Southeast Asia
Singapore
Spotless, very safe and effortless: superb hawker food, fast transit and English everywhere. The trade-offs are high prices, strict laws, short-stay rental bans and constant heat.
- US travel advisoryLevel 1Exercise normal precautions
- Visa164 of 198passports can visit visa-freeDetails
- CurrencySGDUS$1 ≈ S$1.28Details
- Price level60%of US prices (World Bank PPP)
- English5/5Spoken almost everywhere
- PlugsType G230 V, 50 HzDetails
- Emergency999Police 999 · Ambulance 995 · Fire 995
- Tap waterYes, drinkableTap water meets WHO standards and is safe to drink; refill bottles freely.
- LGBTQ+LegalSex between men was decriminalised in 2022.
- Internet463 MbpsMedian fixed broadband · mobile 164 Mbps
- DrivingOn the leftVisitors can drive briefly on a foreign licence; bring a 1949 IDP, required if your licence isn't in English.
Where to go in Singapore
1 place with full guides. Comfortable monthly budget for one person, rent included.
| Place | Safety | Month, comfortable | Best months | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SingaporeCapital city | 5/5 | $4,300–6,250 | Feb–Jul | 5/100 |
When to visit Singapore
Year-round hot and humid. February–April is driest; November–January brings the heaviest monsoon rain, and haze can drift in around August–October.
Good to know
Entry
- Submit the free SG Arrival Card on the ICA website or MyICA app within 3 days before arrival; ignore paid lookalike sites.
- Passport needs 6 months' validity. Automated lanes scan face, iris and fingerprints; your visit pass arrives by email.
- Vapes and e-cigarettes are banned at the border, and arriving travellers can be drug-tested.
- Private homes can't legally be rented short-term, so book hotels or licensed serviced apartments.
Laws visitors break by accident
- Vaping is illegal; vapes are confiscated and users fined.
- Drinking in public places is banned from 10:30pm to 7am.
- Drug traces in your body can bring charges, even if taken abroad.
Etiquette
- Return trays at hawker centres; leaving them can bring a fine.
- No eating or drinking on the MRT or buses.
- A tissue packet on a hawker table means the seat is taken.
- Queue patiently and keep voices down on public transport.
Tipping
Not expected. Restaurants add a 10% service charge plus 9% GST; hawker centres and taxis need no tip.
Sources
- US State Department travel advisory
- ICA: SG Arrival Card
- UK FCDO travel advice: Singapore
- Land Transport Authority
- PUB, Singapore's National Water Agency
- Speedtest Global Index: Singapore
- World Bank open data
Country facts are researched by SoloSquare; advisory levels, crime, health and visa figures come from the sources listed. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.