Best Credit Cards for Expats in Singapore 2024

UOB PRVI Miles Card, however, has a fee of just S$256.8, which is waived with S$50,000 annual spend (about S$4,167/month). Spend at this level also earns 20,000 bonus miles (worth S$200). This threshold is fairly reasonable given the high cost of living in Singapore and average income level of expats–though the qualifying salary is just S$40,000, making the card extremely accessible. Ultimately, UOB PRVI Miles Card is by far the best option for expats who want to rapidly accumulate miles while avoiding a fee.

In terms of perks, Citi Prestige Card is the best card for complimentary lounge access on the market. Cardholders receive unlimited lounge access worldwide for themselves and a guest, through Priority Pass. Unlike with most competitors, there’s no minimum spend requirement to unlock this perk. Other benefits include free airport transfers, a comprehensive travel insurance plan, bonus 4th hotel nights at properties around the world, golfing privileges and far more. It’s worth mentioning that foreigners must earn S$120,000 to qualify. Ultimately, Citi Prestige Card is an excellent choice for high-earning expats who want top-notch perks & privileges when they travel.

It's worth mentioning that the actual rewards rates and perks aren't especially competitive, however. Cardholders receive 1.2 miles per S$1 spend locally and 2 miles overseas, and enjoy privileges like 2 free annual lounge visits, complimentary travel insurance, hotel upgrades and discounted green fees. The S$695.5 annual fee is also quite high. Those who can take full advantage of the welcome offer, however, can more than recoup this cost and should definitely consider SC Visa Infinite Card for its impressive upfront bonus.

Miles earned can be redeemed without any black-out dates, no transfer or conversion fees, and with minimal processing time, making it easy to travel on short notice. In addition, you’ll enjoy top-notch luxury perks on your trips, with unlimited lounge access, free airport transfers, free travel insurance and golfing privileges throughout SE Asia. It’s worth mentioning that this credit card is accessible only to very high earners and spenders–there is a S$120,000 foreigner salary requirement and a non-waivable S$488.0 fee. However, if you’re looking for top rates & perks paired with flexibility, OCBC Voyage Card may be a great match for you.

SC Visa Infinite Card especially stands out for one of its most unique features–rewards for banking activities. While many cards exclude such transactions from earning rewards, SC Visa Infinite Cardholders can earn on everything from income tax payments to mortgage loans, investments, savings accounts and more. Foreigners must earn at least S$150,000 to qualify for this credit card; at this tax bracket, you could very well earn S$175+ just for paying your taxes.

Finally, this credit card offers excellent travel perks. Cardholders enjoy 6 free lounge visits/year, a free 4hr yacht hire, Hertz Asia rental privileges, golfing privileges throughout SE Asia and much more. While there’s a S$588.5 fee, this is easily reflected in value by its market-leading rewards rate and exemplary perks. Overall, if you’re a high-earning expat that frequently travels for business, SC Visa Infinite Card is a great choice for you.

Additionally, cardholders have access to American Express Selects dining privileges, Global Assist, Fraud Protection, free travel insurance & card-specific True Cashback promotions. These promotions often feature deals on travel, restaurants, retail, wedding expenses & more. There’s a S$60,000 income requirement for foreigners and a S$171.2 fee, but this fee is waived the 1st year. Overall, if you’re comfortable with Amex and want unrestricted rewards for spend, Amex True Cashback Card is a great option to consider.

Another reason to consider Maybank FC Barcelona Card is that while there’s a S$60,000 income requirement for foreigners (S$45,000 for Malaysians), the credit card itself has an easy fee-waiver. Most unlimited cards charge S$170+ annually, but Maybank FC Barcelona Cardholders are exempt from the S$120.0 fee with just S$10,000 annual spend–equal to about S$833/month.

Finally, this is a great credit card if you’re an expat that loves sports–specifically, football (or “soccer”) & the FC Barcelona team. Cardholders receive discounts up to 10% at official FC Barcelona stores and can win a free trip (including full travel package) to see FC Barcelona playing live. Overall, Maybank FC Barcelona Card offers local high spenders a great way to earn unlimited rewards, with the added perk of expat-friendly sports discounts.

SC Unlimited Cashback Card stands out from the competition for its excellent transport perks. No matter how you’re planning to get around the city, you can easily benefit–the card is TransitLink SimplyGo (ABT) compatible, top-ups are eligible for rebates (excluded by most credit cards), and cardholders earn up to 21% fuel savings with Caltex. Other unlimited cards are fairly standard, but SC Unlimited Cashback Card’s transport perks make it especially valuable.

Finally, while there’s a S$60,000 annual income requirement for foreigners, this is fairly reasonable for higher spenders, who are most likely to benefit from this credit card. Ultimately, SC Unlimited Cashback Card is an exceptional option if you want to consolidate your spend onto one card, maximise earnings with no restriction, and enjoy perks that make getting around both convenient & affordable.

These rates are exclusive to Advance customers, however. Non-customers earn 2.5% rebate after S$2,000 spend (1.5% if below) up to S$70/month, which is less competitive. Non-customers also must pay a S$192.6 fee, which is waived for Advance customers.

Another reason to consider both HSBC Advance Card and an Advance banking account is that customers have access to special expatriate banking privileges. These include the ability to manage up to 11 currencies in a single account, set a target foreign exchange rate for auto-conversion, link and make instant transfers between HSBC accounts worldwide & more.

Finally, HSBC Advance Card has one of the lowest income requirements for expats at just S$40,000. If you’re an above-average spender looking to maximise cashback and enjoy expat banking perks, definitely consider HSBC Advance Card with an Advance account.

Another way Citi PMV Card stands out is by offering great perks. Cardholders receive 2 free lounge visits/year with access to over 600 locations worldwide. Additionally, the credit card offers one of the market’s best travel insurance plans, with unique features like up to S$500 compensation for trip interruptions. There is a low foreign income requirement of S$42,000 and the annual fee, S$192.6, is far lower than alternative credit cards with similar features. Overall, if you want accessible perks & affordable miles, consider Citi PMV Card.

KF UOB Card's perks also favour more practical travellers. Cardholders can access special privileges with Scoot, SIA's low cost carrier, such as upgraded baggage allowances, free standard seat selection, complimentary priority check-in & boarding and booking flexibility waivers. Other perks include S$15 worth of Grab rides to and from the airport, S$15 towards ChangiWiFi, and a S$20 rebate with S$100 nett spend at KrisShop. While there aren't many luxury perks, higher spending consumers can earn a membership upgrade to KrisFlyer Elite Silver with S$5k/year SIA spend. All cardholders receive 10,000 bonus miles with no minimum requirements, which are worth about S$100 and offset the S$192.6 annual fee. Overall, younger expats on a budget are most likely to benefit from KrisFlyer UOB Card's convenient perks and boosted rates, as long as they're willing to exclusively fly with SIA.

Another reason to consider HSBC Revolution Card is for its lower foreign income requirement and easy fee-waiver. You can qualify if you earn just S$40,000/year–one of the lowest requirements for expats on the market. In addition, the S$160.5 fee is waived 2 years, and then with S$12,500 annual spend. That’s about S$1,042/month, and given the high cost of food & entertainment in Singapore, it’s reasonably achievable even for lower spenders. Overall, if you’re an expat with a lower salary or smaller budget, or even just want to earn miles from local social & online spend, HSBC Revolution Card could be the right choice for you.

UOB One Card is an excellent choice for expats not just for its top rebate rate, but also because of its comparative simplicity. Many cashback cards require category and merchant tracking, which can be frustrating and complicated–especially if you’re still exploring new Singaporean brands, or aren’t sure about how spend is classified. UOB One Card applies a flat rebate to everything from food and petrol to shopping and bill-pay, which also lets you consolidate down to one card (hence the name) and streamline your wallet.

If you do feel comfortable spending with select merchants, you can effectively ‘double’ your rebates through UOB SMART$ Programme. Transactions with merchants like BreadTalk, Cold Storage, Cathay Cineplexes & more earn SMART$ (worth S$1 each), which can be used to offset future purchases. This spend also counts towards hitting your minimum, working towards earning the highest rebate rate.

Finally, UOB One Card has one of the lowest income requirements for foreigners on the market, at just S$40,000. Overall, if you’re likely to spend S$2,000/month on a consistent basis, UOB One Card offers one of the easiest ways to maximise cashback on every transaction.

Another reason why you might be interested in Maybank F&F Card is for its accessibility, especially for Malaysians. If you currently live in Malaysia, the salary requirement is just S$45,000 (other foreigners must earn S$60,000). In addition, there’s an easy waiver for the S$180.0 annual fee–cardholders spending S$12,000/year (S$1,000/month–the amount needed to max out rewards potential) are exempt. Overall, Maybank F&F Card is excellent if you live in Malaysia and want top rebates on regional spend, even for a lower budget.

Another reason Citi Cash Back Card stands out is that cardholders can earn up to S$80/month, or S$960/year–one of the higher earning potentials on the market. Even more, the foreigner income requirement is just S$42,000, making it especially accessible. Overall, if you want to earn high rates on the better part of your monthly budget, you might want to consider Citi Cash Back Card.

HSBC Visa Platinum Card is particularly useful for lower-spending expats because of the low foreigner income requirement–just S$40,000. This is actually one of the lowest requirements on the market. In addition, cardholders can avoid the S$180.0 annual fee by spending just S$12,500/year. If you’re an expat looking for flexible rewards for food & petrol, HSBC Visa Platinum Card may be a great no-fee option for you.

Another reason to consider Maybank World Card is for its rewards rates. Cardholders earn 10 points (4 miles) per S$1 with select dining (Paradise Group, Imperial Treasure, Resort World Sentosa & more) & luxury retail merchants (Burberry, Chanel, Michael Kors & more). Credit card perks include free travel insurance and airport lounge access.

Even if you’re an expat that enjoys the finer things of life, you may be happy to know that Maybank World Card comes with an easy fee-waiver. Cardholders are exempt from the S$240.0 fee with just S$24,000/year spend. Even better, spend on a supplementary credit card (perhaps by a spouse) also counts towards this minimum, making it even easier to avoid the fee. Still, there’s a S$80,000 foreign income requirement. Overall, if you’re an expat seeking no-fee golfing privileges and miles for luxury spend, there’s no better option than Maybank World MasterCard.

In addition to perks, cardholders receive 0.69 miles (1.25 pts) per S$1 general spend, boosted to 3.44 miles (6.25 pts) for transactions with Platinum EXTRA Partners (typically designer fashion, jewellery, & watch brands). Unlike most shopper credit cards, Amex Platinum Card's rewards are uncapped. There is a S$321 annual fee, which is rather high–especially given the card has no real travel perks. Nonetheless, local affluent spenders may feel Amex Platinum Card's perks and privileges offset its yearly cost.

What’s great is that dining and groceries rebates include online ordering and delivery–saving you time on the road & the associated cost of petrol. If you don’t mind venturing out by way of public or shared transport, you can still earn 3% rebates on Grab, Go-Jek, taxis & more. Finally, even if you do have a car, you can benefit from up to 23% fuel savings with Caltex.

OCBC 365 Card also stands out by offering a relatively low income requirement for foreigners–just S$45,000–as well as an easy fee-waiver. Cardholders who spend just S$10,000/year (S$833/month) are exempt from the S$192.6 fee, which is already waived for 2 years. This makes OCBC 365 Card accessible, affordable, and incredibly convenient for expats.

POSB Everyday Card is also great for expats because it often offers especially high rebates on online food delivery & catering. This is incredibly convenient if you don’t have your own car, or want to save on petrol costs (though the card also offers high rebates on transport & up to 20.1% fuel savings with SPC). In fact, POSB Everyday Card is even ABT compatible–cardholders can use it to make contactless payments of public transit fare, eliminating the need for top-ups. Finally, the foreigner income requirement is just S$45,000. Overall, if you want to maximise your convenience and save on daily spend, POSB Everyday Card may be the right choice for you.

Even better, these rates apply to purchases made online and offline, locally and overseas. This means you’ll earn rewards whether you’re exploring new products in Singapore or want to order familiar products from your home country. OCBC Titanium Rewards Card also has a low foreigner income requirement of S$45,000 and comes with a fee waiver–cardholders are exempt from the S$192.5 fee with just S$10,000 annual spend. Overall, if you want rewards for all retail spend without worrying about a fee, OCBC Titanium Rewards Card is the best option.

SC SingPost Spree Card is more than just a shopping credit card, however. You’ll also earn 2% rebate on local online & contactless purchases and 1% on general spend. These rates may seem low, but most shopping cards offer the equivalent of 0.4% rebate on non-retail spend. There is a S$60,000 foreigner income requirement and a S$192.6 fee, but this fee is waived 2 years. Ultimately, SC SingPost Spree Card is a great choice if you want cashback for online overseas spend.