URL: https://esimgo.in/international-sim/singapore/
Buy: https://esimgo.in/esim-singapore/
Source: eSIM Go (esimgo.in)
Author: Nadezhda Semenova, entrepreneur, co-founder of the Trippy travel service, https://esimgo.in/author/
Updated: 12 Oct 2026

# Singapore SIM card for Indian travellers: roaming, local SIM or eSIM

You have three ways to get data in Singapore: a Jio, Airtel or Vi roaming pack, a Singapore SIM card, or a travel eSIM. Our Singapore eSIM is data-only and starts at ≈ ₹286 (12 Oct rate) for 1 GB over 7 days, charged US$2.99 by card.

## Singapore eSIM or tourist SIM: what you need

For a Singapore trip you need mobile data more than a local number: maps and ride apps run on data, and so do hotel bookings. Our Singapore eSIM gives you data only, with no calls and no SMS, so keep your Indian SIM in the phone for bank OTPs. Buy a Singapore SIM card only for a local number.

This eSIM for Singapore runs on the Singtel and M1 mobile networks and works in Singapore only. A Kuala Lumpur leg needs its own plan; the [Malaysia guide](/international-sim/malaysia/) covers it.

About 1.54 million Indian departures went to Singapore in 2025 (our derivation: 4.7% share in the Ministry of Tourism's Annual Tourism Snapshot 2025 × 32,829,079 departures). Singapore's tourism board counted a different thing: 1.2 million arrivals from India in 2025. The two methods differ, so we do not mix them.

## Your Jio, Airtel or Vi pack in Singapore vs this eSIM (checked 12 Oct 2026)

All three Indian operators sell roaming packs that cover Singapore. The five packs below cost ₹951 to ₹1,899 as listed on 12 Oct 2026, and each bundles calls on your Indian number. ≈ ₹ per GB is our derivation (price ÷ GB). The full comparison, twelve packs with minutes and SMS, is on [Singapore roaming vs eSIM](/roaming/singapore/).

We sell travel eSIMs, so we have an interest here. The table still shows when your operator pack is the better choice.

| Pack | Price | Data | Days | ≈ ₹ per GB | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jio IR Voice & Data (100 countries) | ₹951 | 4 GB | 10 | about ₹238 | [Jio IR plans](https://www.jio.com/selfcare/plans/mobility/prepaid-plans-list/?category=International%20Roaming&categoryId=SW50ZXJuYXRpb25hbCBSb2FtaW5n) |
| Jio IR World Pack (132 countries) | ₹1,499 | 2 GB | 14 | about ₹750 | [Jio IR plans](https://www.jio.com/selfcare/plans/mobility/prepaid-plans-list/?category=International%20Roaming&categoryId=SW50ZXJuYXRpb25hbCBSb2FtaW5n) |
| Airtel prepaid IR | ₹998 | 4 GB | 5 | about ₹250 | [Airtel T&C](https://assets.airtel.in/static-assets/online-recharge-ui/assets/pdf/tnc.pdf) |
| Airtel prepaid IR | ₹1,298 | 6 GB | 10 | about ₹216 | [Airtel T&C](https://assets.airtel.in/static-assets/online-recharge-ui/assets/pdf/tnc.pdf) |
| Vi South Asia | ₹1,899 | 1 GB/day (5 GB) | 5 | about ₹380 | [Vi prepaid T&C](https://www.myvi.in/content/dam/vodafoneideadigital/ir/Vi_VF_Prepaid_TnC.pdf) |

Source: operator documents linked in each row, checked on 12 Oct 2026; Airtel's T&C are dated 24 Sep 2026. Singapore is in the country lists of [both Jio packs](/roaming/jio/), Airtel's list and the Vi South Asia pack. BSNL's roaming site lists a special tariff for Singapore but publishes no data allowance, so we quote none.

For comparison, 5 GB for 30 days on our Singapore eSIM costs ≈ ₹670 (12 Oct rate), about ₹134 (US$1.40) per GB, charged US$6.99, to which your bank may add a [forex markup fee](/how-to-pay/forex-markup/). A pack wins when you need calls on your Indian number: Airtel's ₹998 pack includes 150 minutes. A pack can also suit a two-country trip: Vi's South Asia pack covers Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka as well as Singapore.

Data plan validity starts at different moments. Airtel prepaid validity starts when your phone latches on to a covered foreign network and makes chargeable usage, and a pack expires unreimbursed if you do not travel within 30 days of booking. Our Singapore plan counts its days from the first connection to a Singapore network, so installing it at home uses up no days. Full refund within 30 days of purchase, as long as the eSIM has not connected to any network.

## Changi tourist SIM vs an eSIM bought in India

A Singapore SIM card is a local prepaid line from a Singapore operator such as Singtel, StarHub or M1. It gives you a Singapore number, which our data-only eSIM does not. Singapore checks identity before a local line is issued, so a Singapore tourist SIM means a counter visit with your documents after you land. For the next country on your route, our [international SIM guides](/international-sim/) have one page each.

Our eSIM is on your phone before the flight, so there is no Changi airport tourist SIM counter to find. This page quotes no Singapore SIM card price in Singapore dollars because we have not verified current ones. A physical SIM also needs a slot: on a phone with one slot, you would remove your Indian SIM and lose OTPs on that number.

A local SIM makes sense when you need a Singapore number for calls. If you only need a lot of data, [our 7-day unlimited data plan](/esim-singapore/) costs ≈ ₹1,532 (12 Oct rate), charged US$15.99, and its speed drops to 1 Mbps after 3 GB in a day.

## Install in India, go online when you land at Changi

Install the eSIM in India; it connects when you land abroad. Do the QR code install on home Wi-Fi before you leave for the airport, because the install needs internet. The plan's days start at its first connection to a Singapore network, so installing at home uses none of a 7-day plan's days.

When the plane lands at Changi, turn on data roaming for the eSIM line only and keep mobile data off on your Indian SIM. The eSIM works in Singapore only, so a trip that continues into Malaysia needs a separate plan for that leg. The [install guide](/how-to-install-esim/) has the iPhone and Android steps, and the [phone list](/esim-compatible-phones/) shows which models support eSIM.

## Bank OTPs on your Indian SIM during a Singapore trip

Bank OTPs reach your Indian number by SMS, and our Singapore eSIM has no number, so it cannot receive them. Keep the Indian SIM in the phone as the line for calls and SMS, with its mobile data off. The eSIM, on Singtel or M1, then carries maps, ride apps and WhatsApp in Singapore.

For incoming SMS alone, Airtel and Vi prepaid each list a ₹118 option that keeps incoming SMS free for 28 days, as listed on 12 Oct 2026. On Jio, check the MyJio app before you fly. No page can promise that every OTP will reach you. The [guide to keeping your Indian SIM for OTPs](/help/keep-indian-sim-for-otp/) has the dual-SIM settings and each operator's rule.

Your card is charged in US dollars. Your bank converts the amount at its own rate and may add a foreign-transaction (forex markup) fee. [How card payments work](/how-to-pay/).

## Sources

Checked on 12 Oct 2026 (IST).

1. [Jio IR plans](https://www.jio.com/selfcare/plans/mobility/prepaid-plans-list/?category=International%20Roaming&categoryId=SW50ZXJuYXRpb25hbCBSb2FtaW5n), with country lists for the [100-country](https://myjiostatic.cdn.jio.com/jio/plan/ir-new-packs.pdf) and [132-country](https://myjiostatic.cdn.jio.com/jio/plan/continents-pack-details.pdf) packs
2. [Airtel prepaid IR terms, dated 24 Sep 2026](https://assets.airtel.in/static-assets/online-recharge-ui/assets/pdf/tnc.pdf)
3. [Vi prepaid IR terms](https://www.myvi.in/content/dam/vodafoneideadigital/ir/Vi_VF_Prepaid_TnC.pdf)
4. [BSNL international roaming, Singapore page](https://ir.bsnl.co.in/pre-paid/Singapore)
5. Ministry of Tourism, India: Annual Tourism Snapshot 2025 (the PDF on tourism.gov.in was offline on 12 Oct 2026; Singapore share 4.7%, total departures 32,829,079)
6. [Singapore Tourism Board: 2025 tourism figures](https://www.stb.gov.sg/about-stb/media-publications/media-centre/record-singapore-tourism-receipts-from-january-to-september-2025/)

## FAQ

### Do I need to buy a SIM card in Singapore?

No, not for data. A data-only eSIM installed in India connects when you land, so a Singapore SIM card is optional. Buy one only if you need a local phone number, and keep your Indian SIM in the phone for OTPs.

### What does Singapore data cost in rupees on an eSIM vs a roaming pack?

Plans start at ≈ ₹286 (12 Oct rate) for 1 GB over 7 days, and 5 GB for 30 days costs ≈ ₹670 (12 Oct rate). Airtel's ₹998 prepaid pack gives 4 GB over 5 days (T&C of 24 Sep 2026). The rupee figure is an estimate at the day's rate. Your card is charged in US dollars and your bank may add a foreign-transaction fee.

### Will my Indian SIM work in Singapore?

A Jio, Airtel or Vi SIM works once international roaming is on, but data needs a roaming pack, and Airtel bars prepaid data abroad without one. All three sell packs that list Singapore; Airtel's ₹998 pack gives 4 GB for 5 days, as listed on 12 Oct 2026. BSNL prepaid needs a special roaming SIM from a BSNL centre.

### Does the eSIM validity start when I install it in India?

No. The Singapore plan counts its days from the first connection to a Singapore network, so you can install it at home. An Airtel prepaid pack starts when your phone latches on to a foreign network and makes chargeable usage.

### Can I get OTPs and use WhatsApp with a Singapore eSIM?

WhatsApp works over the eSIM's data. OTPs come by SMS to your Indian number, and a data-only eSIM cannot receive SMS. Keep the Indian SIM in the phone and ask your operator whether SMS reaches you in Singapore.

### How do I install the Singapore eSIM before I fly?

At home on Wi-Fi, open your phone's SIM settings, add an eSIM and scan the QR code you receive after payment. Leave the line on; it connects when you land in Singapore.

### Does my phone support eSIM?

Check your model on our eSIM phone list, which shows the models sold in India that support it, or look for an "Add eSIM" option in your phone's SIM settings.