The Big Buy
What things really cost in Singapore: cost of living, cars and COE, renovations, weddings, helpers, phones, and the WahLiao Price Index.
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Digital Locks and Door Cameras: Costs and the HDB Rules
As of October 2026, a digital door lock costs about S$310 to S$1,290 on its own, and a door-and-gate bundle about S$890 to S$1,850.…
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Air Purifiers and Dehumidifiers: Do You Need One, and What They Cost
An air purifier earns its keep during haze or for allergy sufferers, with bedroom models from about S$180 and living-room units around S$450 to…
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Eldercare Costs: Nursing Homes, Day Care, Home Care and the Subsidies
Since 1 July 2026, means-tested subsidies cover up to 80% of nursing home fees and up to 95% of day care and home care…
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Hearing Aids: What They Cost and the Subsidies for Seniors
Private hearing aids in Singapore cost roughly S$1,600 to over S$9,000 per ear in 2026. Seniors aged 60 and above with household income of…
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Health Screening in Singapore: Screen for Life and What Private Packages Cost
Under Healthier SG Screening, formerly Screen for Life, eligible citizens pay S$5 or less for nationally recommended tests at CHAS GPs, and S$0 at…
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Physiotherapy Costs: Public or Private, and What MediSave and Insurance Cover
Private physiotherapy in Singapore commonly costs about S$180 to S$230 a session in 2026, while subsidised community rehab can cost as little as S$0…
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Infant Care and Student Care Fees: The Subsidies and How to Apply
Full-day infant care at an Anchor Operator is capped at S$1,235 a month before GST, and a working mother’s Basic Subsidy of S$600 brings…
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Children’s Swimming Lessons: SwimSafer, Group or Private, and the Cost
SwimSafer 2.0 is Singapore’s national water-safety programme, with six stages of about 12 hours of lessons each. Group lessons have typically cost around S$25…
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Tuition Fees in Singapore: What Parents Pay by Level and Type
Private one-to-one tuition in 2026 typically runs from about S$25 an hour for a student tutor at lower primary to S$150 an hour for…
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Water Heaters: Storage or Instant, Gas or Electric, and the Cost
A basic electric instant heater can cost under S$150, while gas and storage systems cost more but serve several taps at once. Since 1…
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Buying a Fridge: Sizes, Energy Ratings and Getting It Through an HDB Door
Most couples need 250 to 350 litres and families of four 350 to 450 litres, at prices from under S$400 to well over S$3,000.…
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Washing Machines and Dryers: Front or Top Load, Energy Labels and Installation
In mid-2026 a top-loader cost from about S$300 to S$800 and a front-loader roughly S$600 to S$1,600 at a big retailer, with every washer…
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Buying a TV: Sizes, Panel Types and What You Really Pay
Pick the size from your sofa distance, the panel from your room’s light, and the energy label from NEA’s ticks. The real cost is…
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Buying a Laptop: Warranty, Education Pricing and the Specs That Matter
For most people in 2026, 16GB of memory and a 512GB SSD is the sensible floor, and a local warranty matters more than a…
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Buying a Mattress in Singapore: Types, Trial Periods and What a Good One Costs
A good queen mattress in Singapore costs roughly S$700 to S$1,300 in the value band, with budget bed-in-a-box models under about S$600 and premium…
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Self-Storage in Singapore: Unit Sizes, Prices and Contracts
Self-storage in Singapore runs from about $50 a month for a small locker to $250 to $400 for a medium unit that holds a…
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Hiring Movers in Singapore: What a House Move Costs
Published 2026 price guides put a local HDB move at roughly $350 to $1,600 depending on flat size and whether you pack yourself, with…
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Extended Warranties: When They’re Worth It and What They Exclude
An extended warranty in Singapore usually starts only when the manufacturer’s warranty ends, covers mechanical and electrical breakdowns, and excludes accidents, liquid damage, wear…
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Streaming and Pay TV in Singapore: What the Subscriptions Cost
Netflix in Singapore costs $15.98 to $29.98 a month, Disney+ $18.98 to $22.98, and HBO Max from $129.98 a year, while free options such…
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Seeing a TCM Practitioner: Consultation Costs and What Insurance Covers
A TCM visit in Singapore can cost from about $21 at a charitable clinic to well over $100 at a private one once acupuncture…
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Eye Care Costs: Glasses, Contact Lenses and LASIK
Complete glasses in Singapore start from under S$100 at budget chains, with progressive and coated lenses costing more. LASIK at the Singapore National Eye…
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Dental Costs in Singapore: Scaling, Fillings, Braces and Subsidies
MOH’s benchmarks for CHAS dental clinics put scaling at S$35 to S$60 and a simple filling at S$65 to S$160 before GST, while braces…
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School Fees in Singapore 2026: Primary, Secondary and Miscellaneous Fees
In 2026, Singapore Citizens pay no school fees in primary school and S$5 a month in secondary school, plus a miscellaneous fee of S$13…
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The Cost of Having a Baby in Singapore: Delivery Bills and MediSave
A normal delivery in a subsidised public ward has a median bill of about S$1,350, against about S$10,800 in a private hospital, according to…
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Home Cleaning Services: Part-Time Cleaners, Agencies and Hourly Rates
Part-time home cleaning in Singapore usually costs about S$16 to S$35 an hour, with weekly bookings cheaper than one-off visits. Hire through a cleaning…
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Aircon Servicing and Replacement: What It Costs and How Often
A routine aircon service in Singapore typically costs about S$20 to S$70 per unit depending on how many units you book, with chemical washes…
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Car Sharing and Rental in Singapore: How the Services Work and What They Cost
Car sharing in Singapore is charged by the hour or minute plus mileage, with fuel and insurance included, so a three-hour errand often costs…
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Learning to Drive in Singapore: Class 3 or 3A, School or Private, and the Cost
Class 3A is for automatic cars only, while Class 3 covers manual and automatic. Learning at a driving centre typically comes to about S$2,000…
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Motorcycles in Singapore: Licence Classes, Category D COE and Costs
You start on a Class 2B licence for bikes up to 200cc, then move up to 2A and 2 after a year on each.…
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Buying a Second-Hand Car: Checks, Depreciation and Transfer Fees
A used car in Singapore is priced around its remaining COE and paper value, so annual depreciation is the number that matters. Check the…
