For many working adults in Singapore, earning more does not necessarily mean changing careers or taking on another job. It may simply mean finding a way to add another $1,000 to your monthly income.
One option is to build a side hustle. Besides bringing in extra income, this can also reduce your reliance on a single salary and, in some cases, grow into something much bigger over time.
The other option is more straightforward: earn more from your current job, whether through a pay rise, promotion or job change.
What A Pay Rise Needs To Look Like
In Singapore, average salary increments in 2026 are around 3% to 5% for many workers, according to various studies. A ManpowerGroup survey found that 56% of Singapore employers planned to give increments of between 3% and 5%, while only 18% expected to give more than 5%.
A 3% to 5% pay rise may sound reasonable, but the increase can be modest in dollar terms. On a $4,000 monthly salary, a 5% raise works out to an extra $200 a month in gross income. On an $8,000 salary, it is $400.
Neither gets you close to an additional $1,000 a month.
To earn $1,000 more in gross salary, someone earning $4,000 would need a 25% raise. Someone earning $8,000 would need a 12.5% increase.
These increases are not impossible, but they are likely well above what most employers typically budget for annual increments. A pay rise of this size is more likely to come with a promotion, a significant increase in responsibilities or a move to another employer.
Read Also: 7 Side Hustles That You Can Work From Home To Earn Additional Income
What A Side Hustle Can Give You
A side hustle gives you another route to that extra $1,000, although how much time it takes depends heavily on the type of work you do. Gig work through food delivery platforms such as GrabFood and foodpanda may earn around $10 an hour in gross income.
If you can earn an effective $10 an hour, making an additional $1,000 would require about 100 hours of work each month. That is like two additional full workweeks (assuming you work 10 hours a week, 5 days a week)
Freelance writing or content work can pay around $30 to $80 per article, or $30 to $80 an hour, depending on platform rates like Upwork. At an average of $50 an hour, earning $1,000 would take about 20 hours a month, or around five hours a week.
Tutoring can also pay between $25 and $80 an hour depending on the subject and level. At $50 an hour, you would similarly need about 20 hours of tutoring each month to reach $1,000.
For many people, earning an extra $1,000 a month from a side hustle could therefore require roughly 20 to 50 hours of additional work each month, depending on the type of work and how efficiently it is set up.
A Pay Rise Can Strengthen Your Income Over The Long Term
A pay rise does more than increase your income for one month. It raises your salary base, which can affect future increments, bonuses and CPF contributions.
By comparison, side-hustle income is usually variable and requires continued effort. Stop doing the work, and the income usually stops as well. Freelance income also does not come with an employer CPF contribution.
Side hustles also come with a less visible cost: your time and energy.
Spending another 10 hours a week on side work means 10 fewer hours for rest, relationships, exercise or developing skills that could help you progress in your main career. For some people, a side hustle can be enjoyable and energising. For others, it may affect their performance in the job that still provides most of their income.
When To Focus On Your Main Job Instead
Focusing on your primary career may make more sense when you are still at a stage where promotions and salary growth can have a significant long-term effect.
For example, a 30-year-old who earns a promotion this year not only benefits from a higher salary today, but also sets a higher base for future increments, bonuses, and employer CPF contributions. This is one reason why putting more energy into your main career can sometimes produce a better long-term payoff than spreading your attention across several income streams.
This may be particularly relevant if your industry rewards deep expertise that takes time to develop, your performance is closely linked to compensation, or a promotion is realistically within reach.
The counterargument is that a side hustle gives you greater control over how much you want to grow another income stream. The key difference is whether you are simply earning a little extra money on the side, or building something with the potential to become a proper business and a much larger source of income. For example, a freelance emcee is likely not only to earn additional income on the side, but also to build her personal brand at the same time. This contrasts with a food delivery rider, who is, simply put, exchanging time and energy for money.
When A Side Hustle Makes More Sense
A side hustle may make more sense when the salary ceiling at your current employer is limited, or when you have a marketable skill that can earn more in the open market than you are currently being paid for it.
A second source of income also has value beyond simply earning more money. If your main income depends entirely on one employer or industry, a separate income stream can give you more options if circumstances change.
For example, a tutor who gradually builds a regular client base over several years may eventually have choices that a salaried employee without another income source does not.
However, a side hustle may not be the right move if your main constraint is energy rather than time. If you are already stressed or overworked in your main job, adding another 10 hours of work each week could leave you performing worse in both. In that situation, focusing on your main job, or simply protecting your time outside work, may be more sensible.
Read Also: Which Would You Choose: An Annual Bonus Or A Salary Increment?
