Moving to Singapore: everything you need to know

Congratulations on making the leap to moving to Singapore! Or maybe you’re still making up your mind. Regardless, Singapore’s a great, lively place to live for anyone considering the move, and the process itself is surprisingly straightforward, if a little tedious. You'll need the right pass before you can sign a lease, where you live decides your commute and the school run, and a few big costs (housing deposits, school fees, and cars especially) only come up once you've already committed.

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Work passes and visas for moving to Singapore

If you're relocating for a job, you'll most likely come in on an Employment Pass (EP), the main work pass for professionals, managers, and executives. Employees can’t apply for these on their own, so your employer will have to apply for it via Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower (MOM).

Approval works on a two-stage eligibility framework . First, your fixed monthly salary (not counting bonuses and commissions) has to meet the EP qualifying salary, which currently starts at $5,600 in most sectors and $6,200 in financial services. This figure increases with age up to $12,700 for financial workers 45 years old and above. Second, unless you're exempt, the application must score at least 40 points on COMPASS, MOM's points framework that looks at your salary against your qualifications, and how your employer hires.

Take note that qualifying salaries will increase from 1 January 2027, to $6,000 in most sectors and $6,600 in financial services. If you're moving early next year, ask your employer which threshold your application falls under, and be sure that they try out the COMPASS self-assessment tool.

You might also come across these passes:

• The S Pass, for mid-skilled roles. The qualifying salary starts at $3,300 a month in most sectors, increasing to $3,600 a month in 2027
• The Overseas Networks and Expertise Pass (ONE Pass), for top earners making around $30,000 a month or more. It isn't tied to one employer, so you can change jobs without reapplying.
• The Dependant's Pass (DP), for the legally married spouses and unmarried children under 21 of either Employment Pass or S Pass holders.
• The Long-Term Visit Pass (LTVP), which covers some immediate family members of Singapore citizens. While the requirements for spouses and children are generally more lax, parents can only qualify if the pass holder earns at least $12,000 a month.

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Finding a home when you move to Singapore

Buying will make very little sense, at least for the first few years. Foreigners pay a 60% Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) on any residential purchase on top of the standard buyer's stamp duty, and generally can't buy HDB flats or landed homes. Nationals of a handful of free trade agreement countries, including the US, are exempt from ABSD.

Based on URA rental contracts from late 2025 to Q3 2026, the median two-bedroom condo rents for about $5,300 a month in the Core Central Region (Orchard, River Valley, and the city centre), $4,300 on the city fringe, and $3,600 further out. Meanwhile, one-bedroom condos mostly go for $2,900 to $3,800 a month across the island.

Private homes can't be rented for less than three months, and HDB flats for less than six, so for a short stay you'll be looking at serviced apartments. Stamp duty is also charged on the tenancy agreement, at 0.4% of the total rent for leases of up to four years. If there's any chance you'll be posted elsewhere, ask for a diplomatic clause, which lets you end a two-year lease early after the first year with notice.

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Cost of living, tax, and banking

Housing, cars, and international schools are what give Singapore its reputation as an expensive city. But if you’re looking to save, hawker centres and public transport are all reasonably priced so day-to-day expenses can be affordable. The local Goods and Services Tax (GST) is 9%, and is usually included in most sticker prices (except for places like restaurants).

How income tax works for newcomers

Under IRAS's rules, people who stay or work here for at least 183 days in a calendar year, or for a continuous 183 days that straddles two years qualify as tax residents. Residents pay progressive rates from 0% to 24% after reliefs. Non-residents pay either a flat 15% on employment income or the resident rates, whichever works out higher, which is why the timing of your arrival date can matter if you land late in the year.

Singapore doesn't tax capital gains, and income tax isn't deducted from your monthly pay by default. You file once a year and pay the bill afterwards, so it's sensible to set money aside from your first payslip. When you eventually leave, your employer has to get tax clearance for you before your final salary is released.

Foreigners on work passes don't contribute to the Central Provident Fund (CPF), Singapore's mandatory savings scheme. That changes if you become a permanent resident (PR).

Opening a bank account

Most banks will open an account once you have your pass or approval letter, your passport, and proof of a local address. A Singapore account unlocks PayNow, the instant transfer system used for everything from splitting dinner bills to paying rent, so it's worth sorting out in your first week.

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Healthcare and insurance

Singapore's public healthcare schemes, including MediShield Life and government subsidies at polyclinics and public hospitals, are reserved for citizens and PRs. As a foreigner, you'll pay the full unsubsidised rate (minus insurance). Your money will be well spent though, as the standard of care here is notoriously high, and GP waits are typically short. Employers must buy medical insurance for S Pass and Work Permit holders.

Schools for children

If you're moving to Singapore with children, start on schools as early as you start on housing. Popular schools fill up fast, and where you live is factored into school admissions.

Most relocating families choose an international school, which lets children carry on with a curriculum they know, such as the International Baccalaureate (IB), British, or American systems. Annual fees for 2026 generally run from about $25,000 at primary level to $50,000 or more for the final years of secondary school, before application, building, and transport fees. Waitlists are common, so apply as soon as your move is confirmed.

Local government schools, run by the Ministry of Education (MOE), cost far less but are harder to get into. International students are offered places only after Singapore citizens and PRs have been placed. For Primary 1, that means registering in the last phase of the admissions exercise. Older children need to apply via the Admissions Exercise for International Students (AEIS), a centralised test held once a year for entry the following January, with a smaller supplementary round early in the year. You can't choose a specific school through AEIS, so families who arrive mid-year often use an international school for the first year while they prepare for the test.

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Driving on a foreign license

If you do want to drive in Singapore during your stay, the Singapore Police Force lets foreigners living here for less than 12 months use a valid foreign licence. Drivers staying for more than a year will have to pass a Basic Theory Test at a local driving centre and convert to a Singapore licence. If your licence isn't in English, you’ll also need to submit an official translation or an International Driving Permit.

What owning a car costs

Before buying a new or used car in Singapore, you’ll need a Certificate of Entitlement (COE), a 10-year licence to own a vehicle with bidding periods open twice a month. In the first October 2026 exercise, a COE for a smaller car closed at $130,001 just for the certificate alone, before the car itself, registration taxes, insurance, road tax, and parking.  If you’re only planning to be here for a few years, carsharing by the hour or day covers weekend errands and trips to IKEA, while a car subscription gives you a dedicated car for a fixed monthly fee. At ZipZap, our plans start from six months and include insurance, road tax, and servicing in one fee, so you’ll have less to worry about when it’s time to go.

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Your moving to Singapore checklist for the first few weeks

1. Complete your pass issuance with MOM, which may include registering your fingerprints and photo before your card is delivered.
2. Get a local mobile number, since banks, delivery apps, and government services all send one-time passwords by SMS.
3. Open a bank account and set up PayNow.
4. Register for Singpass, Singapore's national digital ID, once you have your Foreign Identification Number (FIN).
5. Set up utilities with SP Group if your landlord hasn't, and choose an electricity retailer if you'd like a cheaper plan.
6. Submit the free SG Arrival Card on the ICA website or MyICA app within three days before you land, counting the day of arrival.

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Settling into life in Singapore

Once your pass, lease, and bank account are sorted, day-to-day life here is easy to settle into, and the bigger decisions (buying a home, buying a car, switching schools) can wait until you know how long you'll stay and how you actually get around. Take a walk around your neighbourhood and try some chicken rice. In the meantime, welcome to Singapore!

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(cover photo from: Bna Ignacio)

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