If you’re traveling to Singapore, don’t forget about connecting to the internet while you’re there. If you try to use the international roaming service of your local operator, you may end up paying too much money. To avoid these costs, it’s crucial that you buy an international SIM Card or local SIM card in Singapore, which gives you cheap internet for one upfront cost.
In this article, we will discuss what you need to buy a SIM card for Singapore and the tourist options. You will also find out about the virtual SIM card for Singapore, with which you will have mobile internet in the country in a faster and more efficient way.
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Where to buy a SIM card for Singapore?
You can buy it both in your country of origin and destination, but each has key points to consider. The quality of service, after-sales support, or ease of use, among others. However, for many tourists, the best option is online stores because of the reasonable prices and ease of purchase.
Buying online allows you to settle your internet abroad from the comfort of your home. However, you could also choose to buy locally once you arrive in Singapore. Once there, local phone companies offer some tourist SIM card options that visitors can purchase. You will learn the advantages of each alternative to choose the one that suits you best.
Easy to buy
There is no doubt that many of us like to travel to an unfamiliar country without many worries. For this reason, many tourists are looking for the most affordable way to keep mobile internet in Singapore for the duration of their stay. As we mentioned, there are several alternatives to buying a prepaid SIM card, but which is the easiest? One of the most time and money-saving ways are online stores like Holafly, with options for all types of travelers and multilingual websites available.
Also, if remote shopping is not your thing, you can wait until you get to the country and buy a SIM card from one of the local operators, such as Singtel, M1, and StarHub. These companies have physical stores even in international airports. Changi Airport is an example of this, having physical stores in four of its terminals.
Buy before you travel.
This will be the recommendation that you will find in most of the reviews. Buying your tourist SIM card for Singapore before your trip is much more convenient. Online stores allow you to sell these SIM cards remotely as they have international shipping to many countries. These providers have websites in several languages, so as a tourist, it is easier to understand and buy a data plan for your trip.
You will have your SIM card for Singapore before you arrive, so from the first moment, you can connect to the internet. One of the things you should consider before choosing a store is to check what speed and coverage they will offer you in the destination country. Confirming how the chip will be shipped to your location is also good. With this in mind, you are ready to purchase your prepaid SIM card remotely.
Buy upon arrival
A less recommended option for tourists in Singapore is to buy your local SIM card through an operator in the country. In the territory, there are three major companies which we will talk about later, that offer prepaid SIM cards for visitors. With any of them, once you buy the SIM card, you will have to go through a registration process which can take some time.
There are branches of the operators in most parts of the country, and it is also possible to find these prepaid SIM cards in convenience stores such as 7-Eleven. You must find the nearest place to buy one, choose the plan that suits you, confirm that you can use any payment method, and finally register your SIM card.
Singtel, M1, and StarHub Mobile stores in Singapore
In Singapore, the whole communication system is the responsibility of three big companies called Singtel, M1, and StarHub. These options have the best coverage and speed available in the whole territory and many city physical stores.
You can easily buy a prepaid SIM card at any of these locations. They are also affiliated with the 7-Eleven franchise, so that you can find them there. As mentioned above, there are carrier options at the international airports in the country. Remember that you may have to pay in local currency and have identity documents for the process; take precautions accordingly.
How much does a SIM card cost to travel to Singapore?
Among the three carrier options, there are plans for tourists quite similar in cost and benefits. You can consider a price range from $12 for data packages of approximately 50GB to use in four weeks. Up to $30 for data packages of 150GB for a month’s worth of surfing. It is common to find that these packages also include calls to local numbers and, in some cases, SMS locally.
If your trip lasts less than a month, you might think paying for a plan with that duration is impractical. Also, the registration process can be tedious for short visits. The Holafly eSIM for Singapore that you will learn about below has various plans for all durations.
eSIM card for Singapore, the new alternative
These are the revolution in telecommunications. Holafly’s embedded SIM card or eSIM, has arrived to make things easier. They are entirely virtual, and in order to install one, we only need to scan a QR code that we will receive after purchasing the eSIM. You can buy and install your eSIM for Singapore in minutes, no matter where you are.
This is a summary of how eSIMs work. As you use them, you will get used to them even more. However, before you buy one, there are a few essential things you need to know.
- The eSIMs are a revolution, and at the moment, not all phones on the market are compatible with them. Before buying one, you should confirm if your mobile phone is one of the compatible devices.
- As we said before, they are digital SIM cards, and it is possible to receive them via email. You must have a valid address and access to scan the QR you will receive there.
- When you purchase and install the eSIM with the QR code, you will need an internet connection. This is why it is recommended to do the whole process before you arrive in Singapore or do it once you are there using a secure wifi network.
Holafly online store
This is one of the best online stores you can find to get your eSIM for Singapore and 150 other destinations worldwide. Holafly also offers regional solutions, such as Europe, Latin America, and North America, with coverage in several countries. There is an eSIM and data package for every type of traveler.
They also have websites and 24/7 customer support in more than five languages, thus facilitating the purchasing process for tourists worldwide. You won’t waste time communicating and trying to order what you need as you would in a physical store in Singapore.
Another advantage Holafly has over other providers is that their virtual SIM card for Singapore allows you to buy a top-up to extend your service. This means you will not have to install a new eSIM whenever you buy a plan. The top-up will be immediately available on the digital SIM card configured in your phone.
Last but not least, Holafly’s eSIM for Singapore comes with various plans with different durations. All options will give you unlimited data if the service is active. In the technical specifications, you can also confirm that you will be connected to the Singtel network, one of the best in the country.
Disadvantages of Holafly’s eSIM card
It is important to note that also Holafly eSIMs have some downsides. The main one is that you will not be able to make analog calls with an eSIM for Singapore because it does not have a local number included. What you can do is make calls through applications like Whatsapp or Skype because, with unlimited data plans, you don’t have to worry about the consumption of the service.
How can I shop at Holafly?
The purchase is not very different from any other purchase made in an online store. You must go to Holafly’s official website, select the country of destination, and you will find all the available plans. Choose a plan and proceed to make the payment by any of the available means. After that, you will receive your eSIM for Singapore in your email as a QR code ready to be installed. In just minutes, you will be connected to excellent internet abroad.
How much does the eSIM for Singapore cost?
In terms of pricing, Holafly’s eSIM for Singapore has lower costs than alternatives such as international roaming or renting pocket wifi. You will see a table with a breakdown of all available plans.
| Days of use | Amount of cellular data | Price (USD) |
| 5 days | Unlimited data | $19 |
| 10 days | Unlimited data | $34 |
| 15 days | Unlimited data | $47 |
| 20 days | Unlimited data | $54 |
| 30 days | Unlimited data | $64 |
| 60 days | Unlimited data | $84 |
| 90 days | Unlimited data | $99 |
Frequently asked questions about the SIM card for Singapore
By far, the cheapest and most convenient way to connect to the internet in Singapore is with an international virtual SIM card with enough data for your trip. This is much cheaper than data roaming and easier than carrying around an extra device like Pocket WiFi.
The cost of roaming depends on the provider. However, it is common for roaming to cost up to $15 per MB. That means you could come home to a surprise phone bill of several hundred of dollars.
In addition to a fast and reliable internet connection, we recommend a digital SIM card that includes technical support, fast delivery, and unlimited data. Holafly provides all of these services!
You can buy a data-only virtual SIM card before you leave for your trip on websites like Holafly. You could also buy the SIM card once you arrive in Singapore, but this may take longer, be more expensive, or prove difficult to find the right product.
