Singapore

Staying connected in Singapore

Singapore is a favourite first overseas trip for families: three or four days around Marina Bay, Gardens by the Bay, Sentosa and Universal Studios, with meals at hawker centres and shopping on Orchard Road. It is also a major hub for business, conferences and transit through Changi Airport.

It is hot and humid all year and downpours arrive without much warning, so data is most useful when plans change with the weather: booking a ride, checking the MRT, buying attraction tickets online and showing QR tickets at the gate.

Coverage and networks

The plan information names these networks in Singapore: M1 and Singtel.

Continuing to Johor Bahru or Kuala Lumpur? See the Singapore & Malaysia plans.

Signal and speed depend on where you are, your device and network conditions, and can differ between plans.

Choosing a data allowance

eSIM plans for Singapore currently last 1 to 30 days and come in these types:

• Daily data (500MB to 100GB per day): suits a steady routine. Check when the daily allowance resets and what happens once it is used.
• Total data (3GB to 50GB): one allowance for the whole trip, handy when some days are heavier than others.
• Unlimited: always read the fair-use policy; after a set amount, speed may be reduced.

Suggestions for this trip

• A 3–4 day family trip: 1GB of daily data covers maps, rides and messaging; if your hotel Wi-Fi is good and evenings are quiet, 500MB a day can work.
• Posting videos from Gardens by the Bay or Universal, or making regular video calls: 2GB or 3GB a day.
• Business trips with documents and online meetings: 5GB or 10GB of total data for 5–7 days, or an unlimited plan (fair-use policy applies).

Count your arrival and departure days. Before paying, check the exact plan for when validity starts, how days are counted, and whether hotspot, calls or SMS are included; these differ between plans.

Before you go

• Ride-hailing: Grab is the most widely used, alongside Gojek, TADA and ComfortDelGro's CDG Zig taxi app.
• MRT and buses: Tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard, or your phone wallet, at the gates; no separate travel card is needed.
• Public Wi-Fi: The free Wireless@SG network covers malls, libraries and many public spaces; visitors sign up with their own mobile number and receive the password by text.
• Hawker centres: Many stalls take only cash or local QR payments, so carry some Singapore dollars.
• Local SIM: Sold at Changi Airport and convenience stores; registration requires your passport.
• eSIM setup: Before buying, make sure your phone supports eSIM and is not carrier-locked. Install the eSIM before you fly, on a stable Wi-Fi connection, following the instructions sent with your plan.
• On arrival: Set the travel eSIM as your mobile data line and follow its roaming instructions. Turn off data roaming on your home SIM to avoid unexpected charges.