| 💰 Trip Cost | Expensive |
|---|---|
| 💵 Typical Budget | $70-$130/day |
| 🍀 My Budget | $122/day |
| ✈️ Trip Total | $630 |
| 🗓️ Trip Length | 3 days |
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Is Singapore Affordable To Travel To?
Singapore is an expensive destination worldwide and ranks as one of the most expensive destinations in Asia.
- Singapore has a high cost of living, with high taxes and import taxes.
- It’s a small country with limited land, leading to high hotel and rental costs.
- While the country has cheap dining options like hawker stalls, it also offers many high-end options.
- It has world-class infrastructure and attractions, leading to high entry fees.
For comparison, here’s my daily budget for destinations in Asia:
| Destination | My Budget |
|---|---|
| 🇯🇵 Japan | $145 |
| 🇰🇭 Cambodia | $123* |
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | $122 |
| 🇹🇼 Taiwan | $102 |
| 🇻🇳 Vietnam | $89 |
| 🇹🇭 Thailand | $77 |
*My Cambodia daily budget is high because I splurged on accommodation.
See all my daily budgets.
About My Trip
To give context to the expenses below, here’s what you need to know about my trip:
- I spent 3 days in Singapore, which gave me enough time to see some of the top attractions and go on a day-long biking trip.
- My trip was in November, during the start of the high season, when things are more expensive.
- I traveled with another person, which allowed us to split costs like housing.
- I’m a mid-range budget traveler. I don’t aim to travel on a budget, but I’m intentional about my spending.
- I finance my trips and don’t receive sponsorship.
- All expenses are per person and in US dollars, converted from the Singapore dollar.
The exchange rate was $1 USD = S$1.35 at the time of writing.
Total Cost
- $630
- $367
- $122
A mid-range budget traveler can expect to spend about $140 per day in Singapore. This budget generally means:
- Staying at accommodations that cost about $60 per night
- Eating at a mix of hawker stalls and high-end establishments
- Getting around by the country’s excellent public transportation
- paying entrance fees for popular attractions.
Budget Breakdown
Here’s a breakdown of my expenses by travel category:
| Category | Cost | % of Total | Daily Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| ✈️ Flights | $263 | 42% | – |
| 🏠 Accommodation | $159 | 25% | $53 |
| 🍛 Food | $156 | 25% | $52 |
| 🚇 Transportation | $19 | 3% | $6 |
| ⭐ Entertainment | $34 | 5% | $11 |
| Total | $630 | 100% | $122 |
Flight Cost
- $43 (I usually take round-trip flights from the United States, but I flew into Singapore from Malaysia)
- $220 (from Singapore to Taiwan)
A round-trip flight between the US and Singapore costing under $800 is considered cheap, as international flights typically cost over $900.
Accommodation Cost
- $159
- $53
I stayed at a hotel near Little India that was a conveniently short walking distance to the Farrer Park metro station.
My accommodation budgeting tips:
- Consider staying in cheaper neighborhoods – Little India, where I stayed, has more affordable options. It’s also well-connected to Singapore’s public transportation, which is why I chose to stay there.
- The cheapest options start at $25 a night – For the most affordable option, stay at a dorm-style hostel for about $25 a night. For more privacy, a private room at a capsule hotel typically costs about $35 a night.
- Luxury accommodations have some lower-cost rooms – Luxury hotels, like the famous Marina Bay Sands featured in Crazy Rich Asians, can cost more than $2,000 per night, but some rooms go for as low as $525 during the low season.
Food Cost
- $156
- $52
My most affordable meals:
| Meal | Location | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Kaya toast and kopi | Killiney Kopitiam | $4.50 |
| Several dishes | Old Airport Road Hawker Center | $5 |
| Hainanese chicken rice | Aperia Mall food stall | $9 |
My most expensive meals:
| Meal | Location | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Chili crab | JUMBO Seafood | $60 |
| Nasi lemak | The Coconut Club | $18 |
| Soup and vegetable dishes | Song Fa Bak Kut Teh | $18 |
My food budgeting tips:
- Eat at hawker centers – The most affordable meals in Singapore are in the hawker centers (e.g., Tiong Bahru, Old Airport Road, East Coast Lagoon Food Village). You can get authentic Singaporean meals for less than $5 there.
- Don’t buy bottled water – Tap water is safe to drink in Singapore, as it meets WHO guidelines for water quality. Bring a reusable water bottle to avoid having to buy bottled water.
Transportation Cost
- $19
- $6
The transportation I used:
| Transportation | Total Cost |
|---|---|
| Grab ride (Airport → accommodation) | $8 |
| Grab ride (Singapore’s east side) | $6 |
| The MRT & bus rides | $5 |
My transportation budgeting tips:
- Take Singapore’s public transit – The public transportation is well-maintained. If you’re staying for an extended period, consider getting an EZ-Link card, a rechargeable card you can use at metro stations, convenience stores, and other businesses.
Entertainment Cost
- $34
- $11
The activities/attractions I did:
My entertainment budgeting tips:
- Visit the many free attractions – It’s easy to rack up an immense entertainment budget in Singapore because many attractions have an entrance fee. You can save money by taking advantage of its free attractions, gardens, and outdoor areas, such as:
- Singapore Botanic Garden – The garden has no entrance fee and is more like a large park you can walk through. I spent more than an hour walking through it.
- Changi Airport – Singapore’s airport is considered one of the best airports in the world. The stunning airport has several worthwhile attractions, such as the Jewel.
- East Coast Park – This free park is next to sandy, accessible beaches. You can bike around it.
- Sentosa Island – This nearby island offers free entertainment and attractions, such as beaches, hikes, and a skywalk.
- Admire attractions from the outside – You can see large parts of the famous Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands without paying.
See my ratings for Singapore’s experiences.
Do You Need Cash?
- Singapore has an excellent credit card infrastructure, so you’ll only need to carry a bit of cash.
My tips on using cash:
- The Singapore dollar is the primary currency used in Singapore, and the USD is not widely accepted.
- Carry $10-$15 worth of cash per day. You’ll mainly need cash to eat at the hawker stalls and buy small souvenirs.
- Tipping is optional in Singapore (it’s appreciated but not obligatory).
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