Shipping to Singapore: What You Need To Know

Whether you’re moving to Singapore or just looking to ship a few parcels, we can help you find the best shipping deals from the US, UK, Australia, Canada, France, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Philippines and most other countries around the world.

You can get started by using the free quote form above.

Shipping to Singapore From The US

Container Shipping Costs From Los Angeles

• 20ft Container: $750 – $830
• 40ft Container: $1,120 – $1,235

Container Shipping Costs From New York

• 20ft Container: $975 – $1,080
• 40ft Container: $1,460 – $1,610

Parcel Shipping Costs

• First 0.5kg: $11.80+
• Each additional 0.5kg: $3.25+

Source: comGateway

Shipping Times

• Air: 1-3 days
• Sea: Around 1 month

Shipping to Singapore From The UK

Container Shipping Costs From London

• 20ft Container: £895 – £1,000
• 40ft Container: £1,340 – £1,480

Parcel Shipping Costs

• Up to 1 kg: £20.12+
• Up to 20kg: £87.31+

Source: Transglobal Express

Shipping Times

• Air: 1-3 days
• Sea: Around 1 month

Shipping to Singapore From Australia

Container Shipping Costs From Sydney

• 20ft Container: $980 – $1,080 AUD
• 40ft Container: $1,470 – $1,620 AUD

Parcel Shipping Costs

• Small satchel (Up to 500g): $22.26+
• Box (Up to 5kg): $81.73+

Source: Australia Post

Shipping Times

• Air: 1-3 days
• Sea: Around 20 days

Shipping to Singapore From Canada

Container Shipping Costs From Montreal

• 20ft Container: $1,640 – $1,800 CAD
• 40ft Container: $2,440 – $2,700 CAD

Container Shipping Costs From Vancouver

• 20ft Container: $990 – $1,100 CAD
• 40ft Container: $1,480 – $1,630 CAD

Parcel Shipping Costs

• 1kg: $20.29 – $105.44+
• 10kg: $139.85 – $412.93+

Source: Canada Post

Shipping Times

• Air: 1-3 days
• Sea: Around 1 month

Shipping to Singapore From France

Container Shipping Costs From Marseilles

• 20ft Container: €740 – €820
• 40ft Container: €1,100 – €1,220

Shipping Times

• Air: 1-3 days
• Sea: Around 1 month

Shipping to Singapore From Hong Kong

Container Shipping Costs

• 20ft Container: $1,820 – $2,010 HKD
• 40ft Container: $1,860 – $2,060 HKD

Shipping Times

• Air: 1-2 days
• Sea: Around 12 days

Shipping to Singapore From New Zealand

Container Shipping Costs From Auckland

• 20ft Container: $1,860 – $2,050 NZD
• 40ft Container: $2,775 – $3,070 NZD

Shipping Times

• Air: 1-3 days
• Sea: Around 23 days

Shipping to Singapore From the Philippines

Container Shipping Costs From Manila

• 20ft Container: ₱18,300 – ₱20,255
• 40ft Container: ₱27,350 – ₱30,230

Shipping Times

• Air: 1-3 days
• Sea: Around 12 days

Container shipping cost data is based sending your goods by seas and comes from our international container shipping rates page and WorldFreightRates.com, Air shipping times come from UPS Time & Cost Calculator, and Sea shipping times come from SeaRates.com.

Singapore Import Duties & Taxes

If shipping household goods and personal effects to Singapore you will be subject to Goods and Services Tax (GST) of 7% on items worth more than 400 SGD. However, you can apply for relief so long as the following applies:

GST relief may be granted on imports of used household articles and personal effects to:

Singaporeans and Permanent Residents of Singapore (PRs) residing overseas and returning to resume residence in Singapore
Foreigners transferring residence or migrating to Singapore

The GST relief is subject to the following conditions:

That such person satisfies Customs that:

• He is changing his place of residence to Singapore;
• He is the owner of the articles, personal effects and personal pet imported;
• The articles and personal effects have been in his possession and used for at least 3 months; and
• The articles and personal effects are imported through air or sea.
• The articles, personal effects and personal pets are imported within 6 months of his first arrival in Singapore.
• An undertaking is provided not to dispose the articles and personal effects within 3 months from the date of import.

For returning Singaporeans and PRs, they must have resided in a foreign country for more than 6 months to qualify for this GST relief.

Source: Singapore Customs

Please note that there are there are 4 categories of dutiable goods (which are not eligible for GST relief):

• Intoxicating liquors: Based on one of the two formulas: Duties payable = Total quantity in litres x Customs and/or excise duty rate x Percentage of alcoholic strength or Duties payable = Total dutiable quantity in kilogrammes x Customs duty rate.
• Tobacco products – Cigarettes: Duties payable = Total number of sticks x Weight of individual sticks (every gramme or part thereof) x Excise duty rate – all other tobacco products: Duties payable = Total weight (in kilogrammes) x Excise duty rate
• Cars and Motor vehicles – Duties payable = Customs value x Excise duty rate; for passenger and classic cars the excise duty rate is 20% and for motorcycles and scooters the excise duty rate is 12%.
• Petroleum products and biodiesel blends – Petroleum products: Duties payable = Total volume x Excise duty rate, Compressed natural gas (Cng): Duties payable = Total weight x Excise duty rate, Biodiesel blend Duties payable = Volume of diesel x Excise duty rate.

For full details see Singapore Customs Import Procedures here.

Restricted Items in Singapore

The following items are listed as being prohibited and/or controlled by Singapore Customs (see website for full details):

• Chewing gum (except approved oral dental and medicated gum by the Health Sciences Authority)
• Chewing tobacco and imitation tobacco products (for example, electronic cigarettes)
• Shisha
• Smokeless cigars, smokeless cigarillos or smokeless cigarettes
• Dissolvable tobacco or nicotine
• Any product containing nicotine or tobacco that may be used topically for application, by implant or injected into any parts of the body.
• Any solution or substance, of which tobacco or nicotine is a constituent, that is intended to be used with an electronic nicotine delivery system or vaporizers.
• Nasal snuff (with effect from 1 August 2016)
• Oral snuff (with effect from 1 August 2016)
• Gutkha, khaini and zarda (with effect from 1 August 2016)
• Cigarette lighters of pistol or revolver shape

Contr

• olled drugs and psychotropic substances
• Endangered species of wildlife and their by-products
• Firecrackers
• Obscene articles, publications and video tapes/discs
• Reproduction of copyright publications, software, video tapes, video compact discs, laser discs, records or cassettes
• Seditious and treasonable materials

If you’re unsure about any other item, please check with them before shipping your goods.

Other Useful Guides to Singapore

• 2024 Sea Freight Container Shipping Rates To & From Singapore
• 22 Best International Moving Companies in Singapore
• Shipping to Singapore: What You Need To Know
• Moving to Singapore? 2024 Living Costs & Relocation Tips
• 12 Best Places To Live In Singapore
• 21 Secrets About Living In Singapore To Know Before Moving
• Moving to Singapore from the United States