Money, cards and ATMs in Singapore

GST and getting it back

• GST is 9 percent and is included in the displayed price of goods.
• Tourists can reclaim it on purchases of S$ 100 or more including GST from a participating retailer, through the eTRS scheme.
• You must be 16 or over, not a citizen, permanent resident or long-term pass holder, and take the goods out through Changi or Seletar.
• Ask for eTRS at the till and keep the receipt. The refund is claimed at self-service kiosks before you check in, and you may be asked to show the goods, so do not pack them in the hold first.
• Allow an extra 30 minutes at the airport if you are claiming.

Restaurant bills

• Look for "++" on the menu. It means 10 percent service charge plus 9 percent GST are added to the price shown, which is 19.9 percent on top once compounded.
• A price marked "nett" includes everything.
• Hawker centres and food courts charge no service and no extra tax. The price on the sign is the price.

Tipping

• Tipping is not expected anywhere in Singapore, and this is genuinely true rather than politely true.
• The 10 percent service charge already appears on restaurant bills, and adding to it is unusual.
• Taxi drivers do not expect a tip. Rounding up is fine and not required.
• Hotels are the one exception, where a small note to a porter is normal.
• Tipping is actively discouraged at Changi.

Cards and cash

• Cards and phone wallets work everywhere, including many hawker stalls.
• Carry S$ 20 to S$ 50 in small notes for older hawker stalls and wet markets.
• PayNow and QR payments are ubiquitous among locals and generally need a local bank account.
• ATMs are everywhere, most bank machines charge nothing at their end, and you should always be billed in Singapore dollars.
• Money changers in Mustafa Centre, Chinatown and the malls give better rates than banks or the airport, and are entirely reputable.
• Singapore is expensive. Food is the exception: a hawker centre meal costs a few dollars and is some of the best eating in Asia.