Cost of Living: Bali vs Singapore (2026)

Indonesia vs Singapore — relocation comparison

TL;DRBali is 60% cheaper on rent ($1082/mo vs $2696/mo). Singapore gets you to permanent residency 3 years faster (2 vs 5 years). Neither city will test your commitment to owning a coat.
65
Livability Score
🇮🇩 Bali
Indonesia
Full profile
69
Livability Score
🇸🇬 Singapore
Singapore
Full profile
Too close to call — 69 vs 65. Singapore has a slight edge, but Bali might suit you better depending on your priorities.
💰
Cost of Living
Bali
$1615/mo cheaper on rent alone
🗳️
Democracy
Bali
6.8/10 EIU index
🗣️
English
Singapore
higher proficiency score
📋
Residency
Singapore
PR in 2 years
Bali
Metric
Singapore
$1082/mo
🏠
Rent (1BR centre)
$2696/mo
$268/mo
🛒
Living costs (no rent)
$622/mo
$2,914
🧳
Cost to land
$7,761
0.3 / 100k
🔒
Homicides
0.1 / 100k
51 / 100
🚨
Crime perception
lower is better
23 / 100
29°C
☀️
Summer high
31°C
25°C
❄️
Winter low
25°C
36 Mbps
Internet speed
279 Mbps
6.8 / 10
🗳️
Democracy
6.2 / 10
Moderate (41/100)
🗣️
English ease
Very High (94/100)
$16k
💼
GDP per capita
$151k
2.2%
📈
Inflation
2.4%
65 / 100
🏅
Livability Score
69 / 100
60/100 — Patchy
Grid reliability
99/100 — Reliable
56/100
🗽
Freedom House
47/100
5 years
📋
Time to PR
2 years

For the Kids

Schools, pediatric care, and whether your children can actually enroll

369
PISA
country avg
560
15
Intl schools
1
Yes, but limited for foreigners (Indonesian)
Public school
Limited, priority to citizens/PRs (English)
Specialist wait
1–3 weeks
$498/mo
Childcare
full-day
$1531/mo

Sources: OECD PISA 2022 · Wikipedia · Numbeo · official health systems

Settler Essentials

stable
Democracy trend
stable
tourismhospitalitydigital-nomadsurfing-culture
Industries
financelogisticsbiotechtech
nascent
Startup ecosystem
hub
60/100
Grid reliability
99/100
5 yrs
Time to PR
2 yrs
Easy
EU visa
Moderate
Easy
RU visa
Complex
Easy
UA visa
Moderate
Your partner gets to watch you work
Spouse works
⚠️ Your partner can exist, not earn

Sources: EIU · Freedom House · Startup Genome · IEA · official immigration portals

The Short Version

  • Rent is 60% cheaper in Bali ($1082/mo vs $2696/mo for a 1BR city centre).
  • Summers are slightly warmer in Singapore (31°C vs 29°C).
  • Bali scores higher on democracy (6.8 vs 6.2 / 10 EIU).
  • English is easier to get by in Singapore (94/100 vs 41/100 English proficiency).

Bali vs Singapore — Common Questions

Is Bali cheaper than Singapore?

Bali is cheaper. A 1-bedroom apartment in city centre costs around $1082/month in Bali vs $2696/month in the other city (Numbeo data).

Which is safer, Bali or Singapore?

Singapore is statistically safer based on UNODC homicide data. Bali has a rate of 0.31 per 100,000 and Singapore has 0.12 per 100,000.

Should I move to Bali or Singapore?

Too close to call — 69 vs 65. Singapore has a slight edge, but Bali might suit you better depending on your priorities. See the full comparison above for rent, safety, internet speed, climate, and democracy scores to decide which city fits your priorities.

Is it easier to get residency in Bali or Singapore?

Bali: Indonesia Second Home Visa (complex process, 5 or 10 years). Singapore: Singapore Tech.Pass (complex process, 2 years (renewable)). See each city's profile page for full requirements.

Can I live in Bali or Singapore without speaking the local language?

English is easier to get by in Singapore (EF EPI score: 94/100) than in Bali (41/100). In Singapore, daily life and professional settings often work in English. In Bali, learning some of the local language will make long-term settlement significantly smoother.

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