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I felt like the banking system here is definitely slow, as it took us a while to set up an account. It helps if you know a relocation agent who can refer you to someone at the bank. We’ve lived in India, the UAE, Hong Kong, France, China and Canada, and all those places have instant bank account setup systems. We ordered our SIM card online and it arrived in a day – that’s the fastest setup we’ve had (France is the slowest for expats). As for internet, we had it already set up in our apartment.

Komal

Was it easy setting up your bank, phone and internet accounts?

I had an international bank account from France with HSBC but I would recommend setting up your bank account with a local bank as it’s hard to find ATMs for international banks! Setting up everything was quite easy, however for the internet I would recommend making an appointment before you move into your house or apartment as they are quite busy. No one wants to wait for seven days to get internet!

Alicia

I’d encourage you to find a good real estate agent who can connect you to local services and ensure you set up as quickly and seamlessly as possible. We worked with a woman called Margaret who was fantastic. She’s helped a number of friends get into condos and also supported them with setup.

Tim

YES, IT WAS VERY EASY AND STRAIGHTFORWARD. EVERYTHING IS EXTREMELY EFFICIENT.

Judit

Yes, it was very easy. Certain internet providers are better than others, so you should shop around and try not to sign up for something too long-term.

Nathan

Singapore & the Internet

According to statista.com, as of December 2020, Brunei had the highest rate of internet penetration in Southeast Asia (97.5 percent); Singapore was third (88.5 percent). Approximately 4.8 million people in Singapore use the internet, with children getting their first device at an average age of eight (global average: 10). The average time spent online is 8.07 hours a day.