Singapore
Cards, ATMs and cash in Singapore: what to expect
Cards work almost everywhere in Singapore, so treat cash as a small backup: carry S$50–100 for hawker stalls, some taxis and older shops. Use a bank ATM, decline the machine's own conversion, and tap the same contactless card on the MRT. If your card charges foreign fees, a multi-currency card changes the maths.
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GuideSingapore
Key facts
- Card acceptance
- Very high: malls, restaurants, hotels, taxis, MRT and buses take contactless cards
- Cash still needed
- Some hawker stalls, small kopitiams, older shops, some taxi surcharges
- Cash to carry
- S$50–100 as a float; top up from an ATM when it runs low
- ATM fees
- Local banks generally do not charge foreign cards; your own bank's fee applies
- ATM withdrawal limitscheck
- Often S$1,000–3,000 per day per card
- Currency choice at the terminal
- Choose SGD, not your home currency; the machine's rate is worse
- Transit payment
- Tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard on MRT and buses; S$2–3 per trip
- Tipping
- Not expected; 10% service charge and 9% GST usually already on the bill
Details
Singapore runs on cards. Contactless Visa and Mastercard are accepted at nearly every mall, restaurant, hotel, convenience store and taxi, and the same card taps you onto the MRT and buses at about S$2–3 a ride. Apple Pay and Google Pay work wherever contactless works. If you carry only one card, make it a contactless Visa or Mastercard; Amex is accepted in many places but not all hawker-adjacent shops.
Cash is not obsolete. Hawker centres, small kopitiams, some family shops and a few taxi cash surcharges still run on notes and coins. Carry S$50–100 as a float and refill at an ATM rather than changing a large sum at the airport. Notes come in S$2, S$5, S$10, S$50 and S$100; S$1,000 notes exist but shops may refuse them.
ATMs are everywhere: at Changi, in MRT stations, malls and outside bank branches. Local banks such as DBS/POSB, OCBC and UOB dominate, and foreign cards usually work. The fee you pay is normally your own bank's, not the local one, but check your card's terms before you fly. Withdraw in larger amounts less often to cut per-withdrawal fees.
At any card terminal or ATM that offers to charge you in your home currency, decline. That is dynamic currency conversion, and its rate is worse than your bank's. Always pay and withdraw in Singapore dollars (SGD).
For transit, tapping a contactless bank card is the simplest option and avoids a separate ticket. If your card is not contactless or charges foreign transaction fees on every tap, buy a stored-value card instead. Either way, tap in and tap out on buses.
| Situation | Pay with | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mall, restaurant, hotel | Contactless card | Visa and Mastercard near-universal |
| MRT and buses | Contactless card or stored-value card | S$2–3 per trip; tap in and out |
| Hawker centre, kopitiam | Cash | Some stalls now take QR or card |
| Taxi | Card or cash | Some surcharges are cash-only |
| ATM withdrawal | Debit card | Local banks usually no fee; your bank may charge |
| Terminal asks your currency | Choose SGD | Declining the conversion saves money |
Fees and limits are 2026 estimates; confirm with your own bank before travel.
Tips
Tell your bank you are travelling if it still requires it, and keep a second card in a different bag from the first.
Withdraw from an ATM attached to a bank branch during opening hours; if a machine eats your card, staff can help.
Skip the airport money changer for large amounts; rates in the city are usually better and ATMs are simpler.
Keep small notes and coins for hawker food, and expect change in coins rather than notes.
If you use a multi-currency card, check whether it charges on weekends or for ATM use; the headline rate is not the whole cost.
- Carry S$50–100 in cash as a backup.
- Always choose SGD at the terminal.
- Use one contactless card for both shopping and transit.
- Keep a second card separate from your main one.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Are credit cards widely accepted in Singapore?
Yes. Contactless Visa and Mastercard work at nearly all malls, restaurants, hotels, taxis and on the MRT and buses. Amex is common but not universal. Cash is only needed at some hawker stalls, small kopitiams and older shops.
Which ATMs have the lowest fees in Singapore?
Local bank ATMs such as DBS/POSB, OCBC and UOB generally do not add their own fee for foreign cards, so the cost is your home bank's fee plus any currency margin. Withdraw larger amounts less often to reduce per-withdrawal charges.
Should I pay in local currency or my own?
Always choose Singapore dollars (SGD). If a terminal or ATM offers to charge you in your home currency, that is dynamic currency conversion and the rate is worse than your bank's. Declining it usually saves a few percent.
Can I use my card on the MRT and buses?
Yes, if it is a contactless Visa or Mastercard. Tap in and tap out; fares are about S$2–3 per trip. If your card charges foreign transaction fees on every tap, a stored-value transit card may work out cheaper.
How much cash should I carry in Singapore?
S$50–100 is enough as a float for hawker meals, small shops and odd surcharges. Top up from an ATM when it runs low rather than carrying a large sum.
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialVisit Singapore (Singapore Tourism Board)
- officialMonetary Authority of Singapore
- officialDBS Bank – ATM and card services
- secondaryWikivoyage – Singapore