Moving to New York from Singapore
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Singapore to New York — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Singapore to New York, you would find that New York is 11.4% cheaper than Singapore overall. A SGD96,000 salary in Singapore would need to be roughly $66,400 in New York to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — New York City averages 62°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 ↓Is New York cheaper than Singapore?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 61.6% more
Groceries
pay 5.5% more
Transportation
pay 49.3% less
Housing
pay 15.6% less
Childcare
pay 12.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 10.4% 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.
What salary do you need in New York?
What does your salary buy?
SGD96,000 → $66,400
To maintain the same standard of living in New York
Calculate with your salary →Get free moving quotes to New York
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Singapore to New York, based on official data.
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
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Singapore to New York.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
Singapore performs better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Singapore performs better than New York 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 New York across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Singapore performs better than New York across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2024–2025), World Health Organization (2024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in New York vs Singapore
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Singapore | New York City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 89°/76°F (31°/25°C) | 43°/30°F (6°/-1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) | 70°/54°F (21°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 89°/78°F (31°/25°C) | 81°/66°F (27°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 88°/76°F (31°/25°C) | 54°/41°F (12°/5°C) |
View all months
| Month | Singapore | New York City |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.3°C) | 38°/27°F (3.5°/-2.8°C) |
| Feb | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.6°C) | 42°/29°F (5.3°/-1.7°C) |
| Mar | 90°/77°F (32.2°/24.9°C) | 50°/35°F (9.8°/1.8°C) |
| Apr | 90°/78°F (32.4°/25.3°C) | 61°/45°F (16.2°/7.1°C) |
| May | 90°/78°F (32.3°/25.7°C) | 71°/54°F (21.6°/12.2°C) |
| Jun | 89°/78°F (31.9°/25.7°C) | 79°/64°F (26.3°/17.6°C) |
| Jul | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.4°C) | 84°/69°F (28.9°/20.4°C) |
| Aug | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.3°C) | 83°/68°F (28.1°/19.9°C) |
| Sep | 89°/77°F (31.6°/25.2°C) | 75°/61°F (24.0°/16.0°C) |
| Oct | 89°/77°F (31.8°/25.0°C) | 64°/50°F (17.7°/10.0°C) |
| Nov | 88°/76°F (31.2°/24.6°C) | 54°/42°F (12.1°/5.3°C) |
| Dec | 87°/76°F (30.5°/24.3°C) | 43°/32°F (6.1°/0.0°C) |
Data:
Meteorological Service Singapore,
National Weather Service
Can you move from Singapore to New York?
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 New York than Singapore?
Yes — New York is on average about 11% cheaper than Singapore. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to New York?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $16,600 in New York on a SGD96,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from New York?
Usually fine from major cities in New York. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in New York compared to Singapore?
Singapore performs better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in New York compared to Singapore?
The average high temperature in New York City is 62°F, compared to 89°F in Singapore. New York City receives around 49.9 in of rainfall per year, while Singapore gets 83.2 in.
What language do they speak in New York?
The official language in New York is English. In Singapore, the official languages are Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil.
