Singapore SIM Cards for Indian Travelers: Heya, Pelago, StarHub, 7-Eleven & WiFi Options Compared
✅ Last verified on-the-ground: 2026-07-17
Heya Singapore has stopped accepting new sign-ups. Existing customers are being migrated onto Singtel’s hi! Prepaid plans, so you cannot pick up a Heya SIM at a 7-Eleven on arrival. Here are the alternatives that work in 2026. If you are planning a broader Southeast Asia trip, check our SEA backpacking hub for country-by-country SIM and connectivity guides.
Subodh’s Pro Tip: Singapore is one of the few Southeast Asian countries where buying your SIM inside the airport beats walking into town. The retail counters at Changi (Singtel, M1, StarHub) sell tourist packs at the same price as a town shop, and your phone is live within 30 minutes of wheels-down. If your eSIM doesn’t activate, this is your backup plan B.
Quick Answers
| What | Answer | Price (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Can I still buy a Heya SIM in Singapore as a tourist in 2026? | No. Heya closed new sign-ups; existing users migrated to Singtel hi! | — |
| Cheapest physical SIM at Changi Airport (Singtel/M1 tourist pack, 7 days) | Singtel or M1 tourist SIM, ~50GB, 7 days | ₹1,120 (~15 SGD or ~$11.63) |
| Cheapest tourist eSIM for India travelers (Pelago data pack) | Pelago, ~10GB, 7 days | ₹523 (~7 SGD or ~$5.43) |
| Pocket WiFi rental per day at Changi | ChangiWiFi / Tourist Hub kiosk | ₹747 (~10 SGD or ~$7.75) |
| Can I use an Indian eSIM (Airtel/Jio roaming) instead? | Yes, but data costs ~₹700 (~9.33 SGD or ~$7.26)–₹1,000 (~13.33 SGD or ~$10.38) per GB | ₹900/GB (~12 SGD or ~$11) |
Why Heya Is No Longer an Option (And What Replaced It)
Heya was the prepaid brand Indians loved because it sold cheap tourist SIMs at 7-Eleven counters, with no passport hassle at some stalls and a pay-as-you-go top-up model that fit short Singapore stopovers. That changed. As of 2026, Singtel has wound the Heya brand into its main hi! Prepaid line, so the SIM packs previously branded “Heya Tourist” now sit on the shelf as “Singtel hi! Tourist” with the same data allocations at slightly higher prices.
For an Indian traveler, the practical effect is this: you cannot rely on picking up a SIM at a random 7-Eleven on Orchard Road anymore. You now have three real options:
- Buy a Singtel or M1 tourist SIM at the Changi Airport counters (easiest, highest data, highest price)
- Buy a Pelago (Singtel’s travel app) eSIM before you fly (cheapest, but data-only)
- Rent a pocket WiFi device at Changi (best for groups of 2-4 sharing one connection)
I will walk through each one with the actual 2026 prices and gotchas, then compare StarHub’s tourist pack (which still exists but is less popular with backpackers) and the 7-Eleven SIM situation.
Singtel & M1 Tourist SIM at Changi Airport: The Default Choice
If you want the path of least resistance, this is it. Walk out of immigration, follow the “SIM Cards / Telecom” signs in any terminal (T1, T2, T3, T4 all have them), and you’ll see Singtel and M1 counters sitting next to each other. Both sell 7-day tourist packs that include roughly 50GB of data plus 100 local minutes and a small amount of international talk time. The headline price is ₹1,120 (~15 SGD or ~$11.63) for either brand.
Activation takes about 15-20 minutes. You’ll need your passport, the officer will register your SIM under your name (Singapore law, no exceptions; more on this in the registration explainer), and they will slot a physical SIM into your phone or hand you a multi-cut SIM card. If you have an eSIM-compatible phone, ask for the eSIM tourist pack at the same price. Data kicks in immediately, voice and SMS take a few extra minutes to provision.
Safety Alert: Singapore requires SIM registration against your real passport details. Buy from authorized counters (Changi Airport, Singtel Shop, M1 Shop) only. Unofficial vendors may sell pre-registered SIMs that stop working when the original holder’s name doesn’t match the new user. Stick to authorized counters and do it properly.
For a 5-day Singapore stopover, the ₹1,120 (~15 SGD or ~$11.63) tourist pack is overkill on data but cheap on peace of mind. For a longer 2-week trip, the same ₹1,120 (~15 SGD or ~$11.63) still works if you’re mostly on WiFi at the hostel and only need data for MRT directions and Grab rides.
Where to find them at Changi
- T1: Singtel counter in the public arrivals hall (before you exit to the taxi stand), M1 counter opposite
- T2 & T3: Both counters in the arrivals hall, open 24/7 for late-night flights
- T4: Smaller footprint, Singtel counter only (M1 sometimes runs a self-service kiosk)
If you are landing at the Budget Terminal or a late flight into T4 with only the Singtel counter open, just take what they have. The Singtel vs M1 difference is largely cosmetic for a tourist; both ride on excellent 4G/5G networks with full coverage of the MRT tunnels and Sentosa.
Pelago eSIM: The Cheapest Option If You Don’t Need a Local Number
Pelago is Singtel’s travel app and eSIM storefront, and it has become the cheapest way for Indian travelers to get data in Singapore. For ₹523 (~7 SGD or ~$5.43), you get a 10GB / 7-day data-only eSIM that activates the moment you scan the QR code. The catch: no local Singapore phone number, so you can’t receive OTPs from Indian banks (HDFC, ICICI, SBI all SMS OTPs to your registered Indian number anyway, so this is rarely a problem) or make regular calls.
For most Indian backpackers, the lack of a Singapore number is a feature. You are not making local Singapore calls. You are WhatsApping home, using Grab, and loading Google Maps. Pelago covers all three.
How to buy it:
- Install the Pelago app on your phone before you fly (use the web version)
- Pick the Singapore 10GB / 7-day pack at ₹523 (~7 SGD or ~$5.43)
- Pay with a forex card or international Visa/Mastercard (UPI works on some Indian cards, but the forex markup is similar)
- You’ll get a QR code by email
- At Changi (anywhere in Singapore), connect to airport WiFi, scan the QR code, the eSIM installs in 2 minutes
- Turn on data roaming for the Pelago eSIM, switch your primary line to Indian Airtel/Jio for SMS/WhatsApp calls
The eSIM is the best option if you already have an Indian SIM working for SMS and just need fast 4G data. It is also the only option that works if you have a phone without a physical SIM tray (newer iPhones in the US for example). For a deeper dive into eSIM options, see our complete Singapore eSIM guide.
StarHub Tourist SIM: Still Available, Slightly Niche
StarHub does sell a tourist SIM, but it is harder to find in 2026 than Singtel or M1. The tourist pack is roughly ₹1,344 (~18 SGD or ~$13.96) for 50GB / 7 days, so ₹224 (~3 SGD or ~$2.33) more than the Singtel/M1 pack for the same data volume. The only real reason to pick StarHub is if you have a specific coverage preference (StarHub’s 5G mid-band can be slightly faster in some CBD areas, but for a backpacker hitting Marina Bay, Orchard and Little India, you genuinely will not notice).
You can buy a StarHub tourist SIM at:
- Changi Airport T2 arrivals (StarHub counter, smaller than Singtel/M1)
- StarHub Shop at Plaza Singapura (Orchard MRT, one stop from Dhoby Ghaut)
- Selected 7-Eleven stores (call ahead, most stock has shifted to Singtel hi! Since the Heya wind-down)
For an Indian traveler on a 4-5 day trip, StarHub makes no sense over Singtel at the same coverage tier. For a comparison of all tourist SIM options, see our best tourist SIM card in Singapore breakdown. Heavy data users on longer trips can look into data add-on plans from their chosen operator, as pricing and availability vary by operator and trip length.
7-Eleven SIM Cards: What Still Works in 2026
The 7-Eleven SIM question needs a careful answer now that Heya is gone.
What you can still buy at 7-Eleven:
- Singtel hi! Prepaid top-up cards (for topping up an existing hi! SIM, not for first-time activation)
- Data-only add-on cards for Singtel/M1/StarHub postpaid tourists (uncommon, but some larger stores stock them)
- M1 tourist starter pack at selected 7-Eleven outlets in tourist areas (Bugis, Orchard, Marina Bay)
What you cannot reliably buy at 7-Eleven anymore:
- A first-time tourist SIM activation with Heya branding
- A working SIM without going through full passport registration (the old “grab and go” Heya model)
Practically, an Indian backpacker asking “can I just pick up a SIM at the 7-Eleven near my hostel” in 2026 will mostly hear “no, you need to go to the Singtel Shop.” The exception: if you are staying in the Orchard/Little India/Bugis triangle and your hostel is a few blocks from a Singtel Shop, the staff will activate a tourist SIM in 15 minutes and you’ll be paying ₹1,120 (~15 SGD or ~$11.63) same as the airport.
My honest recommendation: don’t plan your Singapore SIM strategy around 7-Eleven. Plan around the Changi Airport counter (buy on arrival) or Pelago eSIM (buy before flying). 7-Eleven is a useful top-up point on day 3 of your trip, not an activation point.
Pocket WiFi Rental: Best for Groups and Heavy Laptop Users
Pocket WiFi is the under-discussed option because most Indian backpackers travel solo, where the math doesn’t work. But if you are traveling as a couple, with friends, or with a laptop that needs constant connectivity, a pocket WiFi rental can be cheaper per person than multiple SIMs.
How it works at Changi:
- Walk to the pocket WiFi counters in any terminal (Tourist Hub, ChangiWiFi, Rent’n’Connect are the main operators)
- Pay ~10 SGD/day (~₹750 or ~$7.75/day) for a 4G pocket WiFi device with unlimited data
- The device is a small box that creates a personal WiFi network for up to 5 devices
- Return it at the same counter on departure
- Passport + credit card hold (refundable deposit ~₹7,468 (~100 SGD or ~$77.53))
Math check for a couple on a 5-day trip:
- Two Singtel tourist SIMs: 2 × ₹1,120 (~15 SGD or ~$11.63) = ₹2,241 (~30 SGD or ~$23.26)
- One pocket WiFi for 5 days: 5 × ₹747 (~10 SGD or ~$7.75). Day rates vary by operator; the Tourist Hub kiosk typically charges the published rate above. = ₹3,734 (~50 SGD or ~$38.76)
The pocket WiFi costs more but gives unlimited data and covers both phones. If one of you is hotspotting a laptop for remote work, the pocket WiFi wins on data volume.
For a solo traveler, pocket WiFi is almost never the right call. Get the eSIM or the airport SIM, save the deposit hold on your credit card.
What About Using Your Indian SIM’s International Roaming?
Airtel and Jio both sell international roaming packs for Singapore, and the prices have improved since 2024. As of mid-2026, Airtel’s “Singapore pack” gives 5GB high-speed + unlimited at 2G for 7 days at ~₹2,999 (~40 SGD or ~$31.13), while Jio’s equivalent is 5GB + unlimited 2G for 7 days at ~₹2,499 (~33 SGD or ~$25.94).
That works out to roughly ₹500 (~$5.19)–₹600 (~$6.23) per GB at full speed, which is more expensive than the Singtel tourist pack (~₹19/GB or ~$0.20/GB) and dramatically more expensive than Pelago (~₹50/GB or ~$0.52/GB).
Roaming makes sense if:
- You need your Indian number active for OTPs the entire trip (banking, work)
- You’re only in Singapore for 2-3 days
- You don’t want to bother with airport SIM counters on arrival
Roaming doesn’t make sense if:
- You’re staying 4+ days
- You want to use Grab, Google Maps, and WhatsApp heavily
- You have an Airtel/Jio eSIM slot already in use and would need to swap
For most Indian backpackers on a Southeast Asia loop, buying a Singapore SIM is the wrong call if Singapore is a short stop. Use your Indian SIM’s roaming pack for the 3-5 days in Singapore, and save the SIM-swapping hassle for the longer-stay countries where local SIMs are 70-80% cheaper. Our SEA SIM card setup guide covers network picks across the region.
Activation Step-by-Step at Changi Airport
For first-timers, here’s what the actual arrival process looks like:
- Land, clear immigration, collect bag. Singapore e-passport gates take ~2 minutes for Indian passports with valid visa.
- Walk into the public arrivals hall. SIM counters are immediately visible before the taxi stand.
- Pick your operator. Singtel for general use, M1 if the Singtel queue is long, both sell nearly identical tourist packs.
- Have passport ready. Officer scans, takes your photo, registers your details. Singapore’s SIM registration law means this is mandatory; there’s no anonymous prepaid SIM option for tourists.
- Choose physical SIM or eSIM. If your phone supports eSIM (most phones from 2020 onward do), the eSIM is faster and keeps your Indian SIM slot free.
- Pay ₹1,120 (~15 SGD or ~$11.63). Card or cash accepted. Ask for a receipt if you need to claim it on a business trip.
- Test data immediately. The officer will open Google Maps on your phone to confirm the network is live.
- Walk to MRT. Changi’s MRT station is one floor down from arrivals; the counter staff will point you to the right escalator.
Total time: 15-20 minutes including queue. If your flight lands at a peak hour (6-9 PM), the queue can stretch to 30 minutes, but it moves fast.
Where to Buy a SIM If You Skip the Airport
If you fly in on a budget carrier that lands late when only one counter is open, or you forget to buy at Changi, you can still get a SIM in town:
- Singtel Shop at Plaza Singapura, Jurong Point, Tampines Mall (main branch-style stores, full tourist SIM range)
- M1 Shop at Causeway Point, Bugis Junction, Westgate
- StarHub Shop at Plaza Singapura, ION Orchard, VivoCity (smaller tourist range)
Opening hours are typically 11 AM to 9 PM. Bring your passport. Same ₹1,120 (~15 SGD or ~$11.63) price.
For something faster, the Cheers convenience stores at selected MRT stations (Bishan, Tampines, Bedok) sometimes stock Singtel hi! Tourist packs with on-the-spot activation. Call ahead to confirm; Cheers staff cannot register your SIM without head office authorization, so it’s hit or miss.
FAQ
Can Indian travelers still buy a Heya SIM in Singapore in 2026? No. Heya stopped accepting new sign-ups and existing customers were migrated to Singtel hi! Prepaid plans. Indian travelers landing today should buy a Singtel tourist SIM, an M1 tourist SIM, a Pelago eSIM, or a StarHub tourist pack instead.
Is a Singapore tourist SIM worth it if I’m only there for 3 days? Probably not. For a 2-3 day stopover, use your Airtel or Jio international roaming pack (₹2,499-₹2,999 (~$25.94-$31.13) for 7 days with 5GB) and skip the SIM swap. For 4+ days, the Singtel or M1 tourist pack at ₹1,120 (~15 SGD or ~$11.63) is cheaper per GB and keeps your Indian SIM free.
Do I need a passport to buy a Singapore SIM? Yes. Singapore requires SIM registration against a valid passport for all prepaid customers, including tourists. There are no anonymous SIMs available. Activation without a passport is illegal and the SIM will be blocked within 48 hours if registration is missing.
Can I keep my Indian Airtel/Jio SIM active for OTPs while using a Singapore eSIM? Yes. Most phones from 2020 onward support dual SIM (one physical + one eSIM, or two eSIMs). Set your Indian SIM as primary for SMS/voice, the Singapore eSIM for data. Both stay active simultaneously. See our Singapore internet & SIM guide for Indians for more on roaming vs local SIM tradeoffs.
Is pocket WiFi cheaper than a SIM for groups? For a couple on a 5-day trip, pocket WiFi (~50 SGD total at the listed day rate) costs more than two Singtel tourist SIMs (~30 SGD total), but pocket WiFi gives unlimited data and can connect a laptop. For 3-4 travelers sharing one device, pocket WiFi may win on per-person cost.
What happens to my Singapore SIM when I leave the country? Nothing automatic. Your SIM stays active until its plan expires (usually 7 or 30 days from activation). After that, it stops working. You can keep the physical SIM as a souvenir or recycle it; there’s no need to “deactivate” anything. If you’re planning to come back within 90 days, top up at any Singtel Shop to extend validity.
Are Singapore SIM card prices going up in 2026? Tourist pack prices have held at ₹1,120 (~15 SGD or ~$11.63) since 2023 across Singtel and M1. Pelago eSIM remains one of the cheapest data-only options for Indian travelers.
- Subodh
