By MoneyBees
Compare your pay and spending a few years ago with today: how much of your raise went to spending, your spending growth against Singapore's CPI, your savings rate drift and the retirement cost.
Spending more as you earn more, on upgrades rather than on higher prices for the same things. It shows up as a savings rate that stays flat or falls even though your pay went up.
Inflation is the price of the same basket of goods rising; SingStat measures it with the CPI. Lifestyle inflation is you buying a different, more expensive basket. The calculator separates the two by growing your earlier spending at the CPI rate.
Extra monthly spending divided by extra monthly take-home pay. If your take-home rose by S$1,000 and your spending by S$600, 60% of the raise went to spending.
SingStat's CPI-All Items annual change for each full year since your earlier figures, then the latest 12-month headline rate for this year. Headline inflation was 2.3% in the 12 months to Aug 2026.
No. Use take-home pay after CPF and tax. CPF contributions are saved before you see them, so leaving them out of both income and spending keeps the comparison fair.
Twice. You save less each month, and the amount you need grows because you plan to keep spending at the higher level. At a 4% withdrawal rate, each extra S$100 a month of spending needs S$30,000 more saved.
No. A bigger home for a growing family or better health cover can be worth it. The point is to choose it. Check that your savings rate still gets you to your goals.
The share of your take-home pay you do not spend. S$1,000 left from S$5,000 is a 20% savings rate.
Junxiong-WFG Organisation is an authorised representative of AIA Financial Advisers Private Limited (Reg. No. 201715016G).