Moving to Illinois from Singapore
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from Singapore to Illinois — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from Singapore to Illinois, you would find that Illinois is 2.9% more expensive than Singapore overall. A SGD96,870 salary in Singapore would need to be roughly $33,309 in Illinois to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Springfield averages 63°F vs 89°F in Singapore, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from Singapore to Illinois.
What does your salary buy?
SGD96,870 → $33,309
To maintain the same standard of living in Illinois
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 58.7% more
Groceries
pay 0.6% more
Transportation
pay 19.2% less
Housing
pay 7.0% more
Childcare
pay 0.8% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 16.0% less
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?
Real numbers on people moving from Singapore to Illinois, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from Singapore to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
- 2,184,110
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
- · · ·
-
114.33,505
Singapore
Key Indicator Comparison
How Singapore and Illinois stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Singapore performs better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Singapore performs better than Illinois across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
Singapore performs better than Illinois across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Singapore performs better than Illinois across all family life metrics.
Data: The World Factbook
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Singapore | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 89°/76°F (31°/25°C) | 42°/25°F (6°/-4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) | 74°/52°F (23°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 89°/78°F (31°/25°C) | 83°/61°F (29°/16°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 88°/76°F (31°/25°C) | 52°/33°F (11°/1°C) |
View all months
| Month | Singapore | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.3°C) | 35°/19°F (1.6°/-7.4°C) |
| Feb | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.6°C) | 40°/23°F (4.4°/-5.2°C) |
| Mar | 90°/77°F (32.2°/24.9°C) | 52°/32°F (11.2°/0.1°C) |
| Apr | 90°/78°F (32.4°/25.3°C) | 65°/42°F (18.1°/5.8°C) |
| May | 90°/78°F (32.3°/25.7°C) | 75°/53°F (23.8°/11.4°C) |
| Jun | 89°/78°F (31.9°/25.7°C) | 83°/62°F (28.4°/16.6°C) |
| Jul | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.4°C) | 86°/65°F (30.1°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.3°C) | 85°/64°F (29.4°/17.6°C) |
| Sep | 89°/77°F (31.6°/25.2°C) | 79°/55°F (26.1°/12.6°C) |
| Oct | 89°/77°F (31.8°/25.0°C) | 66°/44°F (19.1°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 88°/76°F (31.2°/24.6°C) | 52°/34°F (11.3°/1.1°C) |
| Dec | 87°/76°F (30.5°/24.3°C) | 38°/22°F (3.5°/-5.3°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service Singapore,
National Weather Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Singapore and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
Singapore passport holder visiting United States
Electronic Travel Authorisation
United States passport holder visiting Singapore
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 Illinois than Singapore?
Generally yes: Illinois runs about 56% cheaper than Singapore on average, though it depends heavily on the city.
How much money do I need to move to Illinois?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a SGD96,870 comparable salary, that's around $8,327 in Illinois for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Illinois?
Working remotely from Illinois's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in Singapore and Illinois.
How is healthcare in Illinois compared to Singapore?
Singapore performs better than Illinois across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Illinois compared to Singapore?
The average high temperature in Springfield is 63°F, compared to 89°F in Singapore. Springfield receives around 37.4 in of rainfall per year, while Singapore gets 83.2 in.
What language do they speak in Illinois?
The official language in Illinois is English. In Singapore, the official languages are Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil.
