Average Salary in Singapore: What Employers Need To Know

When hiring an employee in Singapore, coming up with a suitable salary offer takes more than a quick Google search. The average salary in Singapore can give you a general sense of typical compensation there, but pay in the country varies significantly by role, industry, and experience.

You also need to factor in Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions, statutory levies, and Singapore’s cost of living. These factors help employers build realistic compensation packages and forecast their total employment costs.

Find out what average pay in Singapore looks like by age and role, what CPF takes out of a paycheck, and how to hire someone there compliantly.

What’s the average salary in Singapore?

Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM) publishes both mean and median income data.

If you need a refresher, the mean is the average of every reported income; every salary is added up and the total is divided by the number of people included. Because a relatively small group of high earners can pull the mean upward, Singapore’s median income—the middle number when each salary is listed from lowest to highest—can provide a useful benchmark for a typical employee’s salary.

The mean gross monthly income in Singapore in the first quarter of 2026 was S$6,593, MOM reported. The gross monthly income median was S$5,775 in 2025.

Below are the mean and median Singapore average salary in USD compared to the Singapore dollar based on MOM’s most recent report. The USD values are approximate and use an exchange rate of S$1 = US$0.79

The MOM income summary defines residents of Singapore as citizens and permanent residents. While salary benchmarks are a useful reference point, industry, seniority, education, and specialized skills can all move compensation higher or lower than the national average.

Does Singapore have a minimum wage?

Singapore doesn’t have a universal minimum wage. Instead, the Progressive Wage Model sets wage and training requirements for eligible citizens and permanent residents working in designated sectors and occupations.

Coverage includes areas like:

• Cleaning
• Security
• Landscape maintenance
• Retail
• Food services
• Waste management
• Lift and escalator maintenance
• Driving

Businesses that employ foreign talent may also need to meet Progressive Wage or Local Qualifying Salary requirements for those employees.

What’s CPF and how does it affect salaries in Singapore?

The Central Provident Fund (CPF) is Singapore’s mandatory social security savings system. Contributions support eligible employees’ retirement, housing, and healthcare needs.

CPF contributions are payable for Singapore citizens and permanent residents. Foreign employees holding an Employment Pass, S Pass, or Work Permit don’t contribute, and their employers don’t pay an employer CPF share. This makes for a meaningful cost difference between local and foreign hires in Singapore.

For citizens and permanent residents of at least three years who are ages 55 or younger and earn more than S$750 per month, the 2026 contribution rates are:

• Employee contribution: 20%
• Employer contribution: 17%
• Combined contribution: 37%

These rates apply to an employee’s total wages, which include Ordinary Wages and Additional Wages (e.g., bonuses), up to monthly ceilings.

For example, say an eligible 54-year-old employee earns S$6,000 per month. Their CPF calculations would amount to the following:

• Employee CPF deduction: S$6,000 x 20% = $1,200
• Take-home pay after CPF deduction: S$6,000 − 1,200 = $4,800
• Employer CPF contribution: S$6,000 x 17% = $1,020
• Employer’s total salary and CPF cost: S$6,000 + 1,020 = $7,020

Average salary in Singapore by age

Average earnings in Singapore follow an arc by employees’ ages: rising steeply through the 20s and early 30s, peaking around the mid-40s to early 50s, and tapering off after that. The following table uses medians from the 2025 data from a gross monthly income by age report from MOM.

These figures represent pay before employee CPF deductions and include one-twelfth of annual bonuses.

Average Singapore salary by role

Role and industry create wide pay differences. MOM’s 2025 data shows high wages in financial and insurance services, information and communications, and management positions across services.

The following includes median monthly gross wages from MOM’s Occupational Wage Survey.

These figures cover full-time resident employees. Within this selection, information and communication technology service managers have the highest median wage, followed by budgeting or financial accounting managers. This reflects the country’s position as a regional headquarters hub for banks, fund managers, and multinational legal and compliance teams. These industries compete for a relatively small specialist talent pool, which likely plays a role in the higher average salaries. Roles like software developer and assistant accountant trend closer to the broader national figures.

Singapore payroll requirements

After a new hire accepts an offer, their new employer’s focus shifts from benchmarking a salary to payroll compliance.

An effective Singapore payroll process should account for the following requirements:

• Pay schedules. According to MOM’s salary payment guidance, salaries are due at least monthly and within seven days after the salary period. Overtime pay is generally due within 14 days of the salary period.
• CPF and levies. Employers calculate CPF for eligible citizens and permanent residents, pay a Skills Development Levy, and account for a Foreign Worker Levy where applicable.
• Tax reporting. Employers with more than five employees generally report employment income through the Auto-Inclusion Scheme. Separate tax-clearance rules can apply to departing non-citizen employees.
• Paid statutory leave. Payroll must handle paid sick and hospitalization leave, maternity and paternity leave, and other applicable entitlements. Eligibility, reimbursement, and pay calculations vary.
• Classification, work passes, and records. Employee status and work-pass conditions affect payroll obligations. Misclassification of independent contractors and employees can create tax, benefits, and employment-law exposure.

Teams looking for payroll services in Singapore should consider whether a provider handles CPF, tax reporting, employee documentation, and foreign workforce obligations rather than just payroll calculations alone.

How Pebl supports hiring, payroll, and compliance in Singapore

Salary data can help you set an initial budget when hiring in Singapore, but remaining compliant once an employee joins the company requires ongoing effort. Pebl helps you manage payroll according to local regulations in Singapore—or wherever you’re hiring—so that you stay compliant during each pay cycle.

With Pebl’s Employer of Record (EOR) services, companies can hire employees globally without having to establish local entities where each employee is based. As an EOR in Singapore, Pebl becomes the legal employer and takes responsibility for compliance with Singapore employment law, while your company still manages the employee’s day-to-day work.

Meanwhile, Pebl’s Global Payroll feature ensures you pay employees accurately, with respect to applicable taxes, social contributions, and statutory deductions.

Pebl also brings current market salary insights and payroll operations together. HR and finance teams can benchmark compensation and forecast employment costs within the same platform.

If you’re ready to expand your team to Singapore, contact Pebl today and request a demo.

FAQ

What is considered a good salary in Singapore?

A good salary in Singapore depends heavily on age, industry, and role, but a useful anchor is the national median of S$5,775 a month.

What is the average salary in Singapore after deducting CPF?

For a citizen or permanent resident earning close to the national median, expect to deduct roughly 20% in employee CPF contributions before tax. For a gross monthly salary of S$5,775 (including employer CPF), that works out to a take-home pay of about S$4,620 per month.