Tax-free guide · Asia

Tax-free shopping in Singapore

Yes. Visitors can claim back GST (9%) on goods they take home through Singapore Tourist Refund Scheme (eTRS). You need to spend S$100 or more including tax per shop, per day, and you claim it when you leave the country. A refund is never automatic: customs has to confirm the export, and operators can deduct a fee.

Last checked 2 November 2026. Figures are estimates, not tax advice.

Singapore at a glance

StatusRefund available
SchemeSingapore Tourist Refund Scheme (eTRS)
Tax in the priceGST, standard rate 9%
Not yet checked against an official source
Minimum spendS$100 or more including tax per shop, per day
S$100 including GST; up to 3 same-day invoices from retailers with the same GST registration number and shop name can be combined.
Where you get it backWhen you leave, at the airport or port
Typical refundAbout 82.4% of the tax
IRAS e-Tax Guide on eTRS (10th ed., 30 Jan 2026) para 5.4(a)/5.9.15: each Central Refund Agency must refund at least 82.4% of the GST to tourists on average. Each agency sets its own refund table (not published); small receipts get less, large ones more. Cash refunds above S$7,500 cost a further S$100-200.
Who can claimTourists (not Singapore citizens/PRs) who show passport and e-Visit Pass in person at purchase. Goods only, not services.
DeadlineDepart with the goods within 2 months of purchase via Changi or Seletar; claim at the eTRS kiosk and depart within 12 hours of approval.
Prices on tagsShelf prices include tax
Not yet checked against an official source

What could you get back?

Here's the arithmetic on a S$500 purchase. The tax inside a price that includes 9% tax is 9/109 of it, about 8.3%.

Example purchase

Singapore, standard rate

Price you pay, including taxS$500
Tax inside it (9/109 of the price)S$41.28
Estimated refundabout S$34.02

S$500 is about US$390.96, €348.57, £291.34, A$557.86 at the mid-market rate for 2 November 2026.

An estimate, not a promise. Goods at a reduced rate get back less, and you only get a refund if customs and the operator approve your claim.

How to claim the refund in Singapore

Bring your passport. Shops need to see it to sell tax-free. Tourists (not Singapore citizens/PRs) who show passport and e-Visit Pass in person at purchase. Goods only, not services.
Spend enough in one go. Spend S$100 or more including tax per shop, per day and ask the shop for the tax refund form.
Keep the goods unused and with you. Customs can ask to see them when you leave, so keep them in your hand luggage until the claim is done.
Validate the claim when you leave. Have the form validated by customs or at a kiosk when you leave Singapore. Depart with the goods within 2 months of purchase via Changi or Seletar; claim at the eTRS kiosk and depart within 12 hours of approval.
Collect the refund. The shop or refund operator pays you, usually by card or in cash, less any fee it charges.

Want the real cost of a price tag here? Try the refund calculator, and read why you should always pay in local currency.

Questions

How much is the tax refund in Singapore?

GST is 9%, so the tax inside a price is 9/109 of it, about 8.3%. On a S$500 purchase that's S$41.28, and you could get back about S$34.02, around 82.4% of the tax, which is the share the official source gives after the operator's fee. It's an estimate: reduced-rate goods get back less and every claim needs approval. Last checked 2 November 2026.

What is the minimum spend for tax-free shopping in Singapore?

S$100 or more including tax per shop, per day.

Where do I claim the tax refund in Singapore?

When you leave, at the airport or port. Depart with the goods within 2 months of purchase via Changi or Seletar; claim at the eTRS kiosk and depart within 12 hours of approval.

Is it cheaper to buy things in Singapore?

Only if the price on your card, after any tax refund you'll actually get, beats the price at home. Convert the tag at the mid-market rate, add your card's foreign transaction fee (often around 3% on bank cards, 0% on travel cards), then take off the refund estimate, and compare. Always pay in the local currency, because the shop's conversion costs more. Priceglot does this for every tag you point it at.

Sources

IRAS - Tourist Refund Scheme (checked 2 November 2026)
IRAS - Current GST rates ('The current GST rate in Singapore is 9%') (checked 2 November 2026)
IRAS e-Tax Guide - GST Guide for Visitors on Tourist Refund Scheme (checked 2 November 2026)
IRAS e-Tax Guide - GST: The Electronic Tourist Refund Scheme (eTRS), 10th edition (checked 2 November 2026)

Last checked 2 November 2026.