Moving to United States from Singapore
What to Expect
Considering a move from Singapore to United States? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Singapore to United States, you would find that United States is 5.0% more expensive than Singapore overall. A SGD96,960 salary in Singapore would need to be roughly $42,291 in United States to maintain the same lifestyle. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Washington averages 66°F vs 89°F in Singapore, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Singapore and United States.
What does your salary buy?
SGD96,960 → $42,291
To maintain the same standard of living in United States
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 72.2% more
Groceries
pay 10.5% more
Transportation
pay 20.9% less
Housing
pay 10.3% more
Childcare
pay 4.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 15.0% 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?
What the data shows about people moving from Singapore to United States.
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
The numbers behind daily life in United States compared to Singapore.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Singapore performs better than United States across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
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 United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Singapore generally does better on environment, though United States leads in air pollution deaths.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
United States performs significantly better than Singapore across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Singapore performs better than United States across all employment & economy metrics.
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
Singapore generally does better on family life, though United States leads in education spending.
Data: Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Singapore | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 89°/76°F (31°/25°C) | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 90°/78°F (32°/26°C) | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 89°/78°F (31°/25°C) | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 88°/76°F (31°/25°C) | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Singapore | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 87°/76°F (30.6°/24.3°C) | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) |
| Feb | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.6°C) | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) |
| Mar | 90°/77°F (32.2°/24.9°C) | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) |
| Apr | 90°/78°F (32.4°/25.3°C) | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) |
| May | 90°/78°F (32.3°/25.7°C) | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) |
| Jun | 89°/78°F (31.9°/25.7°C) | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) |
| Jul | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.4°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 89°/78°F (31.4°/25.3°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) |
| Sep | 89°/77°F (31.6°/25.2°C) | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) |
| Oct | 89°/77°F (31.8°/25.0°C) | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) |
| Nov | 88°/76°F (31.2°/24.6°C) | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) |
| Dec | 87°/76°F (30.5°/24.3°C) | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°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 United States than Singapore?
On average United States is about 44% less expensive than Singapore, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to United States?
Budget about $10,573 for 3 months in United States (based on a SGD96,960 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from United States?
Connectivity is usually fine (United States: 37.8 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does United States offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is United States safe for expats?
Singapore performs better than United States across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in United States is 6.4 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.1 in Singapore.
How is healthcare in United States compared to Singapore?
Singapore generally does better on health & wellbeing, though United States leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 36.1 doctors per 10,000 people in United States, compared to 26.0 in Singapore. United States scores 86 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Singapore: 89).
What's the weather like in United States compared to Singapore?
The average high temperature in Washington is 66°F, compared to 89°F in Singapore. Washington receives around 41.5 in of rainfall per year, while Singapore gets 83.2 in.
What language do they speak in United States?
The official language in United States is English. In Singapore, the official languages are Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil.
