Singapore vs India: How Do They Compare?
There are so many yummy Indian restaurants in Singapore that you might end up thinking you can know India inside and out just by eating its food.
There are special Indian clubs that also allow other Singaporeans to experience Indian music and merry-making.
However, there are other factors that make India different from what Singapore has seen in its culture so far.
Is Singapore better than India?
That depends on what features of the country you’re looking at. We looked into a few quality of life factors to compare Singapore and India.
- India has a bigger population than Singapore.
- Singapore’s housing is more expensive than India’s.
- India has lower obesity rates than Singapore.
- It’s more expensive to raise a child in Singapore than in India.
India has 18.2 more babies per 1,000 people
India has twice as many babies as Singapore. Per 1,000 people, Indians have 18.2 babies compared to just 8.9 Singaporean infants.
It’s a national concern for Singapore, and programmes have been made to address Singapore’s low birth rate.
Aside from a shift in priorities from child-rearing to successful careers, more Singaporeans baulk at the financial and mental challenges of having a child.
Currently, over 100,000 Indians live in Singapore as expats and their families. But on a bigger scale, Indians make up around one-sixth of the global population.
The United Nations also estimated that India’s population will reach 1.8 billion by 2050!
Singapore housing is nearly 83% costlier than India’s
The discrepancy between India’s and Singapore’s housing costs is pretty wide. If you lived in India, you’d be paying nearly 83% less for housing than in Singapore!
A one-bedroom downtown apartment in Singapore can cost around $2,204.05. In India, the same kind of dwelling will only set back a renter $136.92 per month.
Utility bills are also cheaper in India compared to Singapore. For things like electricity and water consumption, Indians pay around $26.05 monthly, while Singaporeans need to pay $94.67.
There are fewer obese adults in India
If you want to know if Singaporean food is healthy, you can check out the percentage of overweight and obese Singaporeans. 6.1% of adult Singaporeans were considered obese back in 2016.
In India, 36.1% of adults are less likely to be obese compared to Singaporeans. In 2016, there were 3.9% of adult Indians who reached obesity levels.
Of course, exercise and genetics play a huge role when it comes to weight. It’s not just Singaporean cuisine that’s causing this weight discrepancy but lifestyle and stress levels, as well.
Still, it’s heartening to note that Singapore has landed on the list of the top 10 most vegetarian-friendly nations.
Childcare is more expensive in Singapore
Singaporean parents’ long-standing debate about getting a confinement nanny versus a night nurse underlines how childcare has become a necessary yet expensive ordeal for most families.
In India, caring for and educating a child costs a lot less—nearly 94% less, in fact!
In Singapore, the average monthly cost for a private preschool is around $929.03. A similar learning centre in India will cost parents just $53.16 per month in tuition fees.
Middle school expenses for two semesters in Singapore are even more expensive at $21,856.56.
Meanwhile, the guardians or parents of a middle-school Indian child are expected to pay just $1,329.76 for two semesters.