Singapore Digital Nomad Guide - Tips & Local Information
ESSENTIALS
| Topic |
Details |
| 🏙️ City |
Singapore, Republic of Singapore |
| 👥 Population |
Approximately 5.9 million |
| 💻 Internet Speed |
Average fixed broadband speed of 250+ Mbps; 5G coverage 95%+ |
| 💸 Currency & Banking |
Singapore Dollar (SGD). 1 USD ≈ 1.34 SGD, 1 SGD ≈ 0.75 USD |
| 🚰 Tap Water |
Drinkable and meets WHO standards directly from the tap |
| 🔌 Power |
230V, 50Hz, 🔌 Type G (British style three-pin) |
| 📶 SIM Card |
Singtel, StarHub, M1. Prepaid Hi! SIM from Singtel (100GB for $15 SGD) |
| 💳 Banking for Expats |
DBS, OCBC, UOB; digital banks like Trust Bank and Revolut are highly popular |
| 🛌 Accommodation |
Service apartments like Lyf Funan or Figment (Heritage Shophouse coliving); long-term HDB/Condo rentals via PropertyGuru |
| 💳 Cashless Friendly |
Yes, extremely high adoption (PayNow, GrabPay, Visa/Mastercard, Apple Pay) |
| 🏠 Short Term Rentals |
Lyf Funan ($2,800+/mo), Heritage Collection ($2,200+/mo). Note: Airbnb has a 3-month legal minimum for private homes |
| 🛏️ Budget Accommodation |
Wink @ Upper Cross Street (Hostel, ~$50 SGD/night), Beary Best! Chinatown |
| 🏙️ Best Area to Stay for Tourists |
Marina Bay for luxury, Orchard Road for shopping, or Civic District for culture |
| 🏙️ Best Area to Stay for Digital Nomads |
Tiong Bahru (cafes/heritage), River Valley (central/residential), or Katong (East Coast vibes) |
CULTURE AND ATTRACTIONS
| Topic |
Details |
| 👩🎨 Art Galleries |
Gillman Barracks (Cluster of contemporary galleries) |
| 🕰️ Historic Buildings |
The Fullerton Hotel, CHIJMES, National Museum of Singapore |
| 🏴 Local Heritage |
Peranakan culture (Intan Museum), Hawker culture (UNESCO Heritage) |
| 🎟️ Must-See Landmarks |
Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands, Merlion Park |
| 🏛️ Museums & Art Venues |
National Gallery Singapore, ArtScience Museum, SAM at Tanjong Pagar Distripark |
| 🏰 Historical Sites |
Fort Canning Park, Battlebox, Changi Chapel and Museum |
| 🕍 Religious Sites |
Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, Sri Mariamman Temple, Sultan Mosque |
| 🎉 Annual Events |
F1 Singapore Grand Prix (September), Thaipusam, Chinese New Year Light-up |
| 🎨 Cultural Districts |
Kampong Glam (Malay), Little India, Chinatown |
| 🎭 Theater Venues |
Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, Victoria Theatre |
| 🛍️ Local Markets |
Tiong Bahru Market (Wet market), Geylang Serai Market |
| 🎼 Music Scene |
The Projector (Indie), Marquee (Mainstream/EDM), Blu Jaz Cafe (Jazz) |
| 🎨 Street Art |
Haji Lane, Everton Park murals by Yip Yew Chong |
| 🧑🍳 Cooking Classes |
Food Playground (Cultural cooking classes), Palate Sensations |
NATURE AND OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES
| Topic |
Details |
| 🌅 Nearby Nature Escapes |
MacRitchie Reservoir (TreeTop Walk), Pulau Ubin (Rustic island) |
| 🏞️ National Parks Nearby |
Singapore Botanic Gardens (UNESCO Site), Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve |
| 🚲 Cycling/Walking Paths |
Park Connector Network (PCN), Southern Ridges (10km trail) |
| 🌄 Scenic Viewpoints |
Mount Faber Peak, Henderson Waves bridge, SkyVille@Dawson (Public roof garden) |
| 🦉 Birdwatching Locations |
Jurong Lake Gardens, Pasir Ris Park |
| 🔥 Bonfire-Friendly Spots |
Strictly prohibited in public parks/beaches; only allowed at designated BBQ pits with permits |
OTHER SERVICES AND AMENITIES
| Topic |
Details |
| 📦 Parcel Delivery Service |
SingPost, NinjaVan, J&T Express |
| 🛠️ Tech Repair Services |
Sim Lim Square (Central hub for all electronics/repairs) |
| 🏓 Table Tennis Spots |
Community Clubs (CC) islandwide via OnePA portal |
| 🧑🏫 Language Classes |
Alliance Française, Goethe-Institut, skillsfuture-funded Mandarin courses |
| 📚 Libraries & Study Spots |
National Library (Victoria St), library@orchard (Design focused) |
| 🏘️ Community Centers |
Tampines Hub (Integrated sports/community/library) |
| 🕹️ Gaming Lounges |
Bountie Arena (Esports), Play Nation (Console/Board games) |
| 🎰 Casino & Gaming Halls |
Marina Bay Sands Casino, Resorts World Sentosa Casino |
BUSINESS
| Topic |
Details |
| 🏢 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. $14,500 per m² (e.g., 60 m² = $870,000 SGD) |
| 🏡 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (City Center) |
Approx. $24,000 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = $1,920,000 SGD) |
| 🏡 2-Bedroom Purchase Price (Outside City) |
Approx. $13,500 per m² (e.g., 80 m² = $1,080,000 SGD) |
| 💼 Corporate Tax |
Flat 17% (with partial exemptions for startups) |
| 💵 Dividend Withholding Tax |
0% (Singapore follows a one-tier corporate tax system) |
| 🏦 Tax System |
Territorial tax system (Generally no tax on foreign-sourced income) |
| 📈 Highest Income Tax Bracket |
24% (for income above $1,000,000 SGD) |
| 🧾 VAT |
9% GST (Goods and Services Tax) |
| 🌐 Controlled Foreign Company (CFC) Rules |
No CFC rules currently in place |
| 🏠 Property Tax |
Yes, progressive rates based on Annual Value (AV) of the property |
| 🏠 Property Transaction Tax |
Buyer's Stamp Duty (up to 6%) + Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) for foreigners (60%) |
| 💻 Attractive Tax System for Digital Nomads |
No capital gains tax; ONE Pass for high earners; territorial tax benefits |
WORKING AND NETWORKING
| Topic |
Details |
| 🏢 Best Coworking Space |
The Working Capitol (Keong Saik Road) - ~$450 SGD/month hot desk; WeWork (multiple locations) |
| ☕ Best Cafe for Work |
Five Oars Coffee Roasters (Upper East Coast Road), Genius Central (Amoy St) - explicitly work-friendly with plugs |
| 💼 Networking Events |
Launchpad (Startup events), Singapore Fintech Festival, Meetup.com groups like 'Singapore Digital Nomads' |
| 🥂 Social Events for Expats |
Internations Singapore, Expat Living Singapore events, and Singapore Cricket Club social memberships |
TRANSPORTATION
| Topic |
Details |
| 🚕 Best Taxi/Ride App |
Grab, Gojek, Tada, and Zig (ComfortDelGro) |
| 🚲 Bike/Scooter Rental |
Anywheel and HelloRide (app-based bicycles). Shared e-scooters are banned on footpaths |
| 🏖️ Best Beach Nearby |
Tanjong Beach (Sentosa) for vibes; Lazarus Island for seclusion (accessible via ferry from Marina South Pier) |
| ✈️ Top Regional Airline |
Jetstar Asia, Scoot (Budget) |
| ✈️ Top International Airline |
Singapore Airlines (SIA) |
| 🛣️ Highway Access |
Extensive network: PIE (Pan Island Expressway), ECP (East Coast Parkway), AYE (Ayer Rajah Expressway) |
| 🚉 Main Train/Transit Hub |
Dhoby Ghaut MRT (Interchange for 3 lines), City Hall, and Raffles Place |
| 🚍 Public Transport Passes |
Ez-Link card or SimplyGo (use your own credit card). Monthly Travel Pass (~$128 SGD) |
| ✈️ Regional Travel |
Bus/Train to Johor Bahru (Malaysia), Ferry to Batam/Bintan (Indonesia) from Tanah Merah |
HEALTH AND WELLNESS
| Topic |
Details |
| 🏥 Best Hospital |
Mount Elizabeth Hospital (Private) or Singapore General Hospital (Public) |
| 🧘 Yoga & Wellness Centers |
Yoga Movement (various locations, ~$30/class), Pure Yoga (Ngee Ann City) |
| 🏋️ Gyms & Fitness Centers |
Fitness First, Anytime Fitness (widest coverage), GymmBoxx (affordable public option) |
| 🧺 Laundry Services |
Laundrymart (Self-service kiosks), Piing! (On-demand app delivery) |
FOOD AND DRINK
| Topic |
Details |
| 📱 Best Food Delivery App |
GrabFood, Foodpanda, Deliveroo |
| 🍽️ Best Local Dish to Try |
Hainanese Chicken Rice at Tian Tian (Maxwell Food Centre), Laksa at 328 Katong Laksa |
| 🍱 Vegan/Vegetarian Options |
The Whole Kitchen (CBD), Afterglow (Keong Saik), WellSmoocht |
| 🍫 Best Dessert Spots |
Birds of Paradise (Botanical gelato), 2am:dessertbar (Janice Wong) |
| 🛒 Affordable Shopping Spots |
Mustafa Centre (24/7 Little India), Don Don Donki (Japanese discount chain) |
| 🛒 E-commerce/Online Store |
Shopee, Lazada, Amazon.sg |
| 🛒 Grocery Delivery |
RedMart (via Lazada), FairPrice Online |
| 🍸 Bar/Nightlife Area |
Clarke Quay, Telok Ayer, and Keong Saik Road |
| 🍻 Local Brewery |
Brewerkz (Riverside Point), Level33 (World's highest urban microbrewery) |
| 🍷 Wine Bars |
Wine Connection (Widely available/affordable), RVLT (Natural wines, Carpenter St) |
| 🍲 Street Food Stalls |
Old Airport Road Food Centre, Newton Food Centre, Lau Pa Sat |
| 🍕 Popular International Cuisine |
Din Tai Fung (Taiwanese), Pizzeria Mozza (Italian), Burnt Ends (Australian BBQ) |
🧭 CONTINUE EXPLORING SINGAPORE