Singapore eSIM
The whole city state, from Changi to Marina Bay.
Network: StarHub (4G)
- Hotspot works. As it should.
- QR code in your inbox within minutes of paying.
- Your days start when the eSIM first connects at your destination.
- Full refund as long as the eSIM is not installed.
- Data only. Your own number keeps working for calls and texts if you leave it on. Not sure your phone works with eSIM? Check it first
Details
- Coverage
- Singapore. Networks: StarHub (4G).
- Validity
- 7 to 30 days, depending on the plan. The days start when the eSIM first connects at your destination.
- Hotspot
- Allowed. Share your data with a laptop, tablet or travel partner.
- Top-up
- Need more? Top up on the same eSIM.
- How it works
- Buy, install at home on wifi and switch on after landing. Read the guide
How much data do you need?
Set your trip length and how many hours a day you use each type of app. We suggest a plan that fits.
These numbers are estimates. Video quality, app settings and background updates change how much you use.
Travelling in Singapore: the quick facts
Singapore is Marina Bay, the Supertrees of Gardens by the Bay and some of the best street food in Asia. Below you find what helps to know before you land, and how our Singapore eSIM with hotspot keeps you and your laptop online from Changi to Sentosa.
- CurrencySingapore dollar (SGD, S$)
- PlugsType G, 230 VSame as the UK
- LanguageEnglish, Malay, Mandarin and Tamil
- Emergency999 police, 995 ambulance and fire
- Taxi appsGrab, Gojek, TADA and CDG Zig (no Uber)
- NetworksStarHub (4G)
- Time zoneUTC+8 all year, no summer time
Most visited places in Singapore
Singapore is small and the MRT is fast, so you can see Marina Bay, Chinatown and the gardens in a few days, or on a long stopover.
Marina Bay
Marina Bay Sands, the ArtScience Museum and a free light and water show on the waterfront most evenings.
Gardens by the Bay
The Supertree Grove and the cooled Flower Dome and Cloud Forest. The outdoor gardens are free; the domes need a ticket.
Sentosa Island
Beaches, Universal Studios and resort pools, a short ride from the city by cable car, monorail or the boardwalk.
Chinatown
Shophouses, temples and hawker centres such as Maxwell Food Centre, with some of the cheapest good food in the city.
Jewel Changi Airport
The world's tallest indoor waterfall, inside a garden dome at the airport. Visit before your flight or on a long layover.
Singapore Botanic Gardens
A UNESCO World Heritage garden with lakes, rainforest and the National Orchid Garden. Free to enter and best in the morning.
How do we compare?
Cheaper than Airalo and Holafly on every Singapore plan, and hotspot is always included.
| Feature | Best choiceArrivalSIM | Airalo | Holafly |
|---|---|---|---|
Hotspot on every planChecked per country before a plan goes online | Yes | Depends on network | Max 1 GB/day |
Cheaper on every plan5 GB for 30 days from €7,49 | Yes | No | No |
Personal contactHelp from a real person when you need it | Yes | 24/7 chat | 24/7 chat |
Money-back guaranteeFull refund as long as the eSIM is not installed | Within 14 days if not installed | Within 14 days if unused | Within 6 months if unused |
Top up the same eSIMAdd data when you run low | Yes | Yes | Days only |
Fixed GB plansPay only for the data you need | Yes | Yes | No |
Checked on each provider's own website.
eSIM vs Singapore SIM card
You can also buy a tourist SIM from Singtel, StarHub or M1 at Changi Airport or in convenience stores. You register it with your passport. Here is how it compares with our eSIM.
| Topic | ArrivalSIM eSIM | Local SIM card |
|---|---|---|
| Where you get it | Online, install at home | Counter at Changi Airport or a convenience store |
| Online when you land | Straight away | After buying and setup |
| Price | Plan price incl. VAT | From about S$12 for a tourist SIM |
| Passport | Not needed | Needed for registration |
| Keeps your own SIM | Yes | Comes out (unless dual SIM) |
| Local number for calls | Data only | Calls included |
Need a Singapore number for calls, or using a lot of data? Then a local tourist SIM is good value. For a short stay or a stopover, the eSIM saves you the counter visit and you are online as soon as you land.
Money in Singapore: dollars, cards and hawker centres
Singapore uses the Singapore dollar (SGD, S$). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere, from the MRT to most food courts.
- Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere. Some hawker stalls only take cash or local QR payments, so keep a few small notes.
- Tap your own Visa, Mastercard or Amex on the MRT and buses. Use the same card to tap in and out; foreign cards pay a small daily fee.
- When a card terminal offers to charge you in your own currency, choose Singapore dollars.
- Tipping is not expected. Restaurants add a 10% service charge to the bill.
Weather and best time to visit Singapore
Singapore is hot and humid all year, around 31 °C in the afternoon. Rain falls in every month, mostly in short, heavy showers.
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Northeast monsoon
December to MarchThe wettest time starts in November and December, with heavy afternoon showers. February is usually drier and windier.
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Between the monsoons
April to May, October to NovemberHot and humid, with thunderstorms in the afternoon or evening. Mornings are often dry.
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Southwest monsoon
June to SeptemberA little drier, with short early-morning storms. In some years, haze from forest fires in the region lowers the air quality.
Grab vs Gojek: which taxi app to use in Singapore
Uber does not operate in Singapore. Grab is the biggest app, and Gojek, TADA and CDG Zig are good options too. You see the price before you book. For most trips, the MRT is faster and much cheaper.
Grab
The biggest app in Singapore, for cars and taxis. You see the price before you book and pay by card in the app.
Gojek
Works the same way as Grab and is often a little cheaper. Compare both for longer rides.
TADA and CDG Zig
TADA is another ride app with fixed prices, and CDG Zig books ComfortDelGro's metered taxis. Uber does not operate in Singapore.
From Changi Airport
Every terminal has a taxi stand and signed pick-up points for ride apps. The MRT from Changi Airport station takes you to the city for about S$2. Install the apps at home, because sign-up sends a code to your own number.
Internet rules in Singapore: arrival card, SIM registration and wifi
SG Arrival Card
Every visitor submits the SG Arrival Card online within 3 days before arrival. It is free on the ICA website and in the MyICA app; sites that charge a fee are not official.
Local SIM: passport registration
Singapore requires every local prepaid SIM to be registered with your passport when you buy or activate it. Our eSIM needs no counter visit: you buy it online and install it at home.
Free wifi and VPN
Changi Airport, malls and many cafés have free wifi, but it can ask you to sign up with a phone number. Popular apps and websites work normally, and you can use a VPN if you want one.
Source: SG Arrival Card, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority. Rules change, so check before you travel.
Internet in Singapore for tourists: coverage and hotspot
With our eSIM you have mobile data across Singapore, including Sentosa and the MRT tunnels. It uses StarHub on 4G. Coverage is very good across the island.
Using hotspot in Singapore
- Install the eSIM at home on wifi before departure and leave the line off.
- After landing in Singapore, switch it on, set it for mobile data and turn on data roaming.
- Turn on Personal Hotspot (iPhone) or Hotspot and tethering (Android). Hotspot data counts towards your plan.
Step by step: iPhone install guide, Android install guide. Need more data later? Top up the same eSIM.
A note from our founder
Singapore is one of my favourite stops in Southeast Asia. I'm forever amazed by how the country has been built and how efficiently everything runs here. You'll still find incredible and affordable street food, but apart from that, nothing is cheap. That's why I keep the Singapore eSIM at ArrivalSIM affordable, so you can spend more on your hotel, or a fancy meal if you're craving one. I've been to Singapore more than ten times now, and I'm always happy to be back. Get your eSIM today, and get ready to be amazed by Singapore.
Peter, founder of ArrivalSIM
Singapore eSIM FAQ
Should I buy and install the eSIM before I travel to Singapore?
That is the easiest way. Install it at home on wifi and switch it on after landing at Changi. Installing in Singapore also works, as long as you have wifi to download it.
Is the eSIM useful for a stopover in Singapore?
Yes. The 1 GB plan lasts 7 days, which is enough for maps, Grab and messaging during a stopover of a day or two.
Do I need the SG Arrival Card?
Yes. Every visitor submits it online within 3 days before arrival, for free on the ICA website ica.gov.sg or in the MyICA app.
Does hotspot work with the Singapore eSIM?
Yes. Hotspot is included on every plan, so you can share your data with a laptop, tablet or travel partner. Hotspot data counts towards your plan.
Is ArrivalSIM cheaper than Airalo in Singapore?
Yes. When we compared prices on their own websites, every Singapore plan of ours cost less than the same amount of data at Airalo, including their shorter plans, from 1 GB to 50 GB. Holafly only sells unlimited plans, priced per day, and costs more for the same trip length.
Which plan fits a week in Singapore?
Maps, Grab, messaging and some social media: the 5 or 10 GB plan. More video, or hotspot for a laptop: the 20 GB plan. The data calculator above helps you choose.
Can I use the eSIM in Malaysia or Indonesia?
No, this plan works in Singapore only. Going on to Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur or Bali? Pick the eSIM for that country as well.
Can I get a refund?
Yes, you get a full refund as long as the eSIM is not installed. Questions first? Reach us through our contact page.
Ready for Singapore?
Plans from €3,49 including VAT
Pick your plan, install it at home before you fly and you are online when you land. Travelling on? We cover 190+ countries.
Questions first? Reach us through our contact page.