GeoRealityMatch
Tranquil reflection of traditional architecture and bridge in Beihai Park, Beijing.China
A vibrant view of Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, featuring lush greenery and iconic structures.Singapore

Compare countries · China vs Singapore

China vs Singapore

ChinaEastern AsiaSingaporeSouth-Eastern Asia

China is cheaper (cost of living 30.5 vs 87.7).Singapore is more peaceful (Global Peace Index 1.435 vs 2.231), scores higher on human development (0.946 vs 0.797) and has the higher income per person ($81,760 vs $14,230).It also has the longer life expectancy (83.3 vs 78.0 years).

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Safety

Singapore is the more peaceful

Global Peace Indexlower is more peaceful
China2.231Medium safety#117 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Singapore1.435Very high safety#8 of 161IEP GPI · 2026
Homicidesper 100,000 people a year
China0.5Very lowUNODC / World Bank · 2020
Singapore0.1Very lowUNODC / World Bank · 2023
Safety indexNumbeo's safety index, higher is safer
China76.9Very highNumbeo · 2026
Singapore77.5Very highNumbeo · 2026
UK travel adviceFCDO, for British travellers
ChinaNo advice against travelFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-12
SingaporeNo advice against travelFCDO foreign travel advice, GOV.UK · read 2026-10-12
Money

Income per person is higher in Singapore

GNI per personnational income per person, US dollars
China$14,230HighWorld Bank · 2025
Singapore$81,760Very highWorld Bank · 2025
Cost of living indexexcluding rent, New York = 100
China30.5Very affordableNumbeo · 2026
Singapore87.7Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026
Rent indexNew York = 100
China10.4AffordableNumbeo · 2026
Singapore73.1Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026
Property price to incomeyears of median income to buy a median flat
China21.5Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026
Singapore22.1Very expensiveNumbeo · 2026
Health

People live longer in Singapore

Life expectancyyears, at birth
China78.0High#54 of 195World Bank · 2024
Singapore83.3Very high#12 of 195World Bank · 2024
Health coverageWHO universal health coverage index, 0 to 100
China85Very highWHO · 2023
Singapore88Very highWHO · 2023
Air pollutionPM2.5, micrograms per cubic metre, national average
China31.6Very highWHO · 2023
Singapore11.8LowWHO · 2023
Work and internet

Broadband is faster in Singapore

Fixed broadbandmedian download speed
China212 MbpsVery fast#27 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
Singapore421 MbpsVery fast#1 of 149Ookla Speedtest · 2025
English proficiencyEF English Proficiency Index score
China464LowEF EPI · 2025
SingaporeNative EnglishNativeEF EPI · 2025
How it changed

Human development: Singapore 0.946, China 0.797

ChinaSingapore

UNDP Human Development Report, 1990–2023.

Year by year:ChinaSingapore

Practical facts

Capital
Beijing
Singapore
Population
1.41B (2025)
6.1M (2025)
Languages
Chinese
English, Chinese, Malay, Tamil
Currency
Chinese yuan (CNY)
Singapore dollar (SGD)
Area
9,388,210 km²
718 km²
Plug type
Type A/I
Type G
Drives on the
right
left
Short visit
Visa-free for EU; visa needed for UK and US
Visa-free for UK, EU and US passports

Short visits: passport-index-dataset, 2024, for UK, EU (German) and US passports. Population and area: World Bank. Languages, currency and driving side: restcountries.com. Plug types: worldstandards.eu.

Every figure

China and Singapore, side by side

The same figures as a facts file

Quick answers

Is China cheaper than Singapore?

Numbeo's 2026 cost-of-living index (NYC = 100) puts China at 30.5 and Singapore at 87.7. China is about 65% cheaper overall.

Is China or Singapore safer?

On the Global Peace Index (lower = more peaceful), China scores 2.23 and Singapore scores 1.44. Singapore ranks as the more peaceful of the two.

Which has the higher quality of life, China or Singapore?

On the UN Human Development Index, China scores 0.797 and Singapore scores 0.946. Singapore scores higher on this composite of income, health and education. Single indexes hide trade-offs; the full comparison above shows where each country wins.

What is life like in China compared to Singapore?

GNI per capita runs $14,230 in China against $81,760 in Singapore; people live 78.0 years on average against 83.3; Numbeo users rate healthcare 69 against 72. Those are national averages and they hide the thing you actually feel: capital-city costs run well ahead of the national figure in most countries, and rural provision of healthcare and internet often lags the number shown here. The table below splits it indicator by indicator.

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Every figure is sourced where it is shown. A dash means the country has no figure from that source.Photographs by zhang kaiyv, Elina Sazonova on Pexels