GUIDE TO

LIVING IN
SINGAPORE
Legal Disclaimer
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 CONTENTS

03
Introduction

04
Quality of Living

06
Cost of Living

08
Keeping Health Top of Mind

09
Housing, in Brief

11
Think About the Children

13
G U I D E TO L I V I N G I N S I N GA P O R E

Getting Around Singapore

16
Play in Singapore!

17
Conclusion
 INTRODUCTION

The weather is warm all Singapore is home to the The Botanic Gardens is Singapore is a foodies’ As a racially diverse
year round, with world’s first night zoo Singapore’s first UNESCO haven. Our Hawker society, the official
temperatures usually and F1 night race World Heritage Site Culture is recognised languages in Singapore
reaching over 30˚C as part of UNESCO’s are English, Malay,
list Intangible Cultural Mandarin and Tamil
Heritage

Best place for expats to live and work in Asia for five years in a row, according to
banking and financial services company HSBC.

Safest country with the highest quality of living in Asia, according to global human
resources (HR) consulting firm Mercer.

Most liveable city for Asian expats for 17 years running, according
to HR consultancy ECA International.

Is Singapore truly a great place to settle and live in? Does Singapore have a good healthcare system?
Will my children have access to good schools? If you are thinking of moving to Singapore, these are
probably some of the questions weighing on your mind. This guidebook developed by the Singapore
Economic Development Board (EDB) hopes to answer some of these concerns.

Read on to discover:
• Why Singapore is #1 for liveability in Asia
• A snapshot of living expenses in Singapore
• More details on housing and education for your children
• A sneak peek of things to do in the city-state

ABOUT EDB
A government agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, EDB is responsible for enhancing
Singapore’s position as a global centre for business, innovation, and talent.

We also work with other government agencies to ensure that companies here are supported by a
positive business environment and a strong workforce in Singapore.
G U I D E TO L I V I N G I N S I N GA P O R E

We look forward to partnering you on your journey and hope you will find this guide helpful!

3
 QUALITY OF LIVING

Singapore is consistently ranked by various reports as one of the best places for
expats to live, work and play.

SINGAPORE IS MOST LOVED BY EXPATS

HSBC’s 2020 Expat Explorer global report surveyed expats around the world on their life overseas.
For the fifth year running, Singapore beat countries such as Japan and South Korea to emerge as the
leading destination in Asia for expats. The reason for Singapore’s appeal? A combination of strong
ratings in areas such as business, housing and education.

HSBC EXPAT EXPLORER SURVEY 2020

Singapore remains first in Asia as a destination for expatriates to live.

Globally, Singapore is:

1ST 2ND 2ND

for schooling for career progression for political stability

3RD 3RD
for living for economic stability

Source: HSBC’s 2020 Expat Explorer Global Report

G U I D E TO L I V I N G I N S I N GA P O R E

Personally, there is no other place I would rather be.

Singapore is home to me...The country is safe, trustworthy, stable,
innovative and connected – and most importantly, a food heaven!”.

Andre Menezes,.
Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of food tech company Next Gen.

Click here to read more about Andre’s story

4
 SINGAPORE IS MOST LIVEABLE FOR ASIAN EXPATS
The following annual location ratings by HR consultancy ECA International examine the most liveable
locations for Asian expats.

Factors evaluated include housing and utilities, access to a social network and leisure facilities,
political tensions and air quality, among others. Singapore has topped the ratings every year since the
rankings began in 2005. Despite seeing its liveability score worsen amidst the COVID-19 pandemic,
Singapore still emerged as the most liveable location for Asian expats in 2022.

“Singapore remains the most liveable location in the world for overseas workers from
other locations in East Asia...as a result of outstanding scores such as international
schooling, infrastructure and housing.”
Lee Quane, Regional Director of Asia at ECA International

TOP 10 MOST LIVEABLE LOCATIONS FOR ASIAN EXPATS

Rank Location
1 Singapore

2 Wellington, New Zealand

3 Osaka, Japan

4 Tokyo, Japan

5 Copenhagen, Denmark
G U I D E TO L I V I N G I N S I N GA P O R E

6 Nagoya, Japan

7 Bern, Switzerland

8 Yokohama, Japan

9 Eindhoven, Netherlands

10 Stavanger, Norway

Source: ECA International (March 2022)

5
 COST OF LIVING

Is Singapore really expensive? The answer is likely to vary depending on individual lifestyle and
preferences.

Check out the following estimates from Numbeo, an online database on cost of living across the world.

COMMON EXPENSES FOR DINING AND GROCERIES

City Cost of Meal Imported Meal at Cigarettes 12 Eggs

(Inexpensive Beer McDonald’s (Marlboro)
Venue) (1 Bottle)

Singapore S$15.00 S$12.00 S$8.00 S$14.35 S$3.58

Bangkok S$3.50 S$5.68 S$7.53 S$5.68 S$2.60

Frankfurt S$18.26 S$4.92 S$12.07 S$9.83 S$3.86

Hong Kong SAR S$10.96 S$9.13 S$8.22 S$11.32 S$4.97

Kuala Lumpur S$4.63 S$6.18 S$5.56 S$5.56 S$2.33

London S$25.47 S$7.96 S$10.83 $20.70 S$3.77

New York City S$35.84 S$14.34 S$14.34 S$21.50 S$5.61

Seoul S$10.00 S$6.50 S$8.00 S$4.50 S$5.23

Sydney S$18.59 S$8.36 S$12.99 S$37.17 S$4.89

Tokyo S$9.91 S$5.95 S$6.94 S$5.95 S$2.57

Source: NUMBEO, information accurate as of September 2022.

G U I D E TO L I V I N G I N S I N GA P O R E

6
 TRANSPORTATION

City Public Transport Gasoline Taxi

(1 Way) (1 litre) (Normal Charge, 1km)

Singapore S$2.00 S$3.07 S$1.00

Bangkok S$1.67 S$1.60 S$1.55

Frankfurt S$3.86 S$3.04 S$2.67

Hong Kong SAR S$2.19 S$3.90 S$1.73

Kuala Lumpur S$0.93 S$0.65 S$1.54

London S$4.46 S$2.81 S$2.71

New York City S$3.94 S$1.87 S$2.67

Seoul S$1.30 S$1.86 S$1.00

Sydney S$4.18 S$1.89 S$2.60

Tokyo S$1.98 S$1.65 S$4.16

Source: NUMBEO, information accurate as of September 2022.

Note: Figures quoted in imperial system were converted to the metric system.
G U I D E TO L I V I N G I N S I N GA P O R E

Try out EDB’s Cost of Living Calculator to estimate how

much it will cost to live in Singapore!

7
 KEEPING HEALTH TOP OF MIND

Healthcare has become an even more pertinent issue today as the world combats the COVID-19
pandemic. In Singapore, all residents are assured of access to quality and affordable medical services.
As a global leader, Singapore’s healthcare system was ranked first in APAC in the Personalised
Health Index in 2022, winning praise for its digital infrastructure and high utilisation of personalised
healthcare-enabling technologies.

Singapore citizens and permanent residents (PRs) are entitled to subsidised healthcare services at
government healthcare facilities. These services are supported through the national Central Provident
Fund savings programme, which funds medical insurance schemes such as Medisave, Medishield
Life and Eldershield for citizens and PRs. Expatriates are typically provided with health insurance by
their employers, or purchase their own private health insurance policies. Primary healthcare services
are provided by public polyclinics and private medical clinics in the community. A full list of healthcare
facilities can be found here.

Singapore is also a leading biomedical sciences and healthcare hub, and has produced innovative
healthcare treatments such as the Smart Health-Assist telehealth programme, a rapid test kit for
COVID-19, and ventilators that can be operated remotely.

SINGAPORE’S HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

A PROGRESSIVE WORLD-CLASS COMPREHENSIVE HUB FOR BIOMEDICAL

HEALTHCARE SYSTEM HEALTHCARE COVERAGE INNOVATION

According to the 2021 10 public hospitals service Singapore is a leading

Philips Future Health Index,
Singapore is leading the way
in championing artificial
intelligence and investing in
digital health technologies.
and 6 national specialty
centres serve a wide variety
of specialist needs, covering
areas such as children’s health,
cancer, neuroscience and
dental care.
biomedical hub, with
innovations such as the Smart
Health-Assist telehealth
programme and a COVID-19
rapid test kit.

1ST in the world

Most efficient healthcare system (2020)(i)

27
G U I D E TO L I V I N G I N S I N GA P O R E

acute and community hospitals(ii)

20
public polyclinics(iii)

93%
of population vaccinated (iv)

Source: (i) Bloomberg, Health Care Efficiency Index, 2020; (ii)(iii)(iv) Ministry of Health, Health Facilities.
Accessed 26 September 2022

8
 HOUSING, IN BRIEF

Your next questions might revolve around housing. How much does it cost to rent a home? How about
owning property?

RENTING A HOME
Foreigners may choose to rent either public or private housing. Public housing in Singapore is
managed by the Housing and Development Board (HDB), under temporary leaseholds for 99 years only.
About 80 per cent of all Singaporeans live in HDB flats. About a fifth of Singapore’s resident population
live in private housing, which include strata-managed condominiums, and landed property.

To find out more about renting HDB flats, including eligibility conditions and guidelines.

Visit the HDB website here.

If you are looking to rent private properties in Singapore, you might want to check out procedures for
rental by Singapore Expats, a property portal dedicated to the expat community in Singapore.

COST OF RENTAL IN SINGAPORE COMPARED WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD

City Apartment Apartment Apartment Apartment

(1 bedroom (1 bedroom (3 bedrooms in (3 bedrooms
in city centre) outside city city centre) outside city
centre) centre)

Singapore S$3,285.48 S$2,380.33 S$6,632.79 S$4,132.22

Bangkok S$748.46 S$365.68 S$2,662.20 S$1,233.32

Frankfurt S$1,580.44 S$1,198.24 S$2,928.58 S$2,177.50

Hong Kong SAR S$3,161.09 S$2,320.10 S$6,497.52 S$4,330.57

Kuala Lumpur S$610.77 S$384.29 S$1,357.77 S$727.02

London S$2,965.01 S$2,147.45 S$5,429.32 S$3,558.54

New York City S$5,587.81 S$3,400.79 S$10,654.88 S$6,494.11

G U I D E TO L I V I N G I N S I N GA P O R E

Seoul S$1,082.23 S$775.07 S$3,553.79 S$2,232.55

Sydney S$2,271.37 S$1,680.86 S$4,401.89 S$2,918.17

Tokyo S$1,465.75 S$836.79 S$3,302.29 S$1,804.81

Source: NUMBEO, information accurate as of September 2022.

9
 BUYING A HOME AS A FOREIGNER
According to the Singapore Land Authority, a foreigner is any person who is not the following:
• a Singapore citizen
• a Singapore company
• a Singapore limited liability partnership
• a Singapore society

What can foreigners buy?

• Only Singapore nationals and permanent residents can purchase public

housing by the HDB.
• While there is no limit to in the quantity of private apartments and condominiums that
foreigners can buy, the Residential Property Act stipulates that foreigners need to apply for
approval with the Singapore Land Authority (SLA) if they want to buy restricted properties.
These include most landed properties, such as terrace houses, semi-detached houses,
bungalows, as well as shop-houses for non-commercial uses. For more information on foreign
ownership of property, click here.

Property taxes

• The Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS) oversees the collection of duty and property.
To find out about the duty that must be paid as a buyer of a property in Singapore, click here.
• Most foreigners also have to pay Buyer’s Stamp Duty (BSD). To find out more about BSD,
G U I D E TO L I V I N G I N S I N GA P O R E

click here.

10
 THINK ABOUT THE CHILDREN

OVERVIEW OF SINGAPORE’S EDUCATION SYSTEM

• Singapore has a world-renowned education system.
• In 2022, the National University of Singapore (NUS) was ranked Asia’s top university for the 5th year
running, while the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) was ranked 3rd.
• Singaporean students have consistently topped rankings in the Programme for International
Student Assessment (PISA), which measures how well students apply their knowledge to
real-world problems.
• Lessons are taught in English at all of Singapore’s mainstream schools.
• Students are required to study a second language, which are most commonly either Chinese, Malay,
or Tamil.
• In government-funded special education schools, children with special educational needs receive
intensive, specialised support and curriculum customisation to help them develop further.

QUALITY EDUCATION IN SINGAPORE

1ST in the world

in school quality(i)

1ST in the world

for science and mathematics for the third
time since 2003(ii)

>340
schools, from government, specialised to
independent and international schools (iii)

Source: (i) HSBC, Expat Explorer Survey 2020; (ii) Study International, “Students in Singapore top international
rankings in math and science (again)”, 10 Dec 2020; (iii) Ministry of Education

Some useful links from Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE) to check out:

• Overview of the country’s education system

• Details on Singapore’s education system, including private education,
special education and syllabuses
G U I D E TO L I V I N G I N S I N GA P O R E

• Admissions exercise for international students

11
 2022 SCHOOL FEES FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN SINGAPORE

Level Nationality: Monthly Monthly Monthly

Permanent School Fee Miscellaneous Total Fee
Resident (PR) Fee** (Maximum)
or International
Student (IS) (S$) (S$) (S$)

Primary Singapore PR S$230 S$6.50 S$243

IS (ASEAN) S$490 S$6.50 S$503

IS (Non-ASEAN) S$825 S$6.50 S$838

Secondary Singapore PR S$440 S$10 S$460

IS (ASEAN) S$840 S$10 S$860

IS (Non-ASEAN) S$1,600 S$10 S$1,620

Pre-University Singapore PR S$520 S$13.50 S$547

IS (ASEAN) S$1,070 S$13.50 S$1,097

IS (Non-ASEAN) S$1,950 S$13.50 S$1,977

** Similar to Singapore Citizens, all Singapore Permanent Residents and International Students are required
to pay miscellaneous fees in addition to school fees

Source: MOE

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS
If you would prefer exploring international schools instead of local schools in Singapore, you will find
yourself spoilt for choice. There are more than 30 international schools in Singapore, offering various
curricula and programmes. Incorporation and corporate secretarial services provider Hawksford has
put together a comparison of international school fees in Singapore.
G U I D E TO L I V I N G I N S I N GA P O R E

Check it out here!

12
 GETTING AROUND SINGAPORE

Singapore has one of the best and most affordable public transport systems in the world.

Here are seven options for getting around Singapore!

• Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system

- Singapore’s rail system moves more than 3 million passengers daily.

- There are more than 130 MRT stations in Singapore, with trains operating
between 5.30am to about midnight daily. Operating hours are usually
extended during festive periods. See all the stations here.
- To find about fares and how to go about buying travel cards, visit the
Land Transport Authority LTA’s website here.

• Buses

- Singapore’s buses complement the rail system and bring commuters

closer to their destinations.
- For bus fares and ticketing, read on here.

• Taxis

- Fares in Singapore are metered and based on flag down rate and
distance travelled.

• Cycling

- With 460km of cycling paths and cycling path networks in nine HDB
towns, Singapore is a cycling-friendly city.
- Explore the cycling paths that Singapore has to offer here.

• Electric Vehicles (EVs)

- Singapore is building a roadmap towards EV adoption under the

Singapore Green Plan 2030, with a target of 60,000 EV charging points
by 2030.
- For now, you can rent EVs in Singapore via the BlueSG car-sharing
service which has over 1000 charging stations islandwide.

• Ride-hailing apps

- Major ride-sharing platforms such as Grab and GOJEK offer

G U I D E TO L I V I N G I N S I N GA P O R E

convenient and affordable transport services.

• Car-sharing platforms

- For a cost-efficient and sustainable way to get around the city,

car-sharing platforms such as Tribecar and Get Go offer car rental
services at affordable rates.

13
 OVERVIEW ON TAXI FEES & CHARGES

BASIC UNIT CHARGES

Taxi Type Standard Taxis Premium Taxis

Flag-Down Fare S$3.20 to S$3.90 S$3.90 to S$5.00

Distance Rate Beyond first KM and up to 22 to 25 cents every 30 to 33 cents every

tenth KM 400 metres 400 metres

After tenth KM 22 to 25 cents every 30 to 33 cents every

350 metres 350 metres

Waiting Time Rate 22 to 25 cents every 30 to 33 cents every

45 seconds 45 seconds

TIME-BASED SURCHARGES

Peak Period Surcharge

(i) Weekdays starting at 6am and ending before 9.30am,
excluding Public Holidays 25% of meter fare
(ii) Any day including Public Holidays starting at 6pm
and ending before 12 midnight

Late Night Hiring Surcharge

Starting at 12 midnight of a day and ending before 6am the 50% of meter fare
next day

Source: LTA. Click on the link for more information on other surcharges
G U I D E TO L I V I N G I N S I N GA P O R E

14
 DRIVING LICENSES
According to the Singapore Police Force, foreigners staying in Singapore for a short period – for
example, through a short-term social visit pass – do not need to convert to a Singapore licence to drive
in Singapore.

However, you must possess a valid foreign licence and an International Driving Permit (IDP) issued by
an authorised body in your own country. If an IDP is not available, an official translation of your foreign
licence in English is required.

Drivers from ASEAN member countries only require a valid driving licence issued by
their licensing authority, and can drive in Singapore without an IDP.

If you want to continue driving in Singapore after 12 months of staying here from the
date of your last entry into the country, you need to obtain a valid Singapore driving licence. To
convert your driving licence, click here.
G U I D E TO L I V I N G I N S I N GA P O R E

15
 PLAY IN SINGAPORE!

1 2
FOR THE NATURE LOVER FOR THE SHOPAHOLIC
With hundreds of parks, nature reserves and Our island packs in more malls per square mile
mangroves, Singapore is a nature lover’s than any other country with major shopping
paradise. Your first stop should definitely be precincts such as Orchard Road and Marina Bay.
the Botanic Gardens, which is the first and only Look out for the Great Singapore Sale (GSS), an
tropical botanic garden on the UNESCO’s World annual event taking place from May to July that
Heritage List. offers shoppers islandwide discounts and more.

For festivals and

events, check out the
Singapore Tourism
Board’s calendar of
events here!

3 4
FOR THE FOODIE FOR THE HERITAGE BUFF
Our multicultural heritage means that you can try Cultural enclaves like Chinatown and Little India
almost every kind of cuisine in the world here in give visitors a sneak peek into the rich heritage
For dining Singapore. Singapore’s Hawker Food is part of of local communities. Historical museums such
recommendations, UNESCO’s cultural heritage list, and offers food as the National Museum of Singapore and the
check out the Michelin
lovers a wide variety of good food at Asian Civilisations Museum also have extensive
Guide and the
affordable prices. collections of artifacts that will pique the interest
Singapore Tourism
Board Guide. of any heritage buff.
G U I D E TO L I V I N G I N S I N GA P O R E

For information on
Singapore’s nature and
recreational facilities,
visit the NParks
website. FOR THE ART AND NIGHT LIFE AFICIONADO FOR THE ARCHITECTURE CONNOISSEUR
Singapore has a rich collection of art museums From heritage shophouses to skyscrapers,
such as the National Gallery with the world’s Singapore’s architecture is an eclectic mix of
largest public display of modern Southeast Asian old and new. Did you know that the city-state’s
art. Home to award-winning bars and live music skyline even inspired the designs of the futuristic
pubs as well, Singapore’s vibrant nightlife scene cities in HBO’s sci-fi series Westworld?
has a range of offerings for you to live it up.

16
 CONCLUSION

WE HOPE YOU HAVE GAINED A BETTER IDEA OF

WHAT IT IS LIKE TO LIVE IN SINGAPORE!

Top-tier healthcare and First in Asia for quality of living World-class food and
education systems attractions

Here are some additional resources curated by EDB:

• If you are looking for partners to facilitate your setup in

Singapore, you can connect with EDB’s curated network of
partners through the Connections Concierge.
For connecting
with partners and • Check out the Events Calendar for upcoming events and

customers networking opportunities that are happening around you.

• Thinking of relocating to Singapore? Use our Cost of Living

Calculator to estimate how much it will cost for you and your
family to live here.

For information • Learn more about Singapore's new personalised visa

relating to ONE Pass that allows high achievers to enjoy five years of job
living in stability, along with fuss-free family relocation enabled through
Singapore spousal work privileges.

• If you are keen to set up a business in Singapore, download

our Guide to Setting Up Your Business in Singapore for insights
on how you can get your operations up and running fast.

• Learn more about why Singapore’s tech ecosystem attracts

For business both tech giants and fast-growing startups through our
G U I D E TO L I V I N G I N S I N GA P O R E

insights Singapore’s Tech Ecosystem guide.

Subscribe to our monthly Global Insights newsletter.

Follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram!

Connect with EDB

17
G U I D E TO L I V I N G I N S I N GA P O R E

CONTACT US

Singapore Economic Development Board

250 North Bridge Road
#28-00 Raffles City Tower
Singapore 179101

If you plan to set up business operations in Singapore, do connect with us here,

or sign up here to receive the latest updates on the Asian business landscape.

All information is accurate as of October 2022