You’ve arrived in Singapore. Now what?
The first few weeks can feel overwhelming. You have a new job, a new city, perhaps children to settle in, a house to find, a bank account to open and a hundred small things you’ve never had to think about before.
The good news is that Singapore is remarkably easy to settle into once you know what needs to be done. The trick is not to try to do everything in your first three days. Think of your first month in four stages: get connected, find your home, set up your family and start living.
Week 1: Get connected
1. Get a Singapore mobile number.
One of the first things you should do is get a local mobile number. You will need it for almost everything—from banking and deliveries to WhatsApp groups, school communication and appointments.
Singapore’s major telecom providers include Singtel, StarHub, M1 and SIMBA. You can choose between prepaid and postpaid plans depending on how long you expect to stay and your usage. If you are arriving with a family, do not necessarily put everyone on separate expensive plans immediately. Start with what you need and review your usage after a month.
Keep your home-country mobile number active initially. You may still need it for bank OTPs and other services back home.
2. Open your Singapore bank account.
Once you have the relevant pass and documentation, opening a local bank account should be one of your early priorities. The major banks you will encounter include DBS/POSB, OCBC and UOB.
Some banks allow foreigners to begin the process digitally, while requirements vary by bank and account. You will typically need your passport, Employment Pass, S Pass or applicable pass, FIN, Singapore address, employment information, tax-residency information and local mobile number. Once your account is active, arrange for your salary to be credited there.
Once you have the appropriate banking setup, get familiar with PayNow. It is widely used in Singapore for person-to-person transfers and payments. You will quickly discover that Singapore is a very cashless society.
3. Get your Singpass.
Singpass is your digital identity for interacting with many Singapore government and private-sector services. Once you are eligible and your details are available, set it up. You may use it for government services, tax matters, employment-related services, healthcare, banking and digital verification. It may not seem important on Day 1, but it will become very important later.
Week 2: Find your home
4. Start looking for your permanent home.
If your company has provided temporary accommodation, use the first week or two to explore neighbourhoods before signing a long-term lease. Do not choose a home only because the apartment looks good. Think about work, school, transport, community and lifestyle.
For expat families, also consider shops and restaurants serving familiar food, places of worship, cultural groups, children’s playgrounds, schools, parks, supermarkets and MRT access. Singapore’s expat communities live across the island, so do not assume you need to choose one particular area to find a sense of community.
5. Visit the property yourself.
Never rent a home simply because you have seen photographs online. Visit it. Check the condition of the apartment, surroundings, transport links and facilities. If you have children, take them to the playground and see whether other children are playing. Visit the supermarket and test the commute.
If being able to cook familiar food is important to you, ask the landlord about cooking restrictions before signing the agreement. The home you choose will have a much bigger impact on your family’s Singapore experience than you may initially realise.
Week 2–3: Set up your family
6. Get your children into school.
If you researched schools before arriving, the first month is about turning that research into an admission. Depending on the school, you may need passports, dependant-pass or immigration documents, previous school reports, birth certificates, immunisation or medical records, an assessment or interview, application forms and a fee or deposit. International-school availability can vary significantly by grade, so contact admissions teams as early as possible.
Expat families commonly explore local schools and international schools offering curricula such as IB, British, American, Australian, French, German, Japanese and Indian programmes. Availability depends on your child’s age, admissions criteria and the school calendar.
When comparing schools, look beyond fees. Consider the curriculum, distance from home, school buses, class size, sports, arts, university preparation, language options, cultural activities and transition support for children arriving from abroad.
Families considering a broader international curriculum may explore United World College of South East Asia, Tanglin Trust School, Dulwich College Singapore, Singapore American School and Stamford American International School. Other schools worth researching include Canadian International School, Australian International School, German European School and Overseas Family School.
Do not treat these names as a ranking. The best school depends heavily on your child’s age, curriculum, budget, location and how long you expect to remain in Singapore.
7. Decide whether you need a helper.
For families with young children, domestic help can significantly change day-to-day life. But do not assume you need a full-time helper immediately. First understand your routine: whether both parents work, who handles school pickup, cooking and cleaning, what happens when children are sick, whether grandparents are available and how much commuting is involved.
You can initially use part-time cleaning services and decide later whether a live-in helper makes sense. If you hire a Migrant Domestic Worker, understand Singapore’s rules on eligibility, approved source countries, Work Permits, insurance, security bonds, medical examinations and employment conditions.
The employer is responsible for the applicable monthly levy. MOM currently lists a normal levy of S$300 per month for a first helper and a S$60 concessionary rate for eligible households. Employers must also provide required medical and personal accident insurance and meet other requirements. Check current MOM guidance before making a decision.
Do not hire a helper simply because everyone around you has one. Think about what your family actually needs. If you use an agency, research it carefully and understand exactly what you are paying for.
Week 3–4: Start building your Singapore life
8. Understand your healthcare options.
Find a clinic close to your home. You do not want to start searching for a doctor when your child has a fever at 10 p.m. Ask your employer which clinics are covered, whether there is a panel, what happens in an emergency, how claims work and whether your dependants are covered. Save the nearest clinic and hospital in your phone.
9. Do a daily-life test.
By the end of your first month, you should know where to buy familiar groceries and household essentials, where the nearest pharmacy and clinic are, how to get to work, how your children reach school, where to find a playground, whom to call if something breaks at home, and where to go when you need help. Once you can answer these questions, Singapore will start feeling much less like a foreign country.
10. Start building your community.
This is perhaps the most overlooked part of settling into Singapore. You do not just need a house and a job. You need people.
Join school parent groups, cultural and community groups, apartment or condominium groups, sports groups, professional networks, religious communities, messaging groups and expat communities. Go out for dinner. Invite colleagues home. Meet other families. Let your children make friends. The first month is not just about administration; it is about beginning to build a support system.
The first month isn’t about getting everything perfect.
Your first 30 days can feel like a long checklist, but do not put pressure on yourself to have everything figured out immediately. Your first month is about creating the basics: a home, a bank account, a phone number, a school, a way to get around, a doctor, a supermarket, a few friends and a routine.
Once those pieces are in place, something interesting happens. You stop asking, “How do I live in Singapore?” And you start simply living. That is when Singapore begins to feel like home.
Where to verify: This article is general editorial information, not legal, immigration, medical or financial advice. Requirements can change. Check the relevant Singapore government agency or a qualified professional for advice about your situation.
