Singapore is a special case: small, well connected, with public wifi that actually works. That means you need less data here than almost anywhere else.
Public wifi in Singapore is usable
Unlike many places, free public wifi here is fast and stable:
- Wireless@SG covers most malls, libraries and major MRT stations.
- Nearly every café and restaurant has wifi.
- Changi Airport has fast free wifi with no time limit.
So if you are mainly shopping, eating and sightseeing downtown, you will use less data than you expect.
So how much should you buy
- Two or three days, mostly in the city: 1 GB per day is enough. Some people use half of it.
- Four to seven days, including Sentosa and Gardens by the Bay: 2 GB per day.
- Using Grab often and video-calling home: 2–3 GB per day.
Plans of 5 or 10 GB per day are almost always overbuying in Singapore, unless you are working remotely.
Transiting through Changi
If you are only transiting for a few hours, think about whether you need an eSIM at all. Changi's wifi is free and good. A one-day plan is worth it if:
- You are leaving the airport to look around during the layover.
- You need constant connectivity for work and do not want to depend on wifi.
- You need to receive app-based authentication codes (not SMS).
Grab and getting around
Grab is how most visitors move around. The app needs a connection throughout — when you book, when the driver calls, while you track the trip. That is the main reason to have your own data rather than relying on wifi: wifi does not follow you onto the street.