The Fernshore Index
The factors retirees look at first.
Each grade is against a published measure, with its source and the date we checked it. It is research information, not advice. Where we have no figure, the row says Unknown.
Retirement
15 of 100Weak
Weak: no residence route for people living on a pension or passive income on the immigration pages read; the investor route is for business owners and family offices.
Source: Becoming a Permanent Resident; Becoming a Long-Term Visit Pass Holder; Global Investor Programme (GIP) factsheet. Checked 15 October 2026.
Healthcare
92 of 100Strong
WHO UHC service coverage index 88 (2023).
Source: UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1). Checked 15 October 2026.
Cost of living
53 of 100Mixed
Price level 0.605 of United States prices (2025).
Source: Price level index (GDP), Singapore. Checked 15 October 2026.
Safety
75 of 100Strong
Global Peace Index 2026: 8th of 163.
Source: Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank. Checked 15 October 2026.
Community
67 of 100Strong
Expat Insider 2026 Ease of Settling In: 12th of 31.
Source: Expat Insider 2026: Ease of Settling In. Checked 15 October 2026.
Climate
0 of 100Weak
Singapore, using Changi station: every month has an average daily high above 30 °C (the coolest, December, is 30.5 °C), so 0 comfortable months a year.
Source: Climate of Singapore: climate station means 1991–2020, Changi. Checked 15 October 2026.
Visa, United States passport
Unknown
Research for United States passports is being checked
Visa, Canada passport
Unknown
Research for Canada passports is being checked
Visa, Australia passport
Unknown
Research for Australia passports is being checked
Visa, New Zealand passport
Unknown
Research for New Zealand passports is being checked
The country
The rest of the research on Singapore.
The country page grades every factor, with its sources.
SingaporeQuestions from retirees about Singapore.
Which Singapore residence routes could a retiree look at?
None of the routes on ICA's pages is built for retirees. Permanent residence lists family of citizens or residents, Employment Pass and S Pass holders, students and investors. The Long-Term Visit Pass lists family and a few other groups. We found no route for living on a pension or passive income.
Can a retiree come to Singapore as the parent of a citizen or resident?
A parent of a Singapore citizen or permanent resident can apply for a Long-Term Visit Pass, but parents-in-law are not eligible. A child aged 21 or over sponsors through Singpass, and ICA weighs family ties, age and contribution to Singapore. Approval is not assured.
What does healthcare cost a retiree, and what insurance applies?
MediShield Life is for citizens and permanent residents, and US Medicare usually does not cover care abroad. Non-residents paid S$83.71 for a polyclinic consultation (plus an S$85 deposit) and S$154.17 to S$288.78 for a Singapore General Hospital specialist. Private cover prices are unknown.
How is a pension taxed in Singapore?
IRAS taxes a non-resident's pension at 24%, and a tax resident at 0% on the first S$20,000 rising to 24%. It also says overseas income received in Singapore is generally not taxable. How that applies to a foreign pension is not covered here; ask IRAS or an adviser.
What do rents, heat and safety look like for a retiree in Singapore?
Eight one-bedroom adverts seen on 15 October 2026 asked S$3,800 to S$4,600 a month, and private homes can only be let for three months or more. The average daily high is above 30 °C in every month. The Global Peace Index 2026 ranks Singapore 8th of 163.
Sources
Where each figure comes from.
Every figure on this page links to the page we read, with the date we checked it.
- [R1] Becoming a Permanent Resident, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, Singapore. Checked 15 October 2026. Lists who may apply: spouses, children and parents of citizens or permanent residents, Employment Pass and S Pass holders, students, and foreign investors (through the Global Investor Programme). No category for retirees or people living on a pension or passive income.
- [R2] Becoming a Long-Term Visit Pass Holder, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority, Singapore. Checked 15 October 2026. Lists who may apply: spouses, children and parents of citizens or permanent residents, graduates seeking work, family of students and others, all tied to a sponsor. No category for retirees or people living on a pension or passive income.
- [E1] Global Investor Programme (GIP) factsheet, Economic Development Board (Contact Singapore), Singapore. Checked 15 October 2026. Factsheet updated 5 May 2025, linked from the page (last updated 15 October 2026). Permanent residence for established business owners (company turnover of at least S$200 million), founders of fast-growth companies and family office principals (net investible assets of at least S$200 million), with an investment of S$10 million, S$25 million or a family office. Not a route for living on a pension or passive income.
- [H1] UHC service coverage index (SDG 3.8.1), World Health Organization. Checked 15 October 2026. Singapore: 88 out of 100 (2023).
- [C1] Price level index (GDP), Singapore, World Bank. Checked 15 October 2026. 2025: 60.49 (United States = 100), read from the World Bank API on 15 October 2026.
- [S1] Global Peace Index 2026, overall rank, Institute for Economics and Peace. Checked 15 October 2026. Singapore ranks 8th of 163 countries.
- [Q1] Expat Insider 2026: Ease of Settling In, InterNations (Expat Insider survey, private). Checked 15 October 2026. Singapore ranks 12th of 31 countries (read from the page's full ranking graphic).
- [W1] Climate of Singapore: climate station means 1991–2020, Changi, Meteorological Service Singapore (National Environment Agency). Checked 15 October 2026. Page last modified 21 August 2024; table 'Records of Climate Station Means (Climatological Reference Period: 1991-2020)' from Changi Climate Station, on the east of the island and used for the whole country. Mean daily maximum 30.5 to 32.4 °C; monthly rainfall 105.1 to 331.9 mm. Singapore is not in the WMO normals archive that Thailand's files use.