Singapore is easy to pay your way around, but “cashless” does not mean cash has disappeared. Contactless cards and mobile wallets are widely accepted, public transport can be tapped with compatible bank cards, and most larger shops and restaurants make card payment routine. Hawker stalls, market vendors and small independent businesses are less uniform, so the best visitor setup is a working contactless card plus a modest amount of Singapore-dollar cash.

Fast answer:

Bring at least one Visa, Mastercard or American Express card that is enabled for overseas use, keep a backup payment method separate, and carry some SGD cash for small vendors. On MRT and buses, supported contactless cards work through SimplyGo; foreign-issued Mastercard and Visa cards currently attract a S$0.60 administration fee for each day they are used for transit.

Singapore dollars: what visitors actually need

Singapore's currency is the Singapore dollar (SGD or S$). Prices on this site use S$ unless we explicitly say otherwise. You do not need to arrive with a thick wad of notes, but having a small cash reserve is still sensible for hawker stalls, traditional shops, small purchases, temporary card outages and situations where a merchant's preferred QR system is aimed at local bank users.

Exchange rates move every day. For that reason, we deliberately do not publish a “good” SGD exchange rate here. Check your own bank or card provider before departure and compare the total cost — exchange-rate margin plus transaction fee — rather than judging an exchange counter only by the headline number on its board.

Cards and mobile wallets

Contactless payment is widespread in Singapore. The Singapore Tourism Board specifically highlights credit cards, mobile wallets and tap-and-go payments as common visitor payment methods. In malls, hotels, chain stores, attractions and many restaurants, paying by card is normally straightforward.

That does not justify the old travel-guide claim that cards work “almost everywhere”. Acceptance varies at hawker centres, wet markets, coffee shops, small neighbourhood businesses and temporary stalls. Some merchants accept cash plus local QR options but not overseas card networks. Keep enough cash that one declined card does not derail a meal or short taxi ride.

Use the same physical card or device consistently

A physical bank card and the same underlying card loaded into Apple Pay or Google Pay can be treated as different payment credentials. This matters most on public transport: tap in and tap out with the same physical card or the same device. Switching between card and phone mid-journey can create an incomplete trip and an incorrect fare.

Have a backup

Cards can fail because overseas use is disabled, a bank's fraud system blocks a transaction, the merchant's terminal is offline or a particular network is not accepted. A second card on a different network, stored separately from your main wallet, is useful travel insurance. Do not rely on a single phone wallet if a flat battery would leave you unable to pay.

Paying for MRT and buses

Singapore's SimplyGo system accepts supported contactless American Express, Mastercard, NETS and Visa bank cards, including many foreign-issued cards, as well as compatible mobile wallets. You do not need a SimplyGo account merely to tap a compatible bank card for travel.

For overseas visitors there is one cost worth knowing: foreign-issued Mastercard and Visa cards currently incur a S$0.60 Foreign Bank Card Administration Fee per day of use for transit. Your issuing bank may separately charge foreign-exchange or international transaction fees. Foreign-issued American Express cards are accepted according to SimplyGo's current guidance, while the published S$0.60 fee is specified for foreign Mastercard and Visa cards.

As of the Public Transport Council's 2026 fare table, adult card fares for basic bus and train journeys run from S$1.28 to S$2.57 depending on distance. Cash bus fares are higher. Fares and payment rules can change, so use the official fare table rather than budgeting from an old screenshot.

For a fuller explanation of transfers, buses, airport transport and tourist passes, see our getting around Singapore guide.

When cash still helps

Carry a modest amount rather than treating cash as obsolete. It remains useful at some hawker stalls and independent vendors, for small purchases and as a fallback when card systems fail. How much you need depends on your habits: a traveller eating mainly in malls and ticketed attractions can be nearly cashless, while someone exploring hawker centres and local markets is more likely to use notes.

ATMs

Singapore has extensive ATM coverage, but the total cost of a withdrawal depends on both the local ATM/operator and your home bank. Your issuer may charge a fixed overseas withdrawal fee, a percentage fee, a currency-conversion margin or a combination. Because these charges are bank-specific and change, we do not publish a universal “Singapore ATM fee”. Check your card's fee schedule before travelling.

If an ATM offers to convert the withdrawal into your home currency, read the screen carefully. That conversion uses a rate offered through the ATM/payment chain rather than automatically using your own bank's normal foreign-currency conversion. Compare before accepting; “pay in your home currency” is not automatically the cheaper option.

Money changers

Licensed money changers are common in tourist and commercial areas. Compare the actual amount of SGD you receive for your currency, not only a “no commission” sign. For a small trip, the time spent chasing a marginally better rate can be worth less than the saving.

GST, restaurant service charge and displayed prices

Singapore's Goods and Services Tax is currently 9%. For most GST-registered businesses, public prices are required to be GST-inclusive. Hotels and food-and-beverage businesses that impose a genuine service charge have a specific price-display exception: they may display prices before GST and service charge, provided customers are prominently told that both will be added.

Many restaurants impose a 10% service charge. IRAS confirms that the service charge itself is subject to GST because it forms part of the price of the service. In the common example of S$100 food plus a 10% service charge, 9% GST is then calculated on S$110, producing a S$119.90 total. That is why a restaurant menu price can turn into a bill roughly 19.9% higher when both charges apply.

Do not confuse service charge with a tip:

A service charge is part of the bill. A voluntary tip is extra. Before adding a gratuity, check the receipt so you know what has already been charged.

Tipping: when it is and is not expected

Tipping is not customary in Singapore. The Singapore Tourism Board says tipping is not customary, although visitors may choose to reward good service. You should not feel obliged to add the percentage-style gratuities expected in some countries.

At restaurants, first look for the service charge described above. In taxis, hotels and other services, an extra tip can be offered for genuinely good service, but it is discretionary rather than a standard visitor obligation. Rounding up a small amount is a personal choice, not a rule.

This is also why a budget should not automatically add 15–25% tips to every restaurant or taxi transaction. The more relevant restaurant calculation is whether the listed price is subject to service charge and GST.

Tourist GST refunds on shopping

Eligible visitors can claim a refund of GST on qualifying goods purchased from retailers participating in Singapore's electronic Tourist Refund Scheme (eTRS). IRAS currently requires at least S$100 including GST; up to three same-day receipts from retailers with the same GST registration number and shop name can be combined to reach that minimum.

The scheme has eligibility, passport, departure and timing conditions. Among them, goods must be taken out of Singapore within two months of purchase and the claim is processed through eTRS at Changi or Seletar Airport. The actual refund is less than the GST paid because a handling fee is deducted. Services such as hotel stays and meals are not souvenir goods that you simply reclaim at the airport.

Read the current rules before making a purchase specifically because you expect a refund: IRAS Tourist Refund Scheme.

Travelling with more than S$20,000

There is no general ban on carrying a large amount of money into or out of Singapore, but there is a declaration rule. If the total value of your physical currency and bearer negotiable instruments exceeds S$20,000, or the foreign-currency equivalent, you must make the required declaration. ICA says the electronic declaration can be submitted within 72 hours before entering or leaving Singapore.

This rule is about more than banknotes: bearer negotiable instruments can include certain cheques, money orders and similar instruments. If it applies to you, use the official guidance rather than a travel-blog summary: ICA — Taking Cash In and Out of Singapore.

A sensible visitor payment setup

  1. Primary card: a contactless card with overseas use enabled and known foreign-transaction fees.
  2. Backup card: ideally another network or issuer, stored separately.
  3. Phone wallet: useful for daily payments, but not your only option.
  4. Small SGD cash reserve: enough for hawkers, small shops and payment outages without carrying a large sum.
  5. Transit decision: compare direct bank-card tapping, a stored-value card and any tourist pass based on trip frequency and the foreign-card admin fee.
  6. Restaurant check: look for service charge and GST wording before mentally adding a tip.

Sources and review date

Reviewed 30 August 2026. Volatile payment, tax, transit and declaration details above were checked against current information from SimplyGo, Singapore's Public Transport Council, IRAS, ICA and the Singapore Tourism Board. Always re-check official pages if your trip is well after this review date.

Next, use our Singapore budget guide to turn these payment rules into a realistic trip budget.