Moving to Singapore from Nigeria

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Nigeria to Singapore — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Nigeria to Singapore, you would find that Singapore is 4.3 times more expensive than Nigeria overall. A NGN100,000,000 salary in Nigeria would need to be roughly SGD413,000 in Singapore to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

Is Singapore cheaper than Nigeria?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 3.4 times more

Groceries

pay 2.3 times more

Transportation

pay 4.7 times more

Housing

pay 6.0 times more

Childcare

pay 6.8 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 4.9 times more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 NGN = 0.001 SGD (October 2026)

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?

NGN100,000,000 → SGD413,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Singapore

Calculate with your salary →

Get free moving quotes to Singapore

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Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Nigeria to Singapore.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

NG
15.8
SG
0.1
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

NG
17.2
SG
1.9

Singapore performs significantly better than Nigeria across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

NG
$260
SG
$6,551
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2023

affects wait times and access to care

NG
3.8
SG
28.3

Nigeria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Singapore leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

NG
77.0
SG
23.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

NG
0.6t
SG
9.8t

Nigeria generally does better on environment, though Singapore leads in air pollution deaths.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

NG
0.1
SG
27.8
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

NG
9.7%
SG
33.3%

Singapore generally does better on infrastructure, though Nigeria leads in water stress level.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

NG
3.1%
SG
2.8%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

NG
$1,224
SG
$98,814

Singapore performs significantly better than Nigeria across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

NG
54.6 yrs
SG
83.3 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

NG
69.8
SG
2.2

Singapore performs significantly better than Nigeria across all family life metrics.

Sources: World Bank (2021–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Federal Inland Revenue Service, Nigeria (2016), Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (2016). How we calculate this

Weather in Singapore vs Nigeria

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Lagos Rain: 60.6 in/yr (1538 mm)
87° / 73°F

Avg. annual high / low

Singapore Rain: 83.2 in/yr (2113 mm)
89° / 77°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Lagos Singapore
Jan–Mar 91°/74°F (33°/23°C) 89°/76°F (31°/25°C)
Apr–Jun 88°/74°F (31°/23°C) 90°/78°F (32°/26°C)
Jul–Sep 83°/71°F (28°/22°C) 89°/78°F (31°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 88°/72°F (31°/22°C) 88°/76°F (31°/25°C)
View all months
Month Lagos Singapore
Jan 90°/72°F (32.2°/22.3°C) 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.3°C)
Feb 92°/74°F (33.1°/23.5°C) 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.6°C)
Mar 91°/75°F (32.7°/23.8°C) 90°/77°F (32.2°/24.9°C)
Apr 90°/74°F (32.1°/23.6°C) 90°/78°F (32.4°/25.3°C)
May 88°/74°F (30.9°/23.1°C) 90°/78°F (32.3°/25.7°C)
Jun 85°/73°F (29.2°/22.6°C) 89°/78°F (31.9°/25.7°C)
Jul 83°/72°F (28.1°/22.1°C) 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.4°C)
Aug 83°/71°F (28.1°/21.7°C) 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.3°C)
Sep 84°/71°F (28.9°/21.9°C) 89°/77°F (31.6°/25.2°C)
Oct 87°/72°F (30.4°/22.3°C) 89°/77°F (31.8°/25.0°C)
Nov 88°/73°F (31.0°/22.6°C) 88°/76°F (31.2°/24.6°C)
Dec 89°/72°F (31.9°/22.4°C) 87°/76°F (30.5°/24.3°C)

Data: Nigerian Meteorological Agency Nigerian Meteorological Agency, Meteorological Service Singapore Meteorological Service Singapore

Can you move from Nigeria to Singapore?

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Nigeria 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.

Nigeria passport

Nigeria passport holder visiting Singapore

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Nigeria passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Singapore.
Singapore passport

Singapore passport holder visiting Nigeria

Visa Online (e-Visa)
Singapore passport holders need to apply for an e-Visa before travelling to Nigeria.

Data: 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 Nigeria?

No — Singapore is on average about 329% more expensive than Nigeria. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Singapore?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly SGD103,250 in Singapore on a NGN100,000,000 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 Nigeria across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in Singapore is 0.1 per 100,000 people, compared to 15.8 in Nigeria.

How is healthcare in Singapore compared to Nigeria?

Nigeria generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Singapore leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 28.3 doctors per 10,000 people in Singapore, compared to 3.8 in Nigeria. Singapore scores 89 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Nigeria: 38).

What's the weather like in Singapore compared to Nigeria?

The average high temperature in Singapore is 89°F, compared to 87°F in Lagos. Singapore receives around 83.2 in of rainfall per year, while Lagos gets 60.6 in.

What language do they speak in Singapore?

The official languages in Singapore are Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil. In Nigeria, the official language is English.

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At a Glance

NG SG
Population 237,527,782 6,111,175
Currency Nigerian Naira (NGN) Singapore Dollar (SGD)
Languages English Chinese, English, Malay, Tamil
Driving side Right Left
Calling code +234 +65
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 999