Destinations · Singapore
Singapore
Treaty partner, no CGT, 8 hours from Sydney, if you can get a pass.
Tax regime
Australia treaty
Flight from Sydney
Timezone
How Singapore taxes youindicative
Singapore taxes residents on Singapore-source income at progressive rates topping out at 24% (from S$1m). There is no capital gains tax and no tax on most foreign-source investment income for individuals (unless received through certain structures). A full tax treaty with Australia provides a tie-breaker and reduced withholding on Australian-source dividends and interest.
- Salary
- Progressive 0, 24%. A S$250k salary pays roughly 18% effective.
- Capital gains
- No capital gains tax for individuals.
- Dividends & interest
- Singapore dividends tax-free (one-tier); foreign dividends generally exempt for individuals.
- Crypto
- No CGT: investment gains untaxed. Trading as a business is taxable income, frequency and intent matter.
- Social security
- CPF applies only to citizens/PRs, most expats on passes pay no CPF.
Australia has a tax treaty with Singapore
A treaty gives you two things that matter. First, a tie-breaker: if both countries claim you as a resident, the treaty cascade (permanent home → vital interests → habitual abode → nationality) decides who wins. You can’t simply be fully taxed twice on the same income. Second, reduced withholding on Australian-source income you keep: unfranked dividends at 15% and interest at 10% instead of the default non-treaty rates.
Walk your own facts through the cascade with the Treaty Tie-Breaker tool.
Visa pathways
Every pathway carries a tax-residency consequence, the row most visa guides leave out. A visa gets you in; it doesn’t decide who taxes you.
Employment Pass
workindicativeEmployer-sponsored pass; minimum ~S$5,600/month (higher with age and for finance), plus the COMPASS points test.
- Income $76,000+ / year
- Employer sponsor required
- Family can come
Timeline: ~2 months from application to arrival
Tax residency: Meeting its conditions makes you tax resident there, usually what you want, because a genuine new tax home is your strongest fact against Australia.
Dependant passes need ~S$6k/month. 183+ days makes you Singapore tax resident, which is what you want for the treaty tie-breaker.
ONE Pass
skilledindicativeFive-year pass for high earners: S$30k/month salary track record.
- Income $490,000+ / year
- Family can come
Timeline: ~3 months from application to arrival
Tax residency: Meeting its conditions makes you tax resident there, usually what you want, because a genuine new tax home is your strongest fact against Australia.
No employer tie. You can found, freelance and job-switch freely.
EntrePass
businessindicativeFor founders of venture-backed or IP-rich startups incorporating in Singapore.
- Family can come
Timeline: ~3 months from application to arrival
Tax residency: Meeting its conditions makes you tax resident there, usually what you want, because a genuine new tax home is your strongest fact against Australia.
Needs funding, accelerator backing or IP, a genuine startup, not a shell.
Global Investor Programme
goldenindicativePR via S$10m+ business investment or S$25m into approved funds.
- Investment $11,400,000+
- Family can come
Timeline: ~12 months from application to arrival
Tax residency: Meeting its conditions makes you tax resident there, usually what you want, because a genuine new tax home is your strongest fact against Australia.
Thresholds rose sharply in 2023; this is a family-office-scale route.
What Singapore costsindicative
Typical expat defaults in AUD, the same figures the Break-Even Calculator pre-fills for Singapore. Treat them as comparison-grade, not budget-grade.
| Rent, family home in Singapore (per month) | est. $9,500indicative |
| Rent, 1, 2br couple/single (per month) | est. $5,200indicative |
| International school (per child, per year) | est. $45,000indicative |
| Private health, family (per year) | est. $8,000indicative |
| Private health, single (per year) | est. $2,800indicative |
| One-off relocation (movers, flights, deposits) | est. $30,000indicative |
| Return flight home (per person) | est. $1,400indicative |
| Day-to-day cost index vs Sydney (ex-rent) | 110%indicative |
Honest downsides
- No general nomad/retirement pathway: without a job, a business or serious capital, there is no way in.
- The world’s most expensive city on several measures, school fees and rent will eat a big share of the tax saving.
- A 4,000-a-year national day-count habit: many Australians in Singapore drift over 90 days back home. The treaty helps, but only if Singapore residency is solid.
- Employment Pass renewals are policy-sensitive; your long-term security is COMPASS points, not a right.
What most people miss about Singapore
- Singapore’s zero CGT does not stop Australia taxing TAP gains and deferred-election assets, "no tax here" is not "no tax".
- Remote work for an Australian employer from Singapore can still be Singapore-source employment income, taxable there from day one.
- Frequent crypto or share trading can be recharacterised as a taxable trade in Singapore despite the no-CGT headline.
Run your numbers for Singapore
These open with Singapore already set as your destination, your answers stay in this browser.