Cost of Living in Singapore for International Students

As put forth by the National University of Singapore – which is the premiere institute of higher learning in the Lion City – an average annual budget for a student in Singapore, including dormitory, comes up to SGD$10,400 (US$ 7,574). That’s what they define as a “conservative estimate”, and it doesn’t take into consideration what students will do during vacation periods.

But in the name of playing it safe, a foreign student may want to take this figure as being akin to a minimum budget. For instance, there are a number of tourist attractions in Singapore which are bound to, well, attract you. And upon visiting one, how much you spend can vary. Also considering that Singapore isn’t a large country, unlike other places a student can in fact visit all of its major sites. So in addition to the amount mentioned above, it wouldn’t hurt to have a little extra on hand in the name of thoroughly enjoying the Gardens by the Bay, the Night Safari, the Singapore Flyer or one of the number of other attractions we have already talked about on this blog.

There is also the possibility that an international student will not live on campus. In such cases the price you’ll spend on housing depends on what type of housing you prefer. You can have a look at our exposition on the overall cost of living in Singapore to have a better idea of how much money you’ll be spending if you decide to venture out on your own. But as advised by the National University of Singapore a foreign student having about US$7,600 on hand, in addition to the price of tuition, should cover their basic needs during months when school is actually in session.