Updated on
$20 an hour in Singapore: monthly salary and overtime
Reviewed by Radif Partners
Whether overtime still applies
At $20.00 an hour, a full-time month is worth $3,813 on MOM’s formula, $45,760 a year. That salary sits between the two overtime thresholds of Part IV of the Employment Act. A workman, doing manual work, is covered up to $4,500 a month, so overtime at 1.5 times, $30.00 an hour, is a legal right, within a cap of 72 overtime hours a month. An employee who is not a workman is covered only up to $2,600, so at $3,813 overtime pay depends on the contract, not on the Act. For CPF, the citizen pays $762 and takes home $3,051; the employer adds $649. Income tax for the year is $397, since chargeable income of $35,616 is in the 7 % band.
Monthly salary equivalent
$3,813
$45,760 a year · $3,051 take-home a month
| Gross monthly salary | $3,813 |
| Your CPF (20.0 %) | − $762 |
| Take-home pay per month | $3,051 |
| Employer CPF (paid on top) | $649 |
| Into your accounts: OA · SA · MediSave (per year) | $10,527 · $2,745 · $3,661 |
| Annual gross | $45,760 |
| Reliefs: earned income $1,000 + CPF $9,144 | − $10,144 |
| Income tax YA 2027 on $35,616 chargeable | − $397 |
| Net after CPF and tax, per year | $36,219 |
| Employer cost per year (salary + CPF + SDL) | $53,662 |
| Hourly basic rate, MOM formula (12 × monthly ÷ 52 × 44) | $20.00 |
CPF Board rates from 1 January 2026; ordinary wage ceiling $8,000 a month, annual ceiling $102,000. Tax at IRAS resident rates for YA 2027, no rebate assumed. Estimates only, see the methodology.
Ten overtime hours a month
For a workman, ten hours of overtime at $30.00 add $300 of ordinary wages to the month, which also attract 20 % CPF: $60 from the employee and $51 from the employer.
$20.00 an hour by weekly hours
| Hours | Monthly pay | Employee CPF | Take-home | Employer CPF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 h a week | $693 | $116 | $577 | $118 |
| 10 h a week | $867 | $173 | $694 | $148 |
| 20 h a week | $1,733 | $346 | $1,387 | $295 |
| 30 h a week | $2,600 | $520 | $2,080 | $442 |
| 44 h a week | $3,813 | $762 | $3,051 | $649 |
Figures computed with the CPF Board rate tables from 1 January 2026 and the IRAS resident rates for YA 2027, without bonus unless stated. Estimates only: your payslip and notice of assessment prevail.
Once the employer’s CPF share is removed, MOM’s June 2025 figures put the median full-time resident salary at about $4,900 a month and the 20th percentile at about $2,700. A salary of $3,813 a month is 22 % below the median of about $4,900, which places it between the lowest-paid fifth and the middle of full-time residents. These are estimates based on the published income figures, which include employer CPF. Average and median salary in Singapore.
Questions people ask
What is $20 an hour in monthly salary in Singapore?
$3,813 a month for a full-time 44-hour week, based on MOM’s formula, or $45,760 a year. A citizen aged 30 takes home $3,051 a month after CPF and owes about $397 of income tax for the year, while the employer adds $649 a month of CPF.
Am I entitled to overtime at $20 an hour?
If you are a workman, yes, because the monthly equivalent of $3,813 is below the $4,500 limit of Part IV of the Employment Act; overtime is paid at $30.00 an hour. If you are not a workman, the Act covers you only up to $2,600 a month, so it depends on your contract.
Is $20 an hour a good wage in Singapore?
Its full-time equivalent, $3,813 a month, is below the median salary of about $4,900 implied by MOM’s 2025 figures, but well above the $1,800 Local Qualifying Salary. It is typical of skilled trade, technical and experienced service roles, and overtime can lift monthly earnings for workmen covered by the Employment Act.
Related calculators and guides
Sources
Written by Radif Partners
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Rates for 2026, last checked on