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Bangkok vs Singapore cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐น๐ญ Bangkok
๐ธ๐ฌ Singapore
At a glance
- Where Bangkok is clearly cheaper: Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (87%โ), Studio rent (month) (79%โ), Massage (77%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Singapore is easier to travel (1.0 vs 2.6). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Bangkok 4 vs Singapore 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Bangkok | Singapore | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | เธฟ 100$3.03 | S$ 8$6.15 | Bangkok โ51% |
| Street food1 item | เธฟ 60$1.82 | S$ 5$3.85 | Bangkok โ53% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | เธฟ 400$12.1 | S$ 45$34.6 | Bangkok โ65% |
| Coffeeone cup | เธฟ 85$2.58 | S$ 6.5$5 | Bangkok โ48% |
| Beerone bottle | เธฟ 130$3.94 | S$ 13$10 | Bangkok โ61% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | เธฟ 300$9.09 | S$ 25$19.2 | Bangkok โ53% |
| Bottled water | เธฟ 10$0.3 | S$ 1.6$1.23 | Bangkok โ75% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | เธฟ 25$0.76 | S$ 2.2$1.69 | Bangkok โ55% |
| Taxi5 km in town | เธฟ 115$3.48 | S$ 12$9.23 | Bangkok โ62% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | เธฟ 30$0.91 | S$ 9$6.92 | Bangkok โ87% |
| Transitone ride | เธฟ 35$1.06 | S$ 1.5$1.15 | Bangkok โ8% |
| Scooter rentalper day | เธฟ 250$7.58 | S$ 20$15.4 | Bangkok โ51% |
| Hotel night3-star | เธฟ 1,600$48.5 | S$ 200$154 | Bangkok โ68% |
| Studio rent (month) | เธฟ 18,000$545 | S$ 3,300$2,538 | Bangkok โ79% |
| Laundry | เธฟ 40$1.21 | S$ 5$3.85 | Bangkok โ68% |
| SIM card1 week data | เธฟ 299$9.06 | S$ 15$11.5 | Bangkok โ21% |
| Haircutcut | เธฟ 150$4.55 | S$ 20$15.4 | Bangkok โ70% |
| Massage1 hour | เธฟ 350$10.6 | S$ 60$46.2 | Bangkok โ77% |
| Half-day tourper person | เธฟ 1,200$36.4 | S$ 70$53.8 | Bangkok โ32% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | เธฟ 500$15.2 | S$ 40$30.8 | Bangkok โ51% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Bangkok or Singapore?
Bangkok is 71% cheaper than Singapore. Daily budget $85.6 vs $249; a month $1,823 vs $7,084.
Which is easier to travel, Bangkok or Singapore?
Singapore is easier: Singapore 1.0/5 vs Bangkok 2.6/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Bangkok and Singapore?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Bangkok is about $1,823 and Singapore about $7,084 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.