How Much Does It Cost For Expats To Raise Children In Singapore? (2024)

Recently moved to Singapore or considering making the move here with your family, and wondering about the costs of raising a child in Singapore?

Let’s start by addressing the elephant in the room: Singapore is one of the most expensive countries in the world to live in, even beating out fellow cosmopolitan, modern Asian cities like Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Seoul. In fact, Singapore currently tops a list of 173 cities in the world in terms of being the Most Expensive.

What are we to make of that, though? Especially when we’ve got children in tow?

Let’s get things straight: while the costs associated with raising a child are undoubtedly high –how high it goes really depends on the choices you make, and the kind of lifestyle you want to maintain.

Cost Of Raising A Child in Singapore For Expats

So, how much does it really cost for an expat to raise children in Singapore?

The figure most Singapore residents see with regard to raising a child from birth to adulthood is somewhere between S$200,000 and S$500,000.

For an expat? It’s not so straightforward. For one thing, you’ll have to plan year on year, so you can’t be sure about the total sum needed. Who knows how long you’ll be in Singapore for?

So a good way to gauge would be to work out your monthly necessities for your family.

As an expat, your biggest expenditure will probably be on housing rental, and school fees. Add in all your daily costs of living from groceries, utilities, transport, and entertainment, and you’ll realise everything adds up pretty quickly.

So, how much does it really cost for you, an expat, to raise a child here in Singapore?

There’s no right answer, but people on community sites like Reddit and Quora say that a comfortable monthly estimate lies somewhere between S$12,000 and S$15,000.

If it sounds daunting, don’t worry. We got you.

We’ve broken your expenditure down to the different stages of parenting, so you can see at a glance the costs that you’ll need to financially and mentally prepare yourself for. Buckle up, and enjoy the ride!

Breakdown of Costs of Raising Children

As a parent, it’s completely understandable that we want the absolute best for our child that money can buy. The great thing about raising a child in Singapore is that even on a tighter budget, the quality of basic education and healthcare–two of the biggest costs of raising a child–is already fantastic.

Public schools and hospitals are definitely great alternatives for you to consider, if you want to save some money. If you’re up for the challenges of navigating those, check out our guide to Singapore’s education system here, and healthcare system here.

1. Pregnancy and Birth

Pregnancy is an oh-so-exciting time, but it can also be oh-so-expensve in a foreign country. If you’re expecting a bundle of joy as an expat here in Singapore, welcome! Your first order if business would be to find a gynaecologist who you are comfortable with, who you will be seeing for your antenatal care and your baby’s delivery.

In Singapore, your gynaecologist will likely be able to practise from a select few private hospitals only, so you will need to follow your gynaecologist and book a maternity package at the hospital. You can also choose to deliver at a public hospital as a private, unsubsidised patient.

You will need to be prepared to pay for your antenatal consultations, which may be pay-per-visit, or an upfront payment for a package which includes bi-weekly or monthly consults and perhaps even ultrasound scans.

Delivery fees and hospital fees are chargeable upon your baby’s delivery, and these vary widely too depending on whether you had a vaginal or Caesarean delivery, whether you had any complications at birth, and the length of your stay in the hospital–among other considerations.

You will also need to pay for a paediatrician, who will examine your baby at birth, everyday when you’re in hospital, and determine if your baby is well to be discharged to go home.

Other associated costs are: hospital tests and scans such as the OSCAR or Panorama NIPT tests, the 20-week detailed scan, and additional bloodwork or tests as required; a doula if you need the additional support at birth, and a lactation consultant to teach you the breastfeeding ropes.

2. Infancy

Babies are absolutely adorable. Babies can also be expensive to raise, especially if both parents have to work. Clothes, diapers, formula milk or breast pump equipment, bottles, baby gear–they all add up quickly.

Additionally, many local families have both parents who work, so infant care services (for children between the ages of 2 to 18 months) with professional and trained infant care teachers are quite widely available. Private nannies can also be hired to care for your infant while you’re at work.

Alternatively, you may choose to hire a live-in foreign domestic helper to help care for your baby, and to cook and clean your home while you are at work. These women are generally from countries like the Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar, or India. Read more about the steps you’ll need to take to hire a domestic helper in Singapore here.

3. Preschool

As your baby grows, you’ll want to start looking at preschool options for your child. Homeschooling is also something you could consider, if one parent isn’t working. As an expat, you’re exempt from the Ministry of Education’s strict curriculum requirements for homeschooling your child, so you definitely get a lot more freedom to explore this option.

Singapore offers a wide range of preschool choices. Whether you want to enrol your child in a full-day or half-day programme, a childcare or kindergarten, the kind of teaching pedagogy and philosophy of the school, local or international curriculums–you’ll be spoilt for choice.

There are also a wide variety of enrichment and extracurricular classes you can send your child for. Sports, dance, music, art, swimming, language, Math, creative writing, phonics; there’s practically a class for every interest under the sun. These will cost though, so you’ll want to budget accordingly for them.

4. School years

As an expat, having a primary and secondary school aged child in Singapore will probably be one of your biggest expenditures, especially if you plan to enrol him or her in an international school.

International school fees in Singapore, like in most countries around the world, are high.

And expats in Singapore who have children enrolled in an international school here will also know that there are lots of other hidden costs involved too. Application fees, transport fees, building maintenance fees, contributions to the Parent Associations, extracurricular fees, and uniforms are all additional costs.

If you intend to enrol your child in a local government school, your school fees will be significantly lower. Read all about how you can navigate the public school system here.

Whether you choose an international or local school, some costs are inescapable. Gadgets, meals during school, outings with friends, books and stationery are required of all students.

Tips on saving money while raising children in Singapore as an expat

1. Borrow books from the public libraries instead of buying brand new.

2. Enjoy free and low cost attractions and public parks.

3. Purchase annual passes to save on entrance fees.

4. Take public transport around Singapore.

5. Look out for student promotions at F&B establishments.

6. Consider enrolling your child in local schools, especially preschools.

7. Shop for your groceries at the local wet markets or online platforms, and supermarkets like Fairprice, Sheng Shiong, and Giant for the best deals.

8. Dine at hawker centres and coffee shops, or air-conditioned food courts on particularly sweltering days, or do takeaways from them to eat from home.

9. Stay at heartland neighbourhoods near town centres with amenities to save on rental.

10. Shop second-hand for clothes, furniture, and books.