If you’re taking a trip to Singapore you might be considering picking up a Singapore tourist SIM card on arrival, or even choosing a standard Singapore prepaid SIM card to cover your stay. The good news is that several major telcos offer Singapore SIM cards for tourists, so you’ve got a pretty broad range to choose from.
This guide walks through all you need to know to find the cheapest prepaid SIM card in Singapore for your specific trip.
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Before we get into the details of the best travel SIM card Singapore providers can offer, let’s do a quick head to head comparison of the key telcos you might want to look at. Each of these providers offers multiple different SIMs and eSIM options, which we’ll delve into later.
As a starter, let’s look at an overview of some of the options you can pick for a Singapore travel SIM card.
| Starhub | SingTel | M1 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price range | 12 SGD - 50 SGD | 12 SGD - 50 SGD | 12 SGD - 30 SGD |
| Duration options | 10 days - 180 days | 14 days - 28 days | 15 days - 30 days |
| Usage type | All packages have local Singapore data + some roaming All packages have local calls, some also offer limited IDD calls | All packages have local Singapore data, some also offer roaming Some options have free data for chat services E-Z Link option for free travel | Tourist packages offer local and roaming data Standard prepaid SIMs are also available which have more of a focus on local use |
| Additional features | Cheap eSIM available | Several options available as either SIM or eSIM Earn Krisflyer miles | Roaming covers some neighbour countries only |
To choose your perfect Singapore travel SIM it’s worth comparing a few different packages from popular telcos. Specific tourist SIMs tend to offer good data packages, with some extras like some free international calls or even free bus and MRT rides. Cards might last from a few days to a few months, and can cover both Singapore and neighbouring countries - perfect if you’re also combining travel within the region.
Here we’ve covered the key options you might consider from 3 of Singapore’s biggest providers:
| $12 Tourist SIM | $12 Tourist eSIM | $32 Tourist SIM | $50 Tourist SIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 12 SGD | 12 SGD | 32 SGD | 180 SGD |
| Duration | 10 days | 14 days | 30 days | 180 days overall, data has a 30 day limit |
| Usage | 100 GB local data 1 GB roaming data 30 mins IDD 018 calls 100 local SMS, 1000 mins local outgoing calls, and unlimited local incoming calls | 100 GB data 3 GB roaming to APAC 100 local SMS 30 mins IDD calls 500 mins local calls | 100 GB local data 3 GB roaming data 90 mins IDD 018 calls 5000 local SMS, 3000 mins local outgoing calls, and unlimited local incoming calls | $50 credit for 180 days 120 GB local data and 5 GB roaming data valid for 30 days |
| Additional features | International roaming covers 17 destinations | International roaming covers 17 destinations |
Starhub offers an interesting selection of SIMs, and one eSIM you can buy online, for tourists coming to Singapore1. You can get covered for 10 days to 180 days to fit your specific trip plans, and pick a package which includes roaming to some other countries. If your visit to Singapore is also linked to travel in APAC or other countries you can get roaming which can be used for the rest of your stay as well as for your time in Singapore.
You’ll have the option to buy additional plans and extend your roaming cover if you need to, through the Starhub app.
| $50 SIM or eSIM | $30 SIM or eSIM | $12 hi!Tourist SIM or eSIM | $18 hi!Tourist 2-in-1 E-Z Link SIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 50 SGD | 30 SGD | 12 SGD | 18 SGD |
| Duration | 28 days | 28 days | 14 days | 28 days |
| Usage | 120 GB 5G data 10 GB data roaming to Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand | 100 GB 5G data 5 GB data roaming to Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand | 100 GB 4G data 3 GB roaming data | Tourist packages offer local and roaming data Standard prepaid SIMs are also available which have more of a focus on local use |
| Additional features | Free data for some social and chat sites Free local calls and SMS 90 mins IDD calls Fair usage rules apply | Free data for some social and chat sites Free local calls and SMS 90 mins IDD calls Fair usage rules apply | Free public transport use |
Singtel has a good selection of SIM cards offered specifically as tourist sims, including 3 eSIMs which can be ordered in advance2. If your phone is able to use an eSIM you can get everything set up remotely before you travel, with options for 14 or 28 day SIM coverage.
SingTel may also be an attractive option for people on a longer trip, even if travelling to other countries in the region. The top end SingTel packages offer some international roaming as well as cover for Singapore, so you could use them if you add on a quick break to Bali, or a trip to Thailand for example. Plus, with these SingTel tourist SIMs you can easily use the SingTel app to top-up if your trip lasts longer than expected and you need extended cover.
No matter which SIM you select you can claim one Krisflyer mile per dollar spent which can be added to your Singapore Airlines miles account.
| $12 Tourist SIM or eSIM | $14 Tourist SIM or eSIM | $30 Tourist SIM | $14 Prepaid SIM | $25 Prepaid SIM or eSIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | 12 SGD | 14 SGD | 30 SGD | 14 SGD | 25 SGD |
| Duration | 15 days | 30 days | 30 days | 30 days | 28 days |
| Usage | 100 GB local data and 3 GB roaming data mins local calls and 100 local SMS 30 mins international calls | 100 GB local data and 3 GB roaming data 500 mins local calls and 100 local SMS 50 mins international calls | 150 GB local data and 5 GB roaming data 3,000 mins local calls and 1,000 local SMS 90 mins international calls | 100 GB local data and roaming data 1,000 mins local calls and 500 local SMS 20 mins international calls | 84 GB local data and roaming data (3GB/day) 28 days unlimited incoming calls 5,000 mins local calls and 400 local SMS |
| Additional features | Roaming covers Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Macau and Thailand | Roaming covers Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Macau and Thailand | Roaming covers Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Macau and Thailand | Not specifically a tourist SIM, also marketed locally | Not specifically a tourist SIM, also marketed locally |
M1 has 3 tourist SIM or eSIM options, and also recommends a couple of standard prepaid SIMs to travellers coming to Singapore3. There are varying price points, but all the options are relatively cheap. If you’re coming to Singapore as part of a wider trip taking in other locations, the tourist SIMs from M1 may appeal as they also offer some roaming data for other countries in the region.
The standard SIMs which are also marketed to tourists could be a good pick if you’ll need to use a lot of data and make or receive calls while in Singapore. These packages last for around a month and have options to make and receive calls and SMS.
All M1 SIMs can be topped up by using the M1 app or portal - perfect if you decide you need extra data or want to get coverage for longer than expected.
Where you can buy your tourist SIM card will depend a bit on the provider you pick.
Some Starhub tourist SIMs can be ordered online and collected at the airport, or bought on the spot at the airport at UOB Currency Exchange Counters or Travellers Counters in Terminal 1 and 3. You can also pop to a selection of StarHub Shops or StarHub Authorised Retailers.
Singtel cards can also be bought at the airport at Travelex, Changi recommends or UOB Currency Exchange Counters, or at island wide convenience stores like 7-Eleven and Cheers. You can call into a Singtel retailer or store, or get your eSIM online before you travel.
With M1 you can buy various SIM cards at M1 stores, at convenience stores like 7-Eleven and Cheers, or through several different distributors at the airport.
Getting a Singapore local SIM for your trip means you don’t need to use your Malaysian roaming data, or buy a roaming add-on package from your normal provider. This might work out to be a cost effective option, but it will come down to what your regular telco charges for roaming, and your personal preferences.
Bear in mind that if you get a new SIM for Singapore you’ll need to remove your normal SIM from your phone and keep it safe during your travel - and you’ll have a new phone number linked to your Singapore SIM, too.
| 👀 Want to find out more about data roaming options? Read about the best international data roaming plans from Malaysian telcos |
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