eSIM and SIM cards in Singapore

The easiest country in Asia for this

• Singtel, StarHub and M1 are the three networks. All are excellent and there is little to choose between them on an island 50 km across.
• Tourist prepaid SIMs cost roughly S$ 12 to S$ 30 for one to two weeks with generous or unlimited data.
• Buy at Changi on arrival. Counters in the arrivals halls, open long hours, and unusually for an airport the prices are close to normal.
• 7-Eleven and Cheers convenience stores sell them too, and there is one on almost every block.
• You must show your passport to register, which takes two minutes.
• eSIM works with all three networks and with Saily, so you can arrive already connected.

Coverage and wifi

• 5G is everywhere, including underground on the MRT and in the road tunnels.
• There is no coverage gap worth planning around. This is one of the few countries where that is simply true.
• Wireless@SG is free public wifi across the island, at malls, libraries, hawker centres and MRT stations. Register once.
• Changi has free wifi and free device charging throughout, and the terminals are genuinely worth arriving early for.

Worth knowing

• WhatsApp is standard for hotels and tours. Telegram is also widely used locally.
• Grab is the app that matters most, for taxis, food and payments. Install it before you land.
• Singapore blocks very little, so your usual apps work.
• Roaming from Malaysia is not automatic. If you are hopping across from Johor Bahru, check your plan rather than assuming.