The streets, the food, the clan houses, the hawker stalls and what the tourist version misses entirely. From a local with 40 years of Singapore experience.
Relocating to Singapore is, by most accounts, one of the more manageable international moves available to professionals. The city is English-speaking, the infrastructure is world-class, the safety record is exceptional, and the systems — government agencies, banks, healthcare, schools — work. What makes the first month challenging is not that things don't function, but that they function differently from what you're accustomed to, and navigating those differences efficiently while managing work, family, and the stress of being in a new place requires preparation and local knowledge.
This guide is structured around the actual sequence of the move: what to do before you leave, what to prioritise in the first week, and how to approach the first month. It is written for the professional or family making a corporate or self-funded move to Singapore for an extended stay.
Employment authorisation: Confirm your Employment Pass application has been submitted by your employer and track the processing status through MOM's online portal. Do not give notice at your current employer until EP approval is confirmed — EP approval is not guaranteed, and approvals with requests for additional information can add weeks to the timeline.
School research (if applicable): International school waitlists in Singapore can run 6–12 months for popular year groups. Begin the school research and application process as soon as your move is confirmed — not after you arrive. The school landscape is complex (70+ international schools, multiple curriculum frameworks, dramatically different fee structures) and the right choice depends on your child's academic profile, your address in Singapore, and your family's likely tenure length. A focused advisory session on Singapore schools is the most efficient way to understand the options before approaching admissions offices.
Housing research: Start understanding the Singapore rental market before you leave. Know which districts align with your commute requirements, school locations, and lifestyle preferences. Rental prices vary significantly by district and building age — the difference between a well-located SGD 3,200 apartment and a poorly-located SGD 4,000 one is real.
Health preparations: Ensure all vaccinations are up to date. Singapore does not require specific vaccinations for entry, but hepatitis A and B, typhoid, and standard travel vaccinations are sensible for extended stays. Retrieve any prescription medication records and bring a minimum 90-day supply — obtaining prescriptions in Singapore requires establishing with a local doctor first, which takes time.
Financial preparation: Understand your Singapore tax obligations and how they interact with your home country tax position. Notify your home country bank that you're relocating to avoid card blocks. Bring sufficient foreign currency for the first two to three weeks — you'll need cash before your Singapore bank account is operational.
Complete the SG Arrival Card before landing. This is mandatory for all visitors and residents entering Singapore. Complete it at eservices.ica.gov.sg/sgarrivalcard up to three days before arrival. Takes five minutes and speeds up immigration processing significantly.
Get an EZ-Link card at Changi. The EZ-Link card (SGD 10, includes SGD 5 stored value) is Singapore's transit payment card for the MRT and bus network. Get one from the Passenger Service Centre in the arrivals hall before leaving the airport. You will use it every day.
Buy a local SIM card. A Singapore mobile number is your primary identifier for PayNow (the mobile payment system), bank account setup, and most digital services. Singtel, StarHub, and M1 all have shops in the Changi arrival hall and at major malls. A prepaid SIM with 30 days data costs SGD 15–30.
Open a bank account in the first three days. DBS, OCBC, or UOB — all three have mobile app account opening that requires physical identity verification at a branch within a few days. Bring your passport and EP approval letter. Your Singapore bank account and PayNow setup is the foundation for paying rent, utilities, school fees, and most ongoing expenses.
Register with a GP clinic. Find a general practitioner clinic near your accommodation and register as a patient within the first week. A GP referral is required to access specialist care in the public hospital system. Having an established GP relationship before you need it matters.
Singapore residential leases are typically 12 or 24 months with a diplomatic clause that allows early termination after a minimum period (usually 12 months for a 24-month lease) with one to two months' notice. For a corporate-funded relocation, negotiate to have the diplomatic clause period match your assignment length.
Standard lease terms require: two months' security deposit, first month's advance rent, and stamp duty (paid by the tenant, calculated on the total lease value). Stamp duty on a SGD 3,500/month apartment over 24 months is approximately SGD 1,680 — factor this into your first-month cash requirements.
Utilities are not included in rent for most private apartments. Set up electricity and water with SP Group (sp.sg) within the first week of moving in — the process is online and requires your NRIC (if you're a PR) or passport details.
Explore your neighbourhood on foot. Singapore's residential neighbourhoods are walkable and well-served by provision shops, hawker centres, pharmacies, and wet markets. The neighbourhood you chose based on a map looks different once you know it on foot. The first month is when you discover which hawker centre becomes your regular, which park becomes your morning route, and which MRT exit works for your commute.
Eat at hawker centres. The economics are genuine — a complete hawker meal with a drink costs SGD 5–8. Families who cook at home in Singapore often find it is barely cheaper than eating at the hawker centre when they account for ingredient costs and the absence of a reliable oven in most Singapore apartments. The hawker centre is where the community comes together daily, and becoming a regular at a few stalls is one of the more significant steps in actually living in Singapore rather than just being in Singapore.
Get your Singpass active. Singpass is Singapore's national digital identity system — used for everything from tax filing and CPF management to healthcare records and government services. Activate it at any post office with your passport and EP as soon as possible.
Connect with the community before you need it. Singapore's expatriate community is large, well-networked, and genuinely helpful. Professional networks, neighbourhood groups, and school-parent communities are where most practical relocation questions get answered in real time. Join them early rather than in a moment of need.
The relocation support available from employers and corporate relocation companies is variable in quality and tends to be generic. It covers the administrative steps but rarely provides the specific local knowledge — which neighbourhood actually suits your family profile, which schools are worth the waitlist versus which have immediate openings, how the healthcare system works in practice rather than on paper — that makes the early months materially easier.
A local advisory session covers these specifics from the perspective of someone who has lived in Singapore for 40 years and has watched thousands of professionals make this transition. The questions that come up in these sessions — what SGD 4,000 rent actually buys in each district, how to approach international school admissions, how EP salary structure affects your dependent pass options — are the ones that don't have answers in official documentation. The Settling In Package (SGD 1,224) covers the full spectrum: relocation advisory, schools navigator, healthcare navigation, and neighbourhood matching in a structured series of sessions.
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