How Much I Spend Every Month with 3 Kids and a Condo Loan to Pay

One of the most common questions I get from readers and friends is:

“How much are your monthly expenses, especially with 3 kids and a private condo mortgage?”

So in this post, I’ll break down my monthly household spending, mortgage costs, and personal expenses. Would like to know if you all think this is normal, too little or too much.

Household Expenses: ~$8,000/month

This is our total monthly household expense, which includes:

Utilities
Groceries
Tuition classes for the kids
Domestic helper
School Fees
Car
Miscellaneous family needs

Fortunately, this amount is shared equally with my wife, so I personally contribute $4,000/month for household expenses.

Mortgage Repayment: $8,000/month

Here’s the big one, our condo mortgage.

We’re paying about $8,000/month, and we’ve chosen to pay fully in cash. We didn’t use any CPF for this loan, so our CPF can continue compounding for retirement.

This is also shared equally with my wife. That means I’m personally paying $4,000/month toward the mortgage.

My Personal Expenses: ~$600/month

My personal spending is fairly minimal. Here's a breakdown:

Insurance: ~$300/month (about $3,600/year cash this does not include CPF deduction)
Phone Bill: $10/month (Zero1 SIM-only plan)
Weekday Lunches: $6/day x ~20 days = ~$120/month
Dining Out (weekends and date nights): ~$160/month
Transport: ~$10/month (I cycle to work most days)

So overall, my monthly personal expenses come to around $600.

Support for Mum: Covered by CPF LIFE

My mum’s monthly allowance is now fully covered by CPF LIFE payouts. This is possible because I had been topping up her Retirement Account (RA) consistently for over the last 6 years.

It's a good example of how CPF top-ups can ease future financial responsibilities.

Summary of My Monthly Expenses

Here’s a quick breakdown of my monthly financial commitments:

Household Expenses: $4,000
Mortgage Repayment: $4,000
Personal Expenses: $600

Total Monthly Outflow: $8,600

After subtracting some rental income (~$1,300/month), my net monthly expense is around $7,300.

This is funded by my main job, while any income from side hustles, blogging, or investing becomes spare cash for saving and reinvesting.

Final Thoughts

Managing money in Singapore as a family with kids and a mortgage is overwhelming. I am fortunate that my wife is also working and is able to share this burden equally with me.

Also keeping personal expenses low and choosing not to touch CPF for our mortgage, we’re giving ourselves more flexibility in the future.

Let me know if you all think this is typical, too little or too much. Drop a comment below or DM me.

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