Is Singapore Worth it for Digital Nomads? My Honest Experience

1. Getting to Know Singapore

Singapore of course has an important place in the Asian digital nomad scene. That's why I went there, to make my own observations and experience. 

How suitable is Singapore for digital nomads? Is it necessary to go to Singapore as a digital nomad? Would something change in our lives if we go to Singapore as a digital nomad or not? I spent a short time in Singapore to find answers to these questions and now I am sharing my experiences with you in the most honest way possible. 

   - General Opinion: 

As a first impression, Singapore is a mix of greenery and tall futuristic buildings. On top of that, there are interesting rules and prohibitions (chewing gum, not allowing electronic cigarettes into the country, etc.). But I am not sure if these interesting rules are a deep marketing exercise, a myth or if they have any validity. Because I have chewed gum and smoked electronic cigarettes :) 

But nevertheless, it was founded with a vision ahead of its time, especially considering the years it was founded and popularized, and it is still making a mark. 

However, my answer to questions such as what exactly it can offer to digital nomads and whether we should definitely see and experience this place is closer to negative. Because we can experience similar facilities, the same climate, close internet and technological infrastructure in a different region at much more affordable prices. This is a very expensive place, especially in terms of accommodation. And I don't think you get the full value for your money. Due to the limited land, household production is not enough, and therefore the supply and demand balance cannot be met. 

Everything except the accommodation costs are relatively acceptable. 

Unfortunately, I was sick from the moment I entered Singapore until the moment I left and went to Kuala Lumpur, so I couldn't explore the city from top to bottom, but I still had the experience to share these experiences. And even with this much experience, I can say that this is completely my opinion and feelings, by the way, Singapore is not a place to stay for 1-2 months anyway. You can go for a visa run or to visit friends :) 

   - Language and Communication: 

The official language of Singapore is Malay. But you can communicate everywhere and with everyone in English. English can be considered as a second main language. However, you can learn the following words to communicate with the locals in their own language, even if it is just a few words. 

By the way, although Singapore is a very safe place, people are a bit shy :) Yes, you can communicate, but even though I tried for a more friendly communication, I could not find a response. 

• Hello: Hello

• Terima kasih: Thank you

• Ya: Yes 

• Tidak: No

• Tolonglah: Please

• Selamat tinggal: Goodbye 

2. Digital Nomadism in Singapore

There are a lot of expats in Singapore. Expats are working full time in global or Singapore companies. But I think there are very few digital nomads because it is expensive and does not offer an extra and uniq thing that is worth the budget you spend. For this reason, I don't think it is very popular.

But digital nomads may go to Singapore for collaborations, physical meetings or attending events. 

3. Working in Singapore

   - Co-working Spaces: 

Singapore has a developed and large co-working culture. I am including the names and Google Maps links of some of the most well-known and popular ones below.

     - JustCo

     - WeWork

     - The Great Room

     - The Hive

     - The Working Capitol

   - Wi-Fi and Cafes: 

There are very nice and pleasant cafes to work in Singapore. In fact, I can say that the cafe industry is very developed and I like it. Here are some of the most popular cafes where you can work with internet, electricity and comfort; 

     - SYIP

     - Well Collective

     - Genius Central

     - Twenty Eight Cafe

     - The Coffee Academics

4. Living in Singapore

   - Accommodation: I'm not going to lie, we wanted to stay somewhere affordable :) Because the prices were really so expensive that I didn't want to spend that much money on a place we were only going to use for sleeping. We stayed in a hotel, it was about 40 floors high and there were 100 rooms on each floor. Even so, we paid something like 150 USD per night. My feeling and opinion about the accommodation is completely negative. Because a room for 150 USD per night in an affordable place was not worth that amount. 

   - Cost of Living: Apart from accommodation, I can't say it was incredibly expensive for the rest of the things. But I think the all-inclusive monthly cost would be around 4.000 USD. 

5. Exploring the City

   - Transportation: At first I was always using a taxi and it didn't seem incredibly expensive. But on the 2nd day I attended a digital nomad meetup and a friend there told me that taxis were too expensive and I could use the subway instead. So I tried the subway on the way back from that event. It was really so cheap that I didn't think I could find something so affordable in Singapore :) But I can say that transportation is very comfortable and you can go everywhere you want to go, even on foot if you choose a good accommodation in a good location. 

   - Safety Tips: There is not the slightest concern about safety in Singapore, not the slightest risk. Therefore, there are no tips I can give. Since the rules are strict, the level of the people and the level of the visitors is good, I think there is no dangerous situation.

6. Free Time and Exploration 

   - Tourist Attractions: There are many iconic buildings that have almost become symbols of the country. Of course, it would be good to visit these first. To list briefly, the places I visited are as follows; Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, Singapore Flyer, Merlion Park, Cavenagh Bridge, Esplanade - Theatres on the Bay, Chinatown and Arabic Neighborhood and the last but not least the most interesting Apple Store. There are also many beautiful parks. Unfortunately I don't remember their names, but I spent a lot of time there too. And last but not least, the casino! After having dinner on the top floor of Marina Bay Sands Hotel, we wanted to go to the Casino on the basement floor. But my girlfriend didn't take her passport with her so we couldn't enter, but it was still fun to think about :) 

   - Food and Cuisine: I didn't have much to eat because I was sick, so I wasn't very food-oriented, but as far as I can see, there is a mixed food culture again. But seafood definitely dominates. Especially during our walk by the river, we saw live giant lobsters, crabs, etc. in the aquarium, but we did not have the opportunity to eat them. 

   - Entertainment: I don't know what to say about this place, there are definitely activities to do. But it was a very interesting experience, you should definitely go and I can't say that you can only do this in Singapore :D Still, if you go, you can find some activities that will not bore you in 3-4 days maximum. I can say that they consist of the places to visit and see mentioned above. I didn't have the opportunity to see and understand the nightlife, so I can't say anything. 

7. Challenges in Singapore

I didn't want to say this so much but of course the cost is the first thing to deal with :D 

Accommodation is another problem. It is almost impossible to find a place that is both affordable and nice. 

Also, although I haven't had any problems, it feels strange to know that they have interesting rules. Like chewing gum, not using vape, strict rules about smoking. I smuggled both gum and vape into the country, but I didn't have any problems. I'm very happy about that because I saw the amounts of the fines, it would really upset me if I got caught. 

Other than that, the rules like the order, the system, maybe it's a bit strict but it still makes you feel like you have to respect it and I don't have any problems with that. 

8. Final Thoughts

I experienced being a digital nomad in Singapore and I don't regret it. But I can say that I experienced it just to "experience" it. As I said, there was no situation where I had any problems in the country, but there was an energy, and you want to feel that energy, you want to love that energy, I didn't have that :) 

I won't definitely make another attempt to go to Singapore, but if I have a project there or for some other activity, I might go there again. 

Maybe 10-20 years ago it would have been a very interesting country. But it doesn't seem like a place that is very differentiated and offers great opportunities now. I openly shared with you what I felt and thought :) 

My next trip after Singapore was to Kuala Lumpur-Malaysia. I will share my experience there very soon, I recommend you to stay tuned :) 

Thank you for reading this far, I invite you to follow NomadVibe Instagram account so that you can quickly reach content, stories and insights about the countries I travel to. This way you will support me and be a part of my journey to realize everything I want to do with you :)

And as I always say, until the next post arrivederci folks :)