Moving to Singapore: the complete, honest guide
Safe, efficient and built for newcomers, Singapore is one of the smoothest relocations in Asia. It is also one of the most expensive. Here is the honest brief on visas, customs and cost.
A frictionless city state, if you can carry the cost.
Singapore sells itself on competence. It is clean, safe, English speaking, brilliantly connected, and run with an efficiency that makes the practical side of moving genuinely pleasant. Public services work, the airport is a marvel, and a skilled professional can have a bank account, a phone and a flat sorted within days of landing. For families it offers safety and strong schools, for professionals a hub from which the whole of Asia is a short flight away.
It suits high earners, corporate transfers, finance and technology professionals, and entrepreneurs who value rule of law and a stable base. The quality of life for those who can afford it is hard to beat in the region.
The honest caveat is cost. Singapore regularly ranks among the most expensive cities in the world. Housing is the big one, owning a car is extraordinarily expensive by design, and the city is small, so space is at a premium. Permanent settlement is also harder to reach than in some countries, and your residence is usually tied to your pass. Come for the opportunity and the quality, with eyes open about the price.
Work passes carry most movers, with the Employment Pass at the centre.
Singapore organises residence around work passes issued by the Ministry of Manpower. Your eligibility depends on your salary, your qualifications and, for the Employment Pass, a points based assessment.
For professionals, managers and executives. From 2026 the minimum qualifying salary starts at 5,600 dollars a month and rises with age, and candidates must also pass the points based COMPASS framework. Your employer applies on your behalf.
- From
- 5,600 SGD / mo
- Assessment
- COMPASS points
- Sponsor
- Employer
- Family
- Dependant passes
The S Pass covers mid skilled staff against its own salary floor and quota. Separate schemes such as the Overseas Networks and Expertise pass target very high earners and top talent who want more flexibility than a single employer tie.
- S Pass
- Salary and quota
- Top talent
- ONE Pass
- Flexibility
- Higher for talent
- Source
- Ministry of Manpower
Pass holders above an income threshold can bring a spouse and children on dependant passes. Permanent residence is a separate, selective application that opens the door to longer term settling, but it is not automatic.
- Family
- Dependant passes
- Threshold
- Income based
- PR
- Selective
- Advice
- Worth taking
Used household goods can be free of duty and GST, if you qualify for relief.
Singapore is a free port, so most goods carry no customs duty. The cost that matters for a household move is the Goods and Services Tax. The encouraging part is that relief from GST is available on used household articles and personal effects when you are genuinely transferring your residence to Singapore, which most movers are.
To qualify for that GST relief, Singapore Customs needs to be satisfied that you are moving your home to Singapore, that you own the items, that you have used and possessed them for at least three months, and that you will not sell or give them away within three months of arrival. You support the claim with proof of transfer of residence, such as your Employment Pass, dependant pass or the in principle approval letter from the Ministry of Manpower, together with your bill of lading or air waybill.
Some categories are excluded from relief and watched closely. Liquor and tobacco are dutiable and never relieved. Chewing gum, certain controlled drugs, weapons and obscene material are prohibited outright, and the penalties are serious. Cars are subject to a famously expensive registration and certificate of entitlement system, so importing a vehicle rarely makes sense. Goods move through the Port of Singapore, one of the busiest on the planet, or by air through Changi.
World class quality, at a world topping price.
Singapore is expensive, and housing leads the way. A central one bedroom apartment commonly runs well above two thousand dollars a month, and family sized condominiums climb steeply from there. The car system is the other shock: between the certificate of entitlement, taxes and fees, a modest car can cost more than a small home elsewhere, which is exactly the point, because the public transport is excellent and most residents use it.
The offsets are real. Income tax is low and tiered, topping out at a modest rate, so more of your pay stays with you. Food is a genuine pleasure and can be cheap at the hawker centres that locals love. Healthcare is high quality. If you arrive on a strong package and use the transport system, the city is very livable. Arrive expecting European rents and a car, and the budget will not work.
Indicative 2026 figures in US dollars, drawn from aggregated cost of living panels. Your city and lifestyle will move these a lot. Treat them as direction, not a budget.
Your first month checklist
Once your pass is approved, your first month is quick by global standards. Complete your pass formalities and biometrics with the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, collect your card, then open a bank account, get a local SIM and sign a tenancy. Landlords usually want a deposit of one to two months and a stamp duty on the lease.
Register your address, set up utilities, and if you have a dependant pass for family, sort school registration early since international and local school places are competitive. Keep your in principle approval letter and pass details handy for the bank, the landlord and your customs clearance, all of which will ask for proof of your status.
How to choose a mover for Singapore, without the guesswork.
We never rank or recommend individual companies. Instead, here is the neutral checklist a careful mover uses to judge any firm bidding on this route.
Industry affiliation
Look for membership of FIDI or IAM. Both vet members on financial stability and handling standards, which matters when your goods cross a border.
Real corridor experience
Ask how many moves the firm has run into Singapore in the past year, which port or airport they clear through, and who their agent on the ground is.
A binding pre move survey
Insist on a video or in home survey and a written, binding volume. A quote built from a guessed cubic metre figure is the most common cause of a surprise final bill.
Insurance terms in writing
Read what the cover actually pays. Confirm whether it is full replacement value, what the excess is, and whether owner packed cartons are covered.
Reviews that name the route
Weight reviews that mention this destination and customs clearance, not just a tidy van on collection day. The hard part happens after the goods leave.
Like for like quotes
Compare three quotes with the same scope: same volume, same insurance, same delivery address and the same view on stairs, parking and customs fees.
Get moving quotes for Singapore.
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The things people ask before they commit.
How much does it cost to move to Singapore?
Do I pay tax to bring my belongings to Singapore?
How long does shipping to Singapore take?
What salary do I need for an Employment Pass?
Can I bring my car to Singapore?
Is it hard to get permanent residence in Singapore?
Moving to Singapore from your country.
Choose your origin country for a corridor guide built for that route into Singapore, with the shipping lane, the GST relief notes and the cost range.
Britain, Ireland and the Low Countries
German speaking and Central Europe
The Nordics
Southern Europe
The Gulf and Middle East
Asia and the Pacific
Other origins
Last reviewed: 3 May 2026. We refresh this guide as costs, customs, and visa rules change.