By MoneyBees
Singapore's inflation rate was 2.3% in Aug 2026 (MAS core 2.2%). Check whether your pay rise beat it, and what your salary buys in future years.
MAS expects 1.5% to 2.5% for 2026.
Real pay change
+0.68%
nominal +3.00%, inflation 2.3%
Pay that keeps pace
$5,115
you are $35 ahead
In 10 years
$5,678
$6,921 on payslip, in today's dollars
Your raise beat inflation: your $5,150 buys what $5,034 bought a year ago.
Leave your email and we'll save this scenario so a MoneyBees adviser can follow up.
Or book a free chat if you'd rather talk it through.
Raises of 3% a year against 2% inflation.
| Year | On your payslip | In today's dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Now | $5,150 | $5,150 |
| Year 1 | $5,305 | $5,200 |
| Year 2 | $5,464 | $5,251 |
| Year 3 | $5,628 | $5,303 |
| Year 4 | $5,796 | $5,355 |
| Year 5 | $5,970 | $5,407 |
| Year 6 | $6,149 | $5,460 |
| Year 7 | $6,334 | $5,514 |
| Year 8 | $6,524 | $5,568 |
| Year 9 | $6,720 | $5,623 |
| Year 10 | $6,921 | $5,678 |
CPI-All Items, change on the year before.
| Year | Headline inflation |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 0.9% |
| 2024 | 2.4% |
| 2023 | 4.8% |
| 2022 | 6.1% |
| 2021 | 2.3% |
| 2020 | -0.2% |
| 2019 | 0.6% |
Latest month: 2.3% headline and 2.2% MAS core in Aug 2026, released 23 Sep 2026. Source: SingStat, MAS.
Headline inflation is the change in the Consumer Price Index for everything households buy. MAS core inflation leaves out accommodation and private transport, because supply policies drive them and they jump around. Use headline for your own cost of living; core shows the underlying trend.
Your salary went from S$5,000 to S$5,150, a 3% raise. Prices rose 2.3% in the year to August 2026. Your real raise is 1.03 divided by 1.023, minus 1, or 0.68%.
You needed S$5,115 just to keep pace, so you are S$35 a month ahead.
Contains information from MAS Core Inflation accessed on 3 Oct 2026 from the Monetary Authority of Singapore, made available under the terms of the Monetary Authority of Singapore's Terms of Use of Datasets (https://www.mas.gov.sg/terms-of-use).
Headline inflation was 2.3% in August 2026 and MAS core inflation was 2.2%, SingStat and MAS said on 23 September 2026. The next figures come out about a month later.
Headline CPI-All Items inflation averaged 0.9% in 2025, down from 2.4% in 2024 and 4.8% in 2023. The peak in recent years was 6.1% in 2022.
In its July 2026 policy statement MAS projected both headline and core inflation to average 1.5% to 2.5% in 2026.
Divide your new salary by your old one, divide by one plus the inflation rate, then subtract one. A 3% raise against 2.3% inflation is a real raise of about 0.68%.
Headline inflation covers everything in the Consumer Price Index. MAS core inflation leaves out accommodation and private transport, so it shows the underlying trend.
Headline inflation is closer to your own cost of living if you rent or drive. Core inflation is steadier and is what MAS watches when it sets policy.
At least the inflation rate. With 2.3% inflation, a S$5,000 salary needs to become S$5,115 to buy the same things.
These calculators provide general estimates for educational purposes only and are not personalised financial advice. Results may rely on rates and rules that change over time, so verify against official sources (IRAS, CPF Board, HDB, MAS) or consult a licensed financial adviser before making decisions.
Junxiong-WFG Organisation is an authorised representative of AIA Financial Advisers Private Limited (Reg. No. 201715016G).