Living in Singapore · Culture & customs · 6 min
Etiquette in Singapore: written and unwritten rules
Singapore has written and unwritten rules that surprise newcomers from Mexico. The ones worth knowing in the first week, and the ones that cost a fine.
Updated Sep 24, 2026
Singapore has a reputation for being strict, and in part it is, but most of its rules have a clear logic behind them: a small, very densely populated country where public order is carefully maintained.
Rules that are written down (and enforced)
What can get you fined
- Eating or drinking inside the MRT is prohibited under Regulation 14 of the Rapid Transit Systems Regulations. There is no automatic fixed amount, but it can lead to a fine. Wait until you reach the station or the street.
- Since 23 September 2026, eating or drinking is also prohibited on buses. The same logic applies: wait until you get off.
- Non-therapeutic chewing gum cannot be imported, sold or distributed in Singapore since 1992, according to Singapore Customs. Chewing it is not banned as such, but carrying a large quantity can cost you a significant fine.
- Littering, even a cigarette butt or a wrapper, can carry a composition fine on a first offence or higher amounts if the case goes to court, under the NEA and the Environmental Public Health Act.
- There is zero tolerance for drugs, even small amounts for personal use. The laws are among the strictest in the world. See the Central Narcotics Bureau for the legal framework.
Queueing is not optional
The queue is respected almost religiously, from the lift to the hawker centre. Cutting in, even "just to ask something," draws a strong reaction. On escalators, anyone not walking stands on the left, leaving the right side clear for people in a hurry. A local custom, not a written law.
Voice volume and personal space
Talking loudly in public (on the MRT, in a restaurant, on the phone) stands out more in Singapore than in Mexico, where social volume tends to run higher. It is not a written rule, but keeping your voice down in enclosed spaces and on public transport avoids stares.
Punctuality: expected, not negotiable
Arriving late to a work meeting, even by ten minutes, is read as a lack of seriousness, quite different from the schedule flexibility common in Mexico. Socially there is a bit more room, but it is worth giving notice if you will be late.
On politics and religion
Singapore is multicultural and multi-religious by design, and comments that could sound mocking about religion, ethnicity or politics tend to have consequences, including legally, under the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act. Better to keep those conversations private and tactful.
Take the next step
Connect this reading with a community space, an activity or membership.
