Hong Kong generally does better on infrastructure, though Singapore leads in electricity per capita.
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
Hong Kong generally does better on employment & economy, though Singapore leads in gdp per capita.
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
Hong Kong generally does better on family life, though Singapore leads in infant mortality.
Sources: World Bank (2023–2025), Inland Revenue Department, Hong Kong (2016), Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (2016), The World Factbook (2022). How we calculate this
Weather in Singapore vs Hong Kong
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Hong Kong | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 68°/61°F (20°/16°C) | 89°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 83°/75°F (28°/24°C) | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 88°/80°F (31°/27°C) | 89°/78°F (31°/25°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 76°/68°F (24°/20°C) | 88°/76°F (31°/25°C) |
View all months
| Month | Hong Kong | Singapore |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 66°/58°F (18.7°/14.6°C) | 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.3°C) |
| Feb | 67°/60°F (19.4°/15.3°C) | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.6°C) |
| Mar | 71°/64°F (21.9°/17.6°C) | 90°/77°F (32.2°/24.9°C) |
| Apr | 78°/70°F (25.6°/21.1°C) | 90°/78°F (32.4°/25.3°C) |
| May | 84°/76°F (28.8°/24.5°C) | 90°/78°F (32.3°/25.7°C) |
| Jun | 87°/80°F (30.7°/26.5°C) | 89°/78°F (31.9°/25.7°C) |
| Jul | 89°/80°F (31.6°/26.9°C) | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.4°C) |
| Aug | 88°/80°F (31.3°/26.7°C) | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.3°C) |
| Sep | 87°/79°F (30.5°/26.1°C) | 89°/77°F (31.6°/25.2°C) |
| Oct | 83°/75°F (28.1°/23.9°C) | 89°/77°F (31.8°/25.0°C) |
| Nov | 76°/69°F (24.5°/20.3°C) | 88°/76°F (31.2°/24.6°C) |
| Dec | 69°/61°F (20.4°/16.2°C) | 87°/76°F (30.5°/24.3°C) |
Data:
Hong Kong Observatory,
Meteorological Service Singapore
Can you move from Hong Kong to Singapore?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Hong Kong 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.
Hong Kong passport holder visiting Singapore
Visa Free
Singapore passport holder visiting Hong Kong
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 Hong Kong?
Day-to-day costs in Singapore run about 14% higher than Hong Kong on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Singapore?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a HK$590,000 comparable salary, that's around SGD27,500 in Singapore for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Singapore?
With 27.8 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Singapore can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in Hong Kong and Singapore.
Is Singapore safe for expats?
Singapore performs significantly better than Hong Kong across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Singapore is 0.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.4 in Hong Kong.
What's the weather like in Singapore compared to Hong Kong?
The average high temperature in Singapore is 89°F, compared to 79°F in Hong Kong. Singapore receives around 83.2 in of rainfall per year, while Hong Kong gets 95.7 in.
What language do they speak in Singapore?
The official languages in Singapore are Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil. In Hong Kong, the official languages are Chinese and English.
