They say good things come with a price, and that can’t be more true for those of us living in Singapore. Though undoubtedly one of the best cities in the world – and one of the safest there is – it’s also one of the most expensive for both locals and expats alike. But that’s not stopping those from elsewhere from trying to live here, whether for work or studies. With our education system being highly lauded, there are plenty of international students vying for places in our top universities and tertiary institutions – despite Singapore being named one of the costliest places in the world for students, according to Remitly.
Based on the projected costs for university education and related expenses, the American remittance platform has ranked a list of the world’s most expensive cities for students in 2025, and Singapore scores second place – right under New York City (#1). This is according to Remitly’s estimate of the daily cost of living ($24.34), average monthly rental for a one-bedroom apartment ($3,630.65), visa fees ($67), and average tuition fee ($64,460), all in USD.
The other cities in the top 10 list are all cities in the United States of America, with San Francisco (#3), Washington (#6), and Seattle (#10) being some of them. In fact, Singapore is the only city in Asia in the full list of 20, where the only other non-USA cities are Sydney (#18) and London (#19).
Here’s a disclaimer that this ranking is likely more accurate for international students rather than locals. Due to the housing situation in Singapore where rent is at sky-high levels, most local students still live with their parents – which then puts their housing costs at zero. Some students might choose to live in their university halls, but that’s still nowhere near the cost of what the ranking states. University fees also differ based on one’s school and course, and Singaporeans do get preferential rates compared to foreign students.
Likewise, Singaporeans pursuing a degree overseas might have to pay more than citizens of the given country. And if you’re lucky enough to get into an Ivy League, your annual tuition fees can be in the six-digit range per academic year if you don’t have a scholarship.
But count yourself lucky if you’re able to attend a public Singaporean university – not only are their certificates strongly recognised, some of them are also known as the top universities in the world, with NUS leading the pack at number one in Asia for 2025 in the QS World University Rankings.
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