Settling into life in Singapore — the practical guide

Singapore is one of the easiest cities in the world to settle into as an expat. English is the language of business and daily life, the infrastructure is excellent, and most of the practical admin — phone plans, supermarkets, gyms — works exactly as you'd expect from a well-run modern city.

The first few weeks are mostly about getting the basics in place: a local SIM card, figuring out where to shop, and discovering that hawker centres are going to become a significant part of your life. After that, it's about finding your rhythm — where to exercise, how to spend weekends, and making the most of Singapore's location as a hub for the rest of Southeast Asia.

This page covers the everyday lifestyle essentials. For transport, banking, housing, and visas — see the links in the sidebar.

Getting a local SIM card should be one of the first things you do after landing — a local number is useful or required for many bank account setups, government services, and everyday registrations. Singapore has excellent mobile coverage across the entire island, including the MRT.

The three main carriers are Singtel, StarHub, and M1. All three offer competitive prepaid and postpaid plans. For most expats, a SIM-only postpaid plan is the best value — typically around S$20–40/month depending on data allowance and contract terms.

Singapore has a well-developed supermarket scene covering everything from budget local chains to international specialty stores. Most expats end up shopping across two or three of these depending on what they're after — local staples from one, imported products from another.

Hawker centres are Singapore's open-air food courts — government-subsidised collections of independent stalls serving Chinese, Malay, Indian, and international food at prices that make cooking at home hard to justify. A full meal typically costs S$3–6. They are genuinely one of the best things about living in Singapore.

Every neighbourhood has at least one hawker centre, and most HDB estates have several. They open early (some stalls from 6am for breakfast) and many stay open until late evening. Some iconic hawkers close one or two days a week — it's worth noting which days your favourites are closed.

A few dishes every new expat should try: chicken rice, laksa, char kway teow, roti prata, nasi lemak, bak kut teh, and chilli crab (though crab is more of a restaurant outing than a hawker staple). The variety across a single hawker centre is extraordinary.

Singapore's year-round warm weather makes outdoor exercise possible at any time — though most serious runners and cyclists head out early morning or after sunset to avoid the midday heat and humidity. The city has excellent facilities for a wide range of sports.

Running: East Coast Park is the most popular running route — a flat, well-lit path along the coast stretching around 15km. MacRitchie Reservoir offers trail running through rainforest. The Gardens by the Bay waterfront and the Southern Ridges trail are also popular. Most expat runners join one of Singapore's many running clubs, which meet several times a week and cater to all paces.

Swimming: Most condos have a pool, which is one reason pool access is a genuine draw for expat housing. Public swimming complexes operated by Sport Singapore are available across the island at very low cost (typically S$1.50–2.50 per entry).

Gyms: Singapore has a wide range of gym options from budget to premium. Anytime Fitness, Fitness First, and Virgin Active are common in expat areas. Many condos include a gym. Boutique studios for yoga, Pilates, CrossFit, and HIIT are well-established and popular among expats.

Team sports: Expat leagues exist for football (soccer), touch rugby, cricket, hockey, and more. Clubs like the Singapore Cricket Club, Swiss Club, and the American Club have sporting facilities and regular social events that many expats use as a way to meet people in their first months.

Singapore's compact size means you can get almost anywhere on the island in under an hour, which makes weekends genuinely flexible. Within the city, there's always something on — markets, festivals, nature parks, museums, and a food scene that rewards exploration. And Singapore's location means regional travel is remarkably accessible.

Within Singapore: Gardens by the Bay is worth repeat visits across different times of year. Sentosa has beaches (Palawan, Siloso), the cable car, and Universal Studios for family weekends. The Southern Ridges walk connects several parks with great city views. Pulau Ubin is a quieter island accessible by bumboat from Changi Point — popular for cycling and a taste of old Singapore. The hawker centres of Chinatown, Little India, and Geylang are worth exploring on foot.

Regional day trips and weekends: Johor Bahru (JB) in Malaysia is 30–60 minutes away by taxi or bus across the Causeway — popular for cheaper food, groceries, and day shopping. Batam and Bintan in Indonesia are reachable by ferry from Harbourfront in under an hour, with beach resorts popular for weekend breaks. Further afield, Bangkok, Bali, Kuala Lumpur, and Penang are all under two hours by flight — Singapore's position as a regional hub makes weekend travel genuinely easy.