🇸🇬 Singapore Money Guide

Currency: Singapore Dollar (S$)
Currency Code: SGD
Exchange Rate: 1 USD ≈ 1.35 SGD (April 2026)

Singapore uses the Singapore Dollar (S$ or SGD), with notes in $2, $5, $10, $50, $100, and $1,000 denominations and coins from 5 cents to $1. Singapore is an extremely card-friendly city — Visa and Mastercard are accepted virtually everywhere, from upscale malls to hawker centers that have gone cashless via QR code payments. Contactless payments including Apple Pay and Google Pay are ubiquitous. ATMs from DBS, OCBC, and UOB banks are found in MRT stations, malls, and on most streets, with reasonable fees for international cards. Currency exchange is best done at dedicated money changers in shopping centers like The Arcade at Raffles Place, Mustafa Centre in Little India, or Lucky Plaza on Orchard Road — they offer significantly better rates than banks or the airport. Changi Airport exchange rates are decent for an airport but still 1-2% worse than city rates. American Express acceptance is good at hotels and larger retailers. For public transport, get an EZ-Link or SimplyGo card (works on MRT, buses, and some retail) or simply tap your contactless credit card on MRT and bus readers — Singapore's transit system accepts foreign contactless Visa and Mastercard directly. Some traditional hawker stalls and wet markets still prefer cash, but even this is rapidly changing.

Singapore has virtually no tipping culture, and most bills at restaurants include a 10% service charge plus 7% GST (soon to be 9%), meaning the total you see already includes service. Leaving additional tips at restaurants is uncommon and unnecessary. At hawker centers and food courts, tipping is not practiced at all. Hotel porters may receive S$2-5 per bag, and housekeeping S$2-5 per night, but this is optional and not expected. Taxi drivers do not expect tips — the metered fare is the final price. Tour guides may receive S$5-10 per person for a good experience. Spa therapists at upscale hotels may receive 10%, but this is not obligatory. The government's position is that the service charge is the tip, and Singaporeans generally do not tip beyond that. Visitors from tipping-heavy cultures should resist the urge — it is not considered rude to omit a tip in Singapore; it is simply how things work.

Singapore is arguably the safest major city in the world for tourists, with extremely low crime rates enforced by strict laws and heavy penalties. Scams and petty crime are rare compared to almost any other global destination. That said, a few things to be aware of: Overpriced Taxi Rides from Changi Airport are uncommon with metered taxis but can happen with unlicensed drivers approaching in the arrivals hall — always use the official taxi queue or the Grab rideshare app. Sim Card and Electronics Shops in some parts of Orchard Road and Sim Lim Square have been known to engage in bait-and-switch tactics — advertising low prices then adding "mandatory" accessories and warranties at checkout, or swapping products for inferior models. Buy electronics from reputable chains like Best Denki, Challenger, or Apple Stores. Fake Monk scams occasionally appear in tourist areas like Chinatown and Marina Bay — individuals dressed as monks offer trinkets then demand donations. Real monks do not solicit. Unlicensed Tour Guides may approach at popular sites — always verify that your guide has a Singapore Tourism Board license. The most practical concern for tourists is the strict laws: chewing gum importation is banned, littering is fined S$300, jaywalking is fined S$50, and drug offenses carry severe penalties including capital punishment. Smoking is banned in all indoor public places and many outdoor areas.

Quick Price Reference

Daily Budget Guide

Singapore has a reputation for being expensive, but hawker center culture makes affordable eating possible at a world-class level. Budget travelers can manage on S$80-120 ($60-90) per day with hostels (S$25-45/night), hawker center meals (S$3-6 for chicken rice, laksa, nasi lemak, or char kway teow — many awarded Michelin Bib Gourmand), and the MRT subway. A kopi (traditional Singaporean coffee) at a hawker stall costs S$1.20-1.80, making it one of the cheapest coffee experiences in the developed world. Mid-range travelers spending S$180-300 ($133-222) per day can enjoy 3-star hotel rooms (S$100-180/night), restaurant dinners (S$25-50), Gardens by the Bay (S$28), and Universal Studios Singapore (S$81). Luxury travelers should budget S$500+ ($370+) for 5-star hotels like Marina Bay Sands (S$350+/night), celebrity chef restaurants (S$100-300), and rooftop bar cocktails (S$25-35). Money-saving tips: hawker centers are the key to eating well cheaply — Maxwell Food Centre, Lau Pa Sat, and Chinatown Complex are excellent. The Singapore Tourist Pass (S$22/day) offers unlimited MRT and bus rides. Gardens by the Bay's outdoor areas and OCBC Skyway light show are free. The free walking tours by Strawberry Tours are excellent. Many museums offer free admission on certain evenings.

Tourists can claim a refund of Singapore's 9% GST (Goods and Services Tax) on purchases of S$100 or more at participating stores through the Electronic Tourist Refund Scheme (eTRS). At checkout, ask for a GST refund and present your passport — the transaction is recorded electronically. At Changi Airport, use the automated eTRS self-help kiosks (located in departure transit areas) to process your refund, which is credited to your credit card or received as cash at a Central Refund Counter. The process is efficient and well-signposted. Changi Airport also has extensive duty-free shopping with excellent prices on perfumes, cosmetics, alcohol, and electronics. Popular tax-free purchases include electronics from Sim Lim Square, luxury goods from Orchard Road, and watches and jewelry.