Public healthcare is subsidised by a government fund available to citizens and public residents. In order to qualify for these services, citizens and public residents need to sign up to an approved health insurer or a medical care plan called MediShield Life.

However, expats and other immigrants or short-term visitors are not eligible for MediShield or other government funded plans. Instead, you’ll need international health insurance in Singapore to cover any potentially expensive healthcare costs.

Find out what it’s like to live in Singapore

Pros

The local health system offers a range of potential benefits:

• Simple - most simple medical appointments aren’t too expensive.
• Expert – staff in public hospitals are expertly trained and typically speak good English, enabling them to provide excellent care to expats.
• Fast – short waiting times for appointments.

Cons

But it’s also useful to consider the potential drawbacks:

• Availability – you may not qualify for MediShield Life and so can’t access the government-funded local health system.
• High treatment cost - medical costs can quickly increase if you need further appointments, tests or surgery.