Essentials
- City
- Marina Bay, Central Area, Singapore
- Population
- Approx. 6,000,000 (Singapore nationwide)
- Internet Speed
- Avg. 250 Mbps (Fiber and 5G widely available)
- Currency & Banking
- Singapore Dollar (SGD), 1 USD ≈ 1.34 SGD, 1 SGD ≈ 0.75 USD
- Tap Water
- Drinkable (World-class safety standards)
- Power
- 230V, 50Hz, 🔌 Type G (UK style)
- SIM Card
- Singtel, StarHub, M1. Singtel hi!Tourist SIM ($30 SGD for 100GB)
- Banking for Expats
- DBS, OCBC, UOB, HSBC, and digital banks like Trust or Revolut
- Accommodation
- High-end hotels (Marina Bay Sands), Serviced Apartments (Ascott Raffles Place)
- Cashless Friendly
- Yes, ubiquitous (Visa/Mastercard, PayNow, Apple Pay)
- Short Term Rentals
- Serviced apartments like Oakwood Premier AMTD (Min. 7 days usually)
- Budget Accommodation
- Beary Best! Hostel (Chinatown nearby) - $45 SGD/night
- Best Area to Stay for Tourists
- Marina Bay Sands / Bayfront for luxury and views
- Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads
- Tanjong Pagar or CBD (Shenton Way) for proximity to coworking
Working and Networking
- Best Coworking Space
- The Great Room (One George St) - $70 SGD/day pass
- Best Cafe for Work
- Common Man Stan (Stanley St) - Open, airy, fast Wi-Fi
- Networking Events
- Singapore FinTech Festival (Annual), Tech in Asia Meetups
- Social Events for Expats
- InterNations Singapore, Singapore Expat Women Facebook Group
Transportation
- Best Taxi/Ride App
- Grab, Gojek, Tada, and Zig (ComfortDelGro)
- Bike/Scooter Rental
- Anywheel (app-based) - approx. $1 SGD/30 mins
- Best Beach Nearby
- Palawan Beach, Sentosa (15 mins by taxi)
- Top Regional Airline
- Scoot (Budget subsidiary of SIA)
- Top International Airline
- Singapore Airlines (SIA)
- Highway Access
- East Coast Parkway (ECP) and Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE)
- Main Train/Transit Hub
- Raffles Place MRT and Bayfront MRT Station
- Public Transport Passes
- EZ-Link card or SimplyGo (pay with contactless credit card)
- Regional Travel
- Bus to Malaysia (Causeway Link), Ferry to Batam/Bintan (BatamFast)
Health and Wellness
- Best Hospital
- SGH (Singapore General Hospital) or Raffles Hospital (Private)
- Yoga & Wellness Centers
- Pure Yoga (Asia Square) - $35 SGD/class
- Gyms & Fitness Centers
- Fitness First (Platinum Marina Bay) - Memberships from $190/mo
- Laundry Services
- Piing! (On-demand app) - $4.50 SGD/kg
Food and Drink
- Best Food Delivery App
- GrabFood, Foodpanda, Deliveroo
- Best Local Dish to Try
- Chilli Crab at Palm Beach Seafood ($80+ SGD)
- Vegan/Vegetarian Options
- Afterglow (Keong Saik) - Artisan plant-based food
- Best Dessert Spots
- Birds of Paradise Gelato (Beach Road) - $5.50/scoop
- Affordable Shopping Spots
- Market Street Food Centre (CapitaSpring) for lunch deals
- E-commerce/Online Store
- Lazada, Shopee, Amazon.sg
- Grocery Delivery
- RedMart (Lazada), FairPrice Online
- Bar/Nightlife Area
- Clarke Quay and Club Street
- Local Brewery
- LeVeL33 (World's highest urban craft brewery) - $15-20/pint
- Wine Bars
- Wine Connection (Robertson Walk) - Affordable glasses from $9 SGD
- Street Food Stalls
- Satay by the Bay (Gardens by the Bay) - $0.80/stick
- Popular International Cuisine
- Din Tai Fung (Marina Bay Sands) - World-class Xiao Long Bao
Culture and Attractions
- Must-See Landmarks
- Gardens by the Bay, Merlion Park, Marina Bay Sands
- Museums & Art Venues
- ArtScience Museum, National Gallery Singapore
- Historical Sites
- Fullerton Hotel (Former Post Office), Padang
- Religious Sites
- Thian Hock Keng Temple (Nearby Chinatown)
- Annual Events
- Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix (September)
- Cultural Districts
- Chinatown (10 min walk), Little India (10 min taxi)
- Theater Venues
- Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay
- Local Markets
- Lau Pa Sat (Historic iron structure food market)
- Music Scene
- MARQUEE Nightclub (Marina Bay Sands)
- Street Art
- Haji Lane (Nearby Bugis district)
- Cooking Classes
- Coriander Leaf (Chijmes) - $160 SGD/session
- Art Galleries
- Gajah Gallery (Tanjong Pagar Distripark)
- Historic Buildings
- Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall
- Local Heritage
- Peranakan culture influences in architecture and cuisine
Nature and Outdoor Activities
- Nearby Nature Escapes
- Cloud Forest & Flower Dome (Gardens by the Bay)
- National Parks Nearby
- Fort Canning Park (Walkable from bay)
- Cycling/Walking Paths
- Marina Bay Loop (3.5km waterfront trail)
- Scenic Viewpoints
- Sands SkyPark Observation Deck ($32 SGD)
- Birdwatching Locations
- Gardens by the Bay Kingfisher Wetlands
- Bonfire-Friendly Spots
- Not permitted in Singapore city limits
Other Services and Amenities
- Parcel Delivery Service
- SingPost, NinjaVan, Pick Lockers
- Tech Repair Services
- Apple Orchard Road, Sim Lim Square (for PC/parts)
- Table Tennis Spots
- Community Clubs (e.g., Tanjong Pagar CC)
- Language Classes
- Linden Language Centre (English/Mandarin)
- Libraries & Study Spots
- library@orchard (Modern design, free entry)
- Community Centers
- The Core Collective (Wellness-focused community)
- Gaming Lounges
- Bountie Arena (Esports venue)
- Casino & Gaming Halls
- Marina Bay Sands Casino
Business
- Studio Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. $28,000 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = $1,120,000 SGD)
- Studio Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. $16,000 per m² (e.g., 40 m² = $640,000 SGD)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. $26,000 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = $1,560,000 SGD)
- 1-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. $15,000 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = $900,000 SGD)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center)
- Approx. $25,000 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = $2,000,000 SGD)
- 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City)
- Approx. $14,000 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = $1,120,000 SGD)
- Corporate Tax
- 17% (with significant exemptions for startups)
- Dividend Withholding Tax
- 0% (Singapore follows a single-tier system)
- Tax System
- Territorial basis (foreign income often exempt)
- Highest Income Tax Bracket
- 24% (for income above $1M SGD)
- VAT
- 9% (known as GST - Goods and Services Tax)
- Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules
- No CFC rules in Singapore
- Property Tax
- Yes, progressive rates based on Annual Value (AV)
- Property Transaction Tax
- Buyer's Stamp Duty (up to 6%) + ABSD for foreigners (60%)
- Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads
- Low personal tax and no tax on foreign-sourced income if categorized correctly