The Singapore dollar is currently the strongest it’s ever been against other currencies in the region and beyond and shows no signs of slowing. Earlier this July, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced it would allow the Singapore dollar to appreciate “very slightly” against several overseas currencies. With less than three months left before your year-end holiday plans, this is a good time to consider destinations where the currencies are significantly weaker.
For this list, we won’t focus only on countries where the currency has weakened against the Singapore dollar over the past 12 months, but also on how much the Singapore dollar has strengthened over the past 5 years. Based on these two factors, popular travel destinations like Australia, the UK, the US and Europe did not make the cut.
#1 Japan
| Exchange Rate | 1 Year Ago Against JPY | 5 Years Ago Against JPY |
| 1 SGD = 123.20 JPY | SGD up by 7.18% | SGD up by 51.21% |
Japan has always been a popular travel destination for Singaporeans. Reasons range from its excellent food quality to its picturesque cultural and historical landmarks, and its long dominance in pop culture. But the favourable currency exchange rate will likely drive travellers in 2026.
The Japanese yen remains one of the weakest major currencies against the Singapore dollar. Even after a joint intervention by Japan and the US to support the struggling currency on July 31, the yen continued to weaken against the Singapore dollar.
Just a day ago, the yen strengthened sharply again as expectations of a Bank of Japan rate hike grew. However, despite this, the Singapore dollar has still strengthened by 7.18% against the yen over the past 12 months.
Over five years, the Singapore dollar has strengthened 51.21% against the Japanese yen since 2021.
Read Also: Why Singaporeans Love The Countries They Visit (More) Because They Are On Holiday
#2 Indonesia
| Exchange Rate | 1 Year Ago Against IDR | 5 Years Ago Against IDR |
| 1 SGD = 13,903 IDR | SGD up by 8.78% | SGD up by 30.84% |
As one of the world’s largest countries, Indonesia offers a multitude of possibilities. Each of the islands of Bali, Bintan or Batam offers a unique experience, while other destinations include the iconic temples of Borobudur just outside the city of Yogyakarta.
The Indonesian rupiah has continued to weaken against the Singapore dollar, which has strengthened by 8.78% over the past 12 months.
Over the past five years, the Singapore dollar has appreciated by 30.84% against the Indonesian rupiah. This means if you have yet to take advantage of the excellent exchange rate so far, there’s no better time to do it than now.
Read Also: 4 Countries Within Asia Where Singaporeans Can Apply For A Digital Nomad Visa For An Extended Stay
#3 New Zealand
| Exchange Rate | 1 Year Ago Against NZD | 5 Years Ago Against NZD |
| 1 SGD = 1.3415 NZD | SGD up by 1.63% | SGD up by 28.90% |
Whether you want to visit New Zealand to do a whale-watching cruise in Kaikoura, or relax in one of the many geothermal hot springs, or simply indulge in your fandom at the Hobbiton and Lord of the Rings movie set tour, there’s much to do in the Land of the Long White Cloud.
Despite a relatively volatile currency exchange this year, the Singapore dollar has still strengthened by 1.63% against the New Zealand dollar over the past 12 months.
More importantly, the Singapore dollar has steadily strengthened by 28.90% against the New Zealand dollar over the past 5 years. This means accommodation, domestic flights, and car rentals all represent much better value in Singapore dollar terms than ever before.
Read Also: 12 Countries That Impose A Tourist Tax When You Visit (And Why They Do It)
#4 South Korea
| Exchange Rate | 1 Year Ago Against KRW | 5 Years Ago Against KRW |
| 1 SGD = 1070.7 KRW | SGD down by 0.76% | SGD up by 24.43% |
The Korean semiconductor industry is booming thanks to the rapid growth of artificial intelligence, and its currency’s recovery reflects that. Since June this year, the Korean won has strengthened steadily against the Singapore dollar and shows no signs of stopping.
So why is South Korea on this list? Because over the past 5 years, the Singapore dollar has still strengthened by 24.43% against the Korean won. This means that despite the recent turnaround, the Singapore dollar still offers good value for money on your South Korean holiday.
This may be the last year to do so before the currency once again trades below its historical 1 Singapore dollar to 1,000 Korean won level.
Read Also: What MAS Tightening The Singapore Dollar Means For The SGD & Your 2026 Holiday Budget
#5 Thailand
| Exchange Rate | 1 Year Ago Against THB | 5 Years Ago Against THB |
| 1 SGD = 25.976 THB | SGD up by 3.83% | SGD up by 6.64% |
Although the exchange rate may not be as favourable as the other currencies in this list, it still reflects how the Singapore dollar has strengthened steadily against the Thai baht over the past 12 months.
Thailand’s recent move to reduce visa-free stays for Singaporeans and visitors from other countries from 60 days to 30 days should not affect travel plans much.
And while we’re not at the record-high exchange rates we saw in 2022 and 2024, the Singapore dollar has still strengthened 6.64% against the Thai baht over the past 5 years.
Read Also: Guide To Getting Around Bangkok Using The BTS Skytrain And MRT Systems
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