Spending money in Singapore — one of the world's most cashless cities

Singapore is one of the world's most cashless cities — a genuine achievement given that hawker centres, the cultural heart of Singaporean food culture, have largely adopted card and QR payment. For travellers, this is excellent news: a zero-forex card and almost no cash is all you need.

How cashless Singapore has become

Singapore's government pushed hard for cashless adoption — PayNow (QR-based bank transfer) is ubiquitous among locals, and merchants adopted it widely. The MRT and bus network accepts contactless Visa/Mastercard directly at fare gates. 7-Elevens, Fairprice supermarkets, hawker centres, taxis, Grab, food courts, and most restaurants now accept card or QR. This is one of the few destinations where you can genuinely go multiple days without cash.

Hawker centres: the exception that isn't

Singapore's hawker centres (Maxwell Road, Lau Pa Sat, Newton Food Centre, Old Airport Road) are the best eating experience in the city. Historically cash-only, they've rapidly adopted NETS (local debit network), PayNow QR, and increasingly Visa/Mastercard contactless. As a foreign visitor without a Singapore NETS card, look for the Visa/Mastercard contactless symbol or a QR code at each stall. Some older hawker stalls are still cash-only — having S$20–30 in cash covers this.

MRT, buses, and getting around

Singapore's MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) and buses accept contactless Visa and Mastercard directly at fare gates — just tap your card. The fare is calculated and charged automatically. There's no need to buy an EZ-Link travel card unless you want one for convenience. Grab is the primary ride-hailing service and is card-friendly in-app. Taxis accept card at the end of the ride. Transport in Singapore is excellent value and entirely card-compatible.

ATMs and cash in Singapore

DBS, OCBC, and UOB ATMs are widespread and accept foreign Visa/Mastercard. Most charge no foreign transaction fee or a minimal S$2–3. Changi Airport has ATMs in every terminal. The main use case for cash in Singapore is: paying at cash-only hawker stalls (increasingly rare), some local provision shops in residential areas, and tips (optional in Singapore — not customary). S$50–100 in cash is more than sufficient for a week.

Best cards for Singapore

Any zero-forex card works well. The SGD is a liquid, stable currency with minimal spread between mid-market and Mastercard/Visa rates. Starling, Wise, Monzo, and Revolut all deliver excellent rates. The MRT tap-to-pay with your Starling or Wise card is seamless. Changi Airport's money changers are actually among the best in Asia for rates — if you need SGD cash, get it at the Changi money changer, not a home-country airport.

Singapore's payment infrastructure

Singapore has one of the world's most advanced payment systems. Contactless payment is ubiquitous — MRT transit gates, taxis, food courts, hawker centres (increasingly), shopping malls, and most restaurants all accept Visa and Mastercard contactlessly. Singapore's EZ-Link card covers public transport and can be used at some retailers, but for tourists the most convenient option is simply tapping your zero-fee debit or credit card directly at MRT gates. PayNow, Singapore's instant transfer system, is for Singapore bank account holders; it is not accessible to short-stay foreign visitors.

Hawker centres: cash is still king

Singapore's hawker centres are the cultural and culinary heart of the country — outdoor food courts housing dozens of individual stalls serving char kway teow, Hainanese chicken rice, laksa, satay, and hundreds of other dishes at prices of SGD 3–8 (£1.75–4.70) per plate. While card acceptance at hawker stalls has grown (particularly at NEA-licensed centres with cashless payment initiatives), many individual stalls — especially those operated by older hawkers — remain cash-only. Having SGD 30–50 in small notes specifically for hawker centre meals is practical. The alternative — eating at mall food courts with card terminals — is similar food at slightly higher prices.

ATM fees and card access in Singapore

Singapore's major banks — DBS, OCBC, UOB, and Standard Chartered — have extensive ATM networks. Most do not charge foreign cards an operator fee at their ATMs, making Singapore unusually generous compared to Thailand or Indonesia. HSBC Singapore ATMs are particularly reliable for UK HSBC customers (check whether your specific HSBC account has fee agreements). Independent ATMs in Orchard Road tourist retail complexes and Changi Airport terminals from non-bank operators may charge SGD 5 per transaction. Stick to DBS, OCBC, or UOB ATMs — they're in every MRT station and shopping mall.

Budgeting for Singapore

Singapore has a reputation as an expensive city, but costs depend heavily on how you eat and where you stay. Food is extraordinarily affordable at hawker centres — three meals per day for SGD 15–25 (£9–15) is entirely achievable. Transport on the MRT is excellent value — most journeys cost SGD 1.20–2.50 (£0.70–1.50). The expensive elements are accommodation (budget hotels start at SGD 100/night, rising steeply for mid-range options) and alcohol (Singapore has high liquor taxes; a pint in a bar costs SGD 10–14, approximately £6–8). Budget travellers focused on hawker centre food and public transport can experience Singapore on SGD 80–120/day (£47–70). Accommodation-focused travellers should budget significantly more.

Singapore as a transit hub

Changi Airport is regularly rated the world's best and is frequently used as a transit hub between Europe and Australia or Southeast Asia. Transit passengers staying less than 24 hours can often participate in free Singapore Tourism Board city tours (available to travellers with layovers over 5.5 hours). Changi's own terminal facilities — Jewel Changi's indoor waterfall, butterfly garden, cinema, and restaurants — are accessible to transit passengers and require no local currency for card-accepting venues. If using Changi for a transit stopover, a quick visit to Jewel costs nothing beyond food, requires only your card, and is a worthwhile experience.

Singapore money summary

Singapore is one of the world's most financially accessible destinations for foreign visitors. Card acceptance is essentially universal for contactless payment. Public transit accepts contactless bank cards directly at MRT and bus gates. Hawker centre cash use is the main exception — keep SGD 30–60 specifically for hawker centre meals, which remain predominantly cash-operated at individual stalls despite citywide cashless initiatives. ATMs at DBS, OCBC, and UOB branches throughout the city and in every MRT station are reliable for foreign cards with minimal or no operator fees. The combination of a zero-fee card for all merchant purchases and a modest cash reserve for hawker centres covers the entire Singapore experience. Singapore's high accommodation costs and alcohol prices are the primary budget variables; food, transport, and attractions are all excellent value for a developed-world city.

Alcohol and entertainment costs

Singapore has some of Asia's highest alcohol prices due to heavy excise duties. A pint of Tiger or Heineken at a regular bar costs SGD 10–16 (£6–9). Rooftop bars and premium venues in Marina Bay charge SGD 18–25+ per cocktail (£11–15). By contrast, supermarket alcohol (Cold Storage, NTUC FairPrice) is taxed but cheaper than bar prices — a six-pack of Tiger from a supermarket costs approximately SGD 15–18 (£9–11). For travellers on a moderate budget, limiting bar visits and buying drinks for accommodation consumption from supermarkets significantly reduces total spending. Clarke Quay's bar scene is lively but expensive; Chinatown's coffee shops and local hawker centres offering beer at SGD 6–8 (£3.50–4.80) represent better value for social drinking.

EZ-Link card and transit payments

Singapore's MRT and bus network uses the EZ-Link contactless card system, though international bank cards (Visa and Mastercard contactless) are accepted directly at MRT fare gates — you tap your bank card or phone, and the fare is deducted at a slightly higher rate than an EZ-Link card. For short stays this is the most convenient option. For longer stays or families, an EZ-Link card loaded with SGD cash offers slightly cheaper per-journey fares. Hawker centres — where much of Singapore's most authentic food is found — are primarily cash-based, though newer centres have begun accepting NETS and PayNow QR payments.

Duty-free and Changi Airport shopping

Changi Airport is among the world's best shopping airports, with extensive duty-free options and luxury retail. Duty-free alcohol, tobacco, and cosmetics at Changi are genuinely competitively priced by global standards. Liquor allowances for arriving Singapore residents are limited (1 litre per category), but departing passengers can buy unlimited quantities for export. Electronics at Changi's airside stores are sometimes cheaper than city centre prices, though the difference is narrowing. For transit passengers with 6+ hours at Changi, the combination of Jewel's attractions and Changi's shopping represents good value entertainment and retail at the airport. Payment at all Changi retail is by card, including contactless — Singapore dollars are accepted but many airside shops set prices in both SGD and USD.

Key takeaways