Singapore vs France: How Do They Compare? [2025]

If your only experience with France thus far is via dining in French restaurants, then this post might be of interest to you.

Today’s article will look at some cost of living factors in Singapore and France. We’ll be comparing them to give a picture of which one offers more affordable necessities.

So before you pack your luggage and head to France, let’s see how its daily costs compare with Singapore, first.

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Is Singapore cheaper than France?

It’s nearly 42% more expensive to live in Singapore than in France! This is especially evident when shopping for food items and home rentals.

But France is also costlier in other aspects. Let’s take a look at some basic necessities and how much they cost when compared to Singapore.

Please note that we used US$ as the comparison currency.

NECESSITIES	COST IN SINGAPORE		COST IN FRANCE
1-bedroom apartment outside city centre	$1,573.92 a month	>	$568.84 a month
A litre of milk	$2.35	>	$1.06
Loaf of bread	$1.80	>	$1.48
A dozen eggs	$2.56	<	$3.05
A kilogramme of apples	$3.41	>	$2.80
A kilogramme of oranges	$3.40	>	$2.69
Fast food combo meal	$5.76	<	$9.27
Cappuccino (mid-range cafe)	$4.10	>	$2.80
Basic meal with a drink	$10.81	<	$15.40
Basic set lunch	$9.96	<	$16.92

Groceries are 14.5% more expensive in Singapore

Because Singapore imports nearly 90% of its food supplies, it comes as no surprise that shopping for pantry items would cost 14.5% more here than in France.

As shown in the table above, some supermarket supplies are costlier in Singapore. Certain fruit like apples, bananas, and oranges are also more expensive in Singapore compared to France.

For instance, a kilogramme of apples in Singapore comes with a $3.41 price tag, while it’s just $2.80 in France. Meanwhile, one kilogramme of oranges costs $3.40 in Singapore and only $2.69 in France.

France has 95.0% more affordable housing

We can’t blame you if you want to get an HDB renovation to include charming French doors. They really add a stylish, sophisticated touch to urban living.

But did you know that apartment rentals in France are 95% more affordable than in Singapore?

It will cost you around $705.48 a month to have a one-bedroom apartment in a downtown area in France. On the other hand, the same kind of unit in a similar location in Singapore is over 212% pricier at $2,204.05 a month!

Dining out is more expensive in France

If you fancy a croissant with a cup of freshly brewed coffee for breakfast, be prepared to pay a bit more for it in France. Overall, it’s around 38.4% more expensive to dine out there.

For instance, having a basic meal with a drink somewhere inexpensive (definitely not a romantic dinner place) will cost just around $10.81 in Singapore.

In France, you’re expected to pay $15.40 for it—that’s nearly a 30% difference!

A basic set lunch menu in France is around $16.92, but it will cost just $9.96 in Singapore. Even a fast-food burger meal is 34% more expensive in France.