← Part of the Singapore money guide
Singaporechecked Jul 2026Do I need cash in Singapore, or can I use cards?
Short answer: a card for almost everything, a little cash for hawker stalls. Singapore is very card-friendly, and even many hawker centres now take cashless. Here is how to handle it.
At a glance
Currency
Singapore dollar (SGD)
Cards
Very card-friendly, contactless everywhere
Cash for
Hawker stalls and small vendors
On a card
Choose SGD, not US dollars
Cards, almost entirely. Singapore is very card-friendly: contactless is everywhere, and Apple Pay and Google Pay are widely taken. The currency is the Singapore dollar (SGD). Keep a little cash for hawker centres, small stalls and the odd small vendor, though even many hawker stalls now take cashless payment. Choose Singapore dollars, not US dollars on any card or ATM.
Very card-friendly, a little cash for hawkers
Singapore is very card-friendly. Contactless cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay are accepted almost everywhere, and Visa and Mastercard work across shops, malls and restaurants. Locals also use PayNow and PayLah, which you do not need as a visitor.
Keep a little cash in Singapore dollars for hawker centres, food courts, small stalls and the occasional small vendor. That said, even many hawker stalls now take cashless payment, so you need less cash than you might expect.
Choose Singapore dollars, not US dollars
When a card terminal or ATM asks whether to charge in US or Singapore dollars, always choose Singapore dollars. US dollars trigger dynamic currency conversion at a rate about 3 to 8% worse than your own bank's. Decline it every time.
For cash, use an ATM attached to a real bank, such as DBS, OCBC or UOB, which are widely available. Use a debit card to avoid cash-advance fees.
How much cash, and paying
A card covers almost everything in Singapore, so carry only a small amount of Singapore dollars for hawker centres, food courts and small vendors. Tipping is not customary here, since a service charge is usually built in, so you do not need cash for that.
For the wider picture, see the Singapore money guide.
Common questions
Quick answers.
Do I need cash in Singapore?
A little. Singapore is very card-friendly and contactless is everywhere, so a card covers almost everything. Keep a small amount of Singapore dollars for hawker centres and small stalls, though many hawkers now take cashless too.
Should I pay in Singapore dollars or US dollars in Singapore?
Always Singapore dollars. If a card machine or ATM offers US dollars, decline: that dynamic currency conversion adds roughly 3 to 8%, and your own bank's rate is better.
Do hawker centres in Singapore take cards?
Increasingly, yes. Many hawker stalls now accept cashless payment, including contactless and local apps, but some are still cash-only, so carry a little cash in Singapore dollars just in case.
Do you tip in Singapore?
Not customarily. A service charge is usually built into restaurant bills, so tipping is not expected, and you do not need to set aside cash for it.
More on Singapore
The little money things nobody warns you about.
- Tipping in SingaporeSingapore is not a tipping country. Most restaurants add a 10% service charge, shown as the ++, so a tip is already built in. At hawker centres and for taxis, no tip is expected. Here is what you actually owe.
- Bringing your dog or cat to Singapore.Singapore is unusual among rabies-free destinations. Unlike Australia, New Zealand, or Japan, the US now sits in Singapore's middle tier, which means no quarantine by default. The process is more about paperwork choreography than a long wait: licences filed on time, a rabies titer with strict timing, and, since April 2026, an approved pet agent to clear your pet on arrival. Two specific situations still trigger a 10-day home quarantine, so the whole game is avoiding those. Here is the route.
Sources, and how this was checked
Last checkedJul 2026
- Monetary Authority of Singaporeofficial exchange rate information
- US State DepartmentSingapore country information
Our own readSingapore is strongly card-friendly, and the move of hawker stalls toward cashless is well under way, so this is our practical read. The Singapore dollar rate moves, and the firm rule is to decline US-dollar conversion. Checked July 2026.