This complete Singapore expat moving checklist covers everything you need to do before you arrive, in your first 24 hours, your first week, your first month and your first three months in Singapore. Each task links to our detailed guides where relevant so you can dive deeper into any area you need. Bookmark this page. Work through it systematically. Share it with your family. It is the closest thing to a guaranteed smooth start to your Singapore expat life.
Before You Arrive in Singapore
The work you do before landing at Changi Airport directly determines how smooth your first weeks will be. Do not skip this section thinking you can sort everything after you arrive — several of these tasks are significantly harder or slower once you are on the ground.
| Task | Priority | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Confirm your Employment Pass or work pass approval with your employer | š“ Critical | Before booking flights |
| Ensure your passport is valid for at least 18 months from arrival date | š“ Critical | 8+ weeks before travel |
| Apply for Dependent Passes for family members if applicable | š“ Critical | As early as possible |
| Research and shortlist housing options in your target areas | š” Important | 4—6 weeks before arrival |
| Apply to international schools if you have children | š“ Critical | As early as possible — waitlists are long |
| Arrange short-term accommodation for first 2—4 weeks | š“ Critical | Before departure |
| Research health insurance options and arrange coverage | š“ Critical | Before arrival |
| Notify your home country bank of your move | š” Important | 2 weeks before |
| Download essential Singapore apps before arriving | š¢ Helpful | Week before arrival |
| Research Singapore's transport options and MRT network | š¢ Helpful | Week before arrival |
Essential Apps to Download Before Arriving
Download these apps before you land — some require Singapore phone verification which you can complete once you have your local SIM:
š± Must-Have Immediately
Grab — taxis and food delivery
Google Maps — navigation
WhatsApp — primary communication
Singpass app — digital identity
GovTech MyInfo — government services
š± Essential First Week
DBS digibank / OCBC Digital — banking
HealthHub — healthcare access
MyTransportSG — MRT and bus
ActiveSG — sports facilities
Carousell — secondhand marketplace
š± First Month
Lazada / Shopee — online shopping
GrabFood / Foodpanda — food delivery
OneMotoring — if driving in SG
EZ-Link — transport card top-up
IRAS myTax Portal — tax filing
Day 1 — Your First 24 Hours in Singapore
Your first 24 hours should focus on the absolute essentials for immediate functioning. Do not try to do everything on day one — you will be jet-lagged, overwhelmed and inefficient. These are the non-negotiables:
-
Get a Singapore SIM card at Changi Airport
All three major telcos — Singtel, StarHub and M1 — have counters in the arrival halls. Get a prepaid tourist SIM immediately. You need a Singapore number for virtually every registration process that follows. Budget SGD 15 to SGD 30 for a good tourist SIM with data. Read our full guide on how to get a SIM card in Singapore as an expat. -
Get Singapore dollars from an airport ATM
Use your home country debit card at a Changi Airport ATM to withdraw SGD 300 to SGD 500 in cash for your first few days. The rates are reasonable and you need cash for taxis, hawker centres and initial small purchases. Avoid the currency exchange counters at the airport — ATM rates are better. -
Travel to your short-term accommodation
Take the MRT from the airport (East-West Line, approximately 35 to 50 minutes to the city) or a Grab car. The MRT is excellent and dramatically cheaper than a taxi. Your Grab app works in Singapore from day one using international card payment. -
Eat at a hawker centre
This is not optional — it is essential research. Find your nearest hawker centre and try chicken rice, laksa or whatever looks most appealing. Understanding hawker culture from day one orients you to Singapore life faster than anything else. Your wallet will also thank you — a full meal costs SGD 3 to SGD 6. -
Rest properly
Singapore is a demanding city and your first weeks will be intensive. Jet lag plus the heat plus the newness of everything is genuinely tiring. Give yourself permission to sleep well on night one rather than exploring until midnight. The city will still be there tomorrow.
First Week Checklist — The Priority Tasks
Your first week in Singapore is about building the essential infrastructure of your daily life. Work through these in the order listed — each one enables the next:
-
Collect your Employment Pass card
If your EP has been approved but not yet issued, complete the formalities at the Employment Pass Services Centre (EPSC) at 1500 Bendemeer Road. You need your physical EP card for virtually everything that follows — bank account opening, SingPass registration and tenancy agreements all require it. Bring your passport and IPA letter. -
Register for SingPass
Do this the moment your EP is issued and active in the MOM system. SingPass is your digital key to Singapore — without it you cannot open a bank account online, access government services or use MyInfo. The registration takes 15 minutes via the Singpass app. Read our complete SingPass registration guide for expats for the step-by-step process including face verification. -
Open a Singapore bank account
With your EP card and SingPass, opening a DBS, OCBC or UOB bank account is straightforward — online in 15 minutes via the digibank app if you have SingPass with MyInfo, or in-branch in under an hour. Set this up before your first salary payment arrives. Read our guides on opening a bank account in Singapore and specifically how to open a DBS bank account. -
Switch from tourist SIM to postpaid mobile plan
With your EP card and Singapore address, you can now sign up for a postpaid mobile plan which gives you better rates and more data than the tourist SIM. Compare options including MyRepublic, Circles.Life and the major telcos. Read our guides on best mobile plans in Singapore before committing. -
Get an EZ-Link card or activate SimplyGo
Your transport card for Singapore's excellent MRT and bus network. Available at any MRT station customer service office for SGD 12 including SGD 7 stored value. Link it to your phone via the EZ-Link app for easy top-up. Read our Singapore MRT guide for new expats for complete transport guidance. -
Find your nearest GP clinic and hawker centre
Register with a GP clinic near your home before you are sick — having your details on file speeds up every future visit. Identify your nearest hawker centre for affordable daily meals. Both save time and money throughout your Singapore life. Read our Singapore healthcare guide for GP clinic finding tips. -
Start your permanent housing search
Begin viewing properties on PropertyGuru and 99.co. Most expats need 2 to 4 weeks to find the right place — starting immediately from your short-term base gives you time to make a good decision rather than a rushed one. Read our complete guide on how to rent a house in Singapore as an expat. -
Notify your employer of your Singapore bank account details
Ensure HR has your Singapore bank account number for salary crediting. Also confirm your CPF status — if you are a Singapore PR, CPF contributions should begin immediately. Read our CPF guide for expats if this applies to you.
First Month Checklist — Settling In Properly
Your first month is about moving from survival mode to genuinely living well in Singapore. These tasks build the foundations for a comfortable and financially smart expat life:
š Housing and Home Setup
- Sign permanent tenancy agreement — ensure Diplomatic Clause is included
- Pay and document security deposit carefully with photos
- Set up utilities (SP Group) at your new address
- Arrange home broadband — compare plans at our broadband guide
- Set up GIRO payments for rent and utilities
- Purchase or arrange renters insurance for your belongings
- Explore your neighbourhood — find your nearest wet market, grocery store and hawker centre
š° Financial Setup
- Credit salary to Singapore bank account — triggers Multiplier interest
- Apply for a Singapore credit card — read our credit card guide
- Set up PayNow on your banking app for instant transfers
- Register for income tax at IRAS myTax Portal if required — read our income tax guide
- Review your health insurance coverage — gaps and start dates
- Consider setting up a Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS) account for tax savings
- Set up remittance arrangement for sending money home — read our money transfer guide
šØš©š§ Family and Children
- Collect Dependent Pass cards for family members
- Register children at chosen international school
- Register each family member for SingPass individually
- Find a paediatrician for children
- Register spouse with a GP clinic
- Enroll children in school bus service
- Connect with parent communities at the school
š Health and Lifestyle
- Register with ActiveSG for access to public sports facilities
- Find a gym or join a running group
- Identify your nearest swimming pool
- Join an expat community group or sports club
- Explore Singapore's food scene — one new hawker centre per week
- Plan your first weekend trip — Bintan, JB or Batam are natural first choices
š Transport and Getting Around
- Convert your foreign driving license if eligible — read our driving license guide
- Download and activate Grab — essential for late nights and heavy shopping trips
- Master the MRT routes to your key destinations — workplace, school, supermarket
- Explore your neighbourhood on foot or by bicycle
š¼ Work and Professional
- Complete all HR onboarding requirements including payroll setup
- Connect with colleagues through team lunches and social events
- Read our Singapore work culture guide for essential workplace etiquette
- Register for professional associations in your industry
- Understand your EP renewal timeline — note your EP expiry date immediately
First Three Months — Building Your Singapore Life
By the end of month three, most well-organised expats feel genuinely settled in Singapore. These tasks complete your transition from new arrival to comfortable Singapore resident:
-
Review your financial setup comprehensively
Are you earning bonus interest on your bank account through salary crediting and card spending? Have you applied for the right credit card for your spending patterns? Have you set up your remittance solution for sending money home? Read our comprehensive guides on DBS banking and credit cards in Singapore to ensure your setup is optimal. -
Submit your Singapore income tax return if required
If you arrived in Singapore in the previous calendar year, you may need to file a tax return between March and April. Register on myTax Portal using SingPass and file online. Read our complete Singapore income tax guide for expats for full details on filing, reliefs and the SRS strategy. -
Explore Singapore's recreation options
By now you should be active and exploring Singapore's outstanding recreational landscape — MacRitchie trails, East Coast Park cycling, beach club weekends at Sentosa and weekend trips to Bintan or Johor Bahru. Read our sports and recreation guide for comprehensive options. -
Consider whether car ownership makes sense
After three months you understand your transport patterns well enough to make an informed decision about car ownership. Read our Singapore car buying guide for the complete cost picture before making this significant financial decision. -
Plan your Singapore PR application timeline if relevant
If you intend to apply for Singapore Permanent Residence in future, start understanding the eligibility criteria and building your profile now — even if you are too early to apply. Read our comprehensive Singapore PR application guide. -
Explore Singapore thoroughly as a tourist
Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands SkyPark, Sentosa, Little India, Chinatown, the Southern Ridges, Pulau Ubin — Singapore has more to see than most expats explore in their first year. Treat your first three months as an intentional exploration of your new home city.
Singapore Quick Reference — Essential Numbers and Contacts
| Service | Number / Contact |
|---|---|
| Emergency (Ambulance / Fire) | 995 |
| Police Emergency | 999 |
| Non-Emergency Police | 1800 255 0000 |
| SOS Crisis Helpline (24 hours) | 1767 |
| Ministry of Manpower (MOM) | 6438 5122 |
| ICA (Immigration) | 6391 6100 |
| SingPass Helpline | 6335 3533 |
| SP Group (Utilities) | 6823 9000 |
| Singapore Civil Defence | 1800 286 5555 |
| NEA (Environment / Dengue) | 1800 225 5632 |
Common Mistakes New Expats Make in Singapore
Frequently Asked Questions
Get a Singapore SIM card at Changi Airport before leaving the arrival hall. Every registration process that follows — SingPass, bank account opening, utility setup — requires a Singapore mobile number for OTP verification. Singtel, StarHub and M1 all have counters in the arrival halls. A prepaid tourist SIM with data costs SGD 15 to SGD 30 and takes five minutes to activate. Do not leave the airport without it.
For essential logistics — SIM card, bank account, housing, school enrollment — allow 4 to 6 weeks from arrival if you work through the checklist systematically. For feeling genuinely comfortable and at home in Singapore — knowing your neighbourhood, having a social network, understanding the culture — allow 3 to 6 months. Most well-organised expats feel fully settled by month six. The expats who struggle longest are those who do not proactively build the logistical and social infrastructure in their first weeks.
Not usually. Most Singapore banks require your physical EP card — not just the IPA letter — before opening an account. Your EP card is typically issued within a few days of completing your MOM formalities after arriving. Once you have your physical EP card and have registered for SingPass, you can open a DBS, OCBC or UOB account online in approximately 15 minutes via the banking app using MyInfo autofill. In-branch applications are also available and can be completed the same day with the right documents.
Registration with IRAS for income tax happens automatically through the MOM work pass system — you do not need to separately notify IRAS of your arrival. However you will need to file a tax return if you earned income in Singapore during a tax year (January to December). Filing opens in March and the deadline is mid-April each year. Register on the IRAS myTax Portal using SingPass before the filing season to ensure you have access. Read our complete Singapore income tax guide for full details.
Bring enough for your first week of expenses while your bank account is being set up. SGD 500 to SGD 1,000 is adequate for most expats covering initial taxis, hawker meals, grocery runs and minor purchases. Singapore is increasingly cashless — Grab, PayNow and card payments cover most situations — but wet markets, some hawker stalls and traditional shops still prefer cash. Use your home country debit card at Singapore ATMs for reasonable exchange rates rather than exchanging cash at money changers.
If your EP is still being processed, you can enter Singapore on a short-term visit pass but cannot begin work until the EP is issued. Contact MOM through your employer for status updates — most applications are processed within 3 weeks and complex cases within 8 weeks. If delay is causing significant issues, your employer can engage a professional employment agency to liaise with MOM. Do not begin work without a valid EP or you risk serious immigration penalties. Read our Singapore Employment Pass guide for the full process details.
Singapore is genuinely one of the easiest cities in the world to settle into as an expat. English is the business language, the infrastructure is outstanding, the government services are efficient and digital, crime is virtually non-existent and there is a large, welcoming expat community across every industry and nationality. The main adjustments are to the heat and humidity, the cost of living (particularly housing) and certain cultural workplace nuances. Expats who arrive prepared — with the logistics planned, finances organised and a social strategy — typically settle in faster and more comfortably than almost any other major expat destination in the world.
Official Resources
- š️ Ministry of Manpower Singapore: mom.gov.sg
- š SingPass: singpass.gov.sg
- š Housing Development Board: hdb.gov.sg
- š TransitLink (EZ-Link): transitlink.com.sg
- ⚡ SP Group (Utilities): spgroup.com.sg
- š„ Ministry of Health Singapore: moh.gov.sg
Final Thoughts
Singapore rewards preparation. The expats who have the smoothest first months are not the luckiest — they are the most organised. Working through this checklist systematically, in the right sequence, with the right documents prepared means each task takes minutes rather than hours of frustrating back-and-forth.
The single most important piece of advice I can give any expat arriving in Singapore is this: get your SIM card, complete your EP formalities, register for SingPass and open your bank account in your first week. Everything else builds from these four foundations. Once they are in place, the rest of Singapore settlement — housing, transport, healthcare, social life, recreation — falls into place naturally and enjoyably.
Singapore is a genuinely wonderful place to live. Well organised, safe, stimulating and full of opportunity. The preparation you invest in your first weeks pays dividends every single day of your posting. Start well.
Moving to Singapore Soon?
Bookmark this checklist and work through it section by section. Drop a comment below if you have questions about any specific task — the ExpatWiki community has navigated every one of these steps and is happy to share real-world experience. Browse our complete library of Singapore expat guides at ExpatWiki — everything you need in one place.
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