Moving to Singapore from Malaysia
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Malaysia to Singapore — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Malaysia to Singapore, you would find that Singapore is 3.4 times more expensive than Malaysia overall. A MYR306,600 salary in Malaysia would need to be roughly SGD353,785 in Singapore to maintain the same lifestyle. How your spending power changes when you relocate from Malaysia to Singapore. What does your salary buy? MYR306,600 → SGD353,785 To maintain the same standard of living in Singapore The biggest cost differences at a glance Restaurants pay 2.4 times more Groceries pay 82.9% more Transportation pay 4.0 times more Housing pay 5.7 times more Childcare pay 6.0 times more Entertainment and Sports pay 2.5 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. We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes. Real numbers on people moving from Malaysia to Singapore, and how the trend has changed. How Malaysia and Singapore stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure. per 100,000 people per year per 100,000 people per year Singapore performs significantly better than Malaysia across all safety metrics. 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 Malaysia leads in healthcare spending per person. deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year Malaysia generally does better on environment, though Singapore leads in air pollution deaths. fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work higher means greater strain on freshwater supply annual consumption — reflects grid capacity share of households with internet Malaysia generally does better on infrastructure, though Singapore leads in broadband per 100 people. 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 Malaysia across all employment & economy metrics. 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 Malaysia leads in education spending. Data: Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank Monthly averages — select a city to compare. Avg. annual high / low Avg. annual high / low Data: Short-stay tourist visa rules between Malaysia 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. Malaysia passport holder visiting Singapore Singapore passport holder visiting Malaysia Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements. Day-to-day costs in Singapore run about 264% higher than Malaysia on average; specific cities can swing further. A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a MYR306,600 comparable salary, that's around SGD88,446 in Singapore for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees. With 37.7 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 Malaysia and Singapore. Singapore performs significantly better than Malaysia across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Singapore is 0.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Malaysia. Singapore generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Malaysia leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Singapore, compared to 23.2 in Malaysia. Singapore scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Malaysia: 76). The average high temperature in Singapore is 89°F, compared to 90°F in Kuala Lumpur. Singapore receives around 83.2 in of rainfall per year, while Kuala Lumpur gets 95.6 in. The official languages in Singapore are Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil. In Malaysia, the official languages are English and Malay. How Far Will Your Money Go?
Get free moving quotes to Singapore
Who Else Is Making This Move?
Key Indicator Comparison
Is it safe?
How's the healthcare?
What about the environment?
Will I have good infrastructure?
What are the job prospects?
Is it good for families?
What's the Climate Like?
Months Kuala Lumpur Singapore Jan–Mar 91°/73°F (33°/23°C) 89°/76°F (31°/25°C) Apr–Jun 91°/75°F (33°/24°C) 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) Jul–Sep 90°/74°F (32°/23°C) 89°/78°F (31°/25°C) Oct–Dec 89°/74°F (32°/23°C) 88°/76°F (31°/25°C) View all months
Month Kuala Lumpur Singapore Jan 90°/72°F (32.1°/22.5°C) 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.3°C) Feb 91°/73°F (32.9°/22.8°C) 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.6°C) Mar 92°/74°F (33.2°/23.2°C) 90°/77°F (32.2°/24.9°C) Apr 92°/75°F (33.1°/23.7°C) 90°/78°F (32.4°/25.3°C) May 91°/75°F (32.9°/23.9°C) 90°/78°F (32.3°/25.7°C) Jun 91°/74°F (32.7°/23.6°C) 89°/78°F (31.9°/25.7°C) Jul 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.2°C) 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.4°C) Aug 90°/74°F (32.3°/23.1°C) 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.3°C) Sep 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) 89°/77°F (31.6°/25.2°C) Oct 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.2°C) 89°/77°F (31.8°/25.0°C) Nov 89°/74°F (31.6°/23.2°C) 88°/76°F (31.2°/24.6°C) Dec 89°/73°F (31.5°/22.9°C) 87°/76°F (30.5°/24.3°C) 
Malaysian Meteorological Department, 
Meteorological Service Singapore Visitor Visa Requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Singapore than Malaysia?
How much money do I need to move to Singapore?
Can I work remotely from Singapore?
Is Singapore safe for expats?
How is healthcare in Singapore compared to Malaysia?
What's the weather like in Singapore compared to Malaysia?
What language do they speak in Singapore?
