Head to head

London vs Singapore.

🇬🇧 United Kingdom against 🇸🇬 Singapore, on tax, residence, cost, and the life. Same model, same year, no brochure.

In short, current to September 2026

  • On $1,000,000 of income, London takes an effective 43% and Singapore takes 21%, so Singapore leaves about $223K more in hand each year on Patrician's 2026 model.
  • On a capital gain realized after residence begins, London charges 24% and Singapore charges 0%. On a $5,000,000 event that is a difference of about $1.2M.
  • United Kingdom operates a special regime for arriving foreigners: 4 year foreign income and gains regime for new arrivals. Singapore operates none.
  • Inheritance, what a child pays: 40% in London, nothing in Singapore.
  • Route in: London by Founder & talent. Singapore by Residence by investment, Founder & talent.
  • Cost of the life is 96 in London against 98 in Singapore on Patrician's index where Zurich is 100, and safety 7 against 10 of 10. Both are Patrician editorial indices scored by us, not published statistics.

Source: the Patrician.ch board, an original ranking of 100 residence addresses across 48 countries and territories. Tax rates, thresholds and routes are sourced. Cost, safety, schools, sun and beauty are Patrician.ch editorial indices. Figures current to September 2026. Updated . Cite as: Patrician.ch, London vs Singapore: tax, residence and cost 2026, patrician.ch/compare/lon-vs-sin/, September 2026.

LondonSingapore
Effective tax at $300K39%16%
Effective tax at $1M43%21%
Effective tax at $3M44%23%
Kept at $1M$568K$791K
Capital gains24%0%
Inheritance tax, children40%nothing
Cost index (Zurich 100)9698
Safety7/1010/10
Schools10/1010/10
Sun hours1,6302,020
Supercar street index#12#29
Routes inFounder & talentResidence by investment, Founder & talent
Net millionaire inflow 2025 (country, Henley)−16,500+1,600
Flight LondonHome14.2
Flight New York7.819.6

Simplified marginal model, indicative 2026 brackets, non-US single filer, no social contributions, deductions, wealth taxes, or treaties. Inheritance is shown as it falls on a child, current to September 2026.

By profile

How each profile reads.

For an executive on salary

Singapore keeps more of a $1M salary, $223K a year on this model. London answers with the life itself.

For a founder with an exit

Capital gains: London 24%, Singapore 0%. Neither city taxes wealth as such.

For a family

Singapore leads on safety and sun, London on a lower cost. Schools are level.

LondonThe full pageSingaporeThe full pageRank both on my numbersThe engine, 90 seconds
Questions

Which keeps more of a $1M income, London or Singapore?

Singapore, by about $223K a year on Patrician.ch's 2026 model.

London takes an effective 43% of $1,000,000 and Singapore takes 21%. At $3,000,000 the rates are 44% and 23%.

Which taxes capital gains less, London or Singapore?

Singapore, at 0% against 24% in London.

On a $5,000,000 liquidity event realized after residence begins, the difference is about $1.2M.

Which is better for inheritance, London or Singapore?

Singapore. What a child pays: 40% in London, nothing in Singapore.

The UK taxes an estate at 40% above £325,000, with a further band for a home left to children. A spouse inherits free. Since April 2025 exposure follows 10 of the last 20 years of residence. Singapore abolished estate duty in 2008.

Which is cheaper to live in, London or Singapore?

London, at 96 on the Patrician.ch cost index against 98 for Singapore, where Zurich is 100.

Safety scores 7 of 10 in London and 10 of 10 in Singapore, schools 10 and 10. These are Patrician.ch editorial indices, not published statistics.

The Dossier: London, Singapore, and the third you have not considered.Your top 3 modeled on your income, exit, passports, and family. 10 chapters, written the moment you pay, usually ready within 2 minutes. The Dossier is $500. The founding price, $250, holds until 31 October. Refunded within 7 days if it does not change how you think.
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This page is the general case. Your income and passports rank all 100 differently.

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The general case, ranked: Where should high earners live in 2026 · Best country to live in if you are rich · Best countries for high earners after tax · Europe · United States

Tax figures use a simplified marginal model with indicative 2026 brackets for a non-US single filer, ignore social contributions, most deductions, wealth taxes, and treaties, and are not advice. Residence rules change often. Verify before acting.

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