The calculation the Economist Intelligence Unit uses is very different from the one presented in this blog post. For instance, the price of a car is not factored into the blog post as the author assumes a "student lifestyle."

For instance, in Singapore, a new Toyota Camry costs almost US$150,000 while the same car in Seattle costs at most $30,000. The difference is worth the downpayment to an apartment in Seattle. A public transport pass in Singapore (EZLink Season Pass) is $134, which is more expensive than Seattle anyway.