✦ Compare
Dubai vs
Singapore
Cost-of-living comparison and salary equivalence. Enter your current salary to see what you'd need to earn to live equally well.
To keep the same standard of living in Singapore, SG, you'd need
$84,276 / year
Singapore, SG is 12% more expensive overall
Category breakdown (Singapore, SG vs Dubai, UAE)
- Housing+24%
- Food & groceries-5%
- Transport+6%
- Utilities0%
- Healthcare+5%
- Goods & services+11%
▤ Full comparison
| Dubai, UAE | Singapore, SG | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living | ||
| Overall cost index | 119 | 134 |
| Housing | 152 | 188 |
| Food | 105 | 100 |
| Transport | 90 | 95 |
| Utilities | 110 | 110 |
| Healthcare | 100 | 105 |
| Goods & services | 110 | 122 |
| Housing | ||
| Rent, 1-bed centre | $2,000/mo | $2,600/mo |
| Rent, 1-bed outside | $1,300/mo | $1,900/mo |
| Rent, 3-bed centre | $4,500/mo | $6,000/mo |
| Buy price / m² centre | $4,500 | $15,000 |
| Money & purchasing power | ||
| $1,000 goes as far as | $841 | $749 |
| Inexpensive meal | $12 | $6 |
| Monthly transit pass | $90 | $90 |
| Taxes | ||
| Income tax (top rate) | 0% | 24% |
| VAT / sales tax | 5% | 9% |
| Corporate tax | 9% | 17% |
| Capital gains | 0% | 0% |
| Economy & salaries | ||
| Avg net salary | $3,500/mo | $4,500/mo |
| GDP per capita | $50,000 | $88,000 |
| Work & digital nomad | ||
| Digital-nomad visa | Yes | No |
| English proficiency | High | High |
| Coworking spaces | 60 | 100 |
| Time zone | UTC+4 | UTC+8 |
| Quality of life | ||
| Safety index | 84 | 88 |
| Healthcare index | 80 | 88 |
| Pollution index | 55 | 45 |
| Internet speed | 250 Mbps | 280 Mbps |
| Walkability | 45 | 80 |
| Public transport | 60 | 95 |
| Family-friendly | 70 | 78 |
| Tap water | Use caution | Safe to drink |
| Health insurance | $150/mo | $120/mo |
| Life expectancy | 79 yr | 84 yr |
| LGBTQ+ acceptance | Restricted | Low |
| Climate | ||
| January avg | +19 °C | +26 °C |
| July avg | +36 °C | +28 °C |
| Sunny days / year | 340 | 160 |
| Rainfall / year | 100 mm | 2,340 mm |
| Connectivity | ||
| Flight to nearest hub | 1 h | 1 h |
Taxes & Economy & salaries: United Arab Emirates vs Singapore. Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.
? Frequently asked questions
Is Dubai cheaper than Singapore?
Singapore is about 12% more expensive than Dubai overall — its cost-of-living index is 134 versus 119 for Dubai.
How much do you need to earn in Singapore to live like in Dubai?
To keep the same standard of living, a $75,000 salary in Dubai is worth about $84,276 in Singapore. Enter your own figure in the calculator above.
Which has lower taxes, Dubai or Singapore?
United Arab Emirates has the lower top income-tax rate — 0% versus 24% in Singapore.
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Estimates use approximate cost-of-living indices (US average = 100) and are for general guidance only.