Singapore Dollar to Australian Dollar exchange rates aren't all the same.
The total cost you are charged by your bank or foreign exchange provider consists of a margin from the interbank mid-rate plus fees.
These margins and fees vary significantly for International Money Transfers and Travel Money transactions as shown below.
This resource page for the Singapore Dollar to Australian Dollar exchange rate, has news,
forecasts and
SGD to AUD comparison tables for
foreign transfers and
travel money
rates and fees on offer by banks and foreign exchange providers. You can also check an exchange rate margin with
our Exchange Rate Checker.
SGD/AUD Exchange Rates - How to Compare & Save
Exchange rates can vary significantly depending on the transaction type (transfer, cash or card), currency pair and amount. The below table shows an example of total costs charged by FX specialists and banks for SGD/AUD International Money Transfers. Costs are calculated against the current interbank mid-rate.
When determining the best time to make a foreign exchange transaction, in this case the SGD vs AUD, you should pay attention to the recent market trends for both currencies.
Singapore Dollar (SGD)
Singapore was added to a US watchlist of suspected currency manipulators in May. Though that means little right now in terms of economic implications, it created some negative sentiment that spurred a rise in USD/SGD to a 6-month high (SGD low) of S$1.384.
Overall, it’s been a mixed 2019 for the Singapore dollar, with small gains (<2 percent) against the euro and Australian dollar, but small losses against the US dollar and pound.
In May, SGD was pressured by data showing core inflation at a 1-year low, by an escalation in US-China trade tensions, and after Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry downgraded 2019 growth forecasts. At 1.2 percent, quarterly growth in the Lion City has slowed to its lowest level in a decade.
All said, the Monetary Authority of Singapore will, at best, keep monetary policy unchanged when it next meets in October (there's a chance it could turn dovish).
In late May the Australian dollar stabilized after a shocking mid-April to mid-May period, during which it suffered across-the-board losses, including losses worth 5 percent against the US dollar. May’s closing exchange rate of US69.3¢ keeps the Aussie near long-term lows, but it’s an improvement on May-17's rate of 68.7¢ — its lowest weekly closing rate since early 2016.
A stuttering domestic economy and elevated US-China trade tensions (which threaten commodities demand and risk appetite) have driven the Aussie lower.
In an effort to support economic growth and boost inflation, which remains well below target, Australia's central bank cut interest rates in early June, and is expected to do so at least once more this year, making the Australian dollar susceptible to yield-chasing capital outflows.
Why can't I just get the SGD/AUD market rate I see online or in the media?
The mid-rate is the rate you will see quoted online or the news. It is actually just the half-way point (hence mid-rate) between
the last rate at which the SGD / AUD was traded (bought or sold) in the international markets.
All foreign exchange providers charge a fee for providing their service and this fee is usually contained within the exchange rate margin (or difference to the mid-rate).
Some providers such as Transferwise will quote you the mid-rate (or close to) and charge a separate percentage fee.
Getting a good market rate is mainly about timing however the transaction margin
you end up being charged can be considerably reduced by around a few percent (of total amount being exchanged) for
travel money and possibly over 5% to 6% when sending money.
The exact potential savings depends on the currencies being exchanged and the amount you are transferring and if you are willing to shop around.
