Singapore consistently ranks among the most expensive cities in the world. However, if done right, it is still possible to explore the city on a budget. This guide will give you the most important tips on how to travel Singapore on a budget!
Food & Drink
Food and drinks (specifically alcoholic beverages) are not cheap in Singapore. An average restaurant visit easily costs upwards of 20 USD per person. Hence, if you eat out three times a day this will quickly amount to quite a significant amount over the course of your stay. It is also important to note that there are barely any supermarkets throughout the city, which I found quite surprising. So cooking your own meals (even if you’re staying at a hostel with a kitchen) is not a convenient solution. Fortunately there are some other tips that can help you:
1 GET FOOD AT 7-eleven
7-Eleven is a convenience store that you will find at LITERALLY every corner that you turn. While the stores are very small, they still hold a surprisingly large selection of items. If you’re looking for a super healthy meal, you might not find anything to your satisfaction. However, if convenience and affordability are high on your priority list this is a good alternative for you. They have plenty of noodle soups (with hot water in the store so you can immediately prepare it!), some pre-made sushi and multiple different Onigiris (sushi triangles). And of course, an abundance of snacks… At 7-Eleven, you should easily be able to find a meal under 5 SGD. Since you’ll find these stores almost anywhere you will still most likely have a first class view accompanying your budget meal 🙂
2 HAVE breakfast at breadtalk
We were OBSESSED with this bakery! Unlike 7-eleven, bread talk is actually a Singaporean bakery chain. So in a way, you could count eating there as eating local. The bakery has many many many different types of breads, pastries and small cakes. Especially for breakfast this is one of the best options out there. A meal should not cost you more than 5 SGD (incl. a hot beverage).
3 avoid restaurants in the cbd or the marina
As in any city, restaurants and bars near major attractions are usually highly overpriced. Therefore, if you are on a budget, you should definitely avoid eating in the most touristy areas such as the Marina Bay, CBD Clarke Quay and Boat Quay. You will find a much better value for money in some other areas such as the Arab Quarter or Chinatown.
4 eat at hawker centerS
Hawker Centers basically follow a similar concept as Street Food Markets. They are covered market areas with a huge number of food stalls. There are so many options that you’ll have difficulties choosing what to eat! There are both sweet and savory options, fresh smoothies, and all possible cuisines. If you want to have a hearty meal for super cheap AND experience local culture, this is your best bet! We went to Lau Pa Sat, which is conveniently located in the CBD. You can find out more about it here.
FREE Activities
While the city is generally very expensive, you’ll be shocked to find out that there are so many free activities that you can do while you’re there!
1 botanic gardens
The Singapore Botanic Gardens is one of only very few gardens that are considered an UNESCO World Heritage. And you get to see this work of art for free! You can easily spend several hours just wandering around and finding new flora and fauna along the way. If you look closely, there are even some turtles in some of the ponds, very cute!
2 Gardens by the bay
The ICONIC Gardens By The Bay! Yes, you heard that right – one of Singapores most known attractions is actually completely free of charge! Of course there are some elements that require an entry fee, such as the cloud castle, but the overall Gardens are open to everyone. You can spend some time wandering around the area and reading about the “Gardens” contribution to a greener city. It’s actually very fascinating 🙂
3 tree top walk
The Tree Top Walk is a loop hike that you can do at the MacRitchie Reservoir. The path will take you through dense rainforest, along small creeks to a suspension bridge among the tree canopies. Hence, the name Tree Top Walk. You’ll really get a feeling as if you’re in the middle of the rainforest far away from the hustle and bustle from the rest of the city. There are plenty of other walks as well so overall you could easily spend the whole day exploring this part of the city. You can also check out other free trails here.
4 sentosa island
If you’ve never heard of Sentosa before, then welcome to the club, because neither did I. But Sentosa island is actually the resort, amusement and beach island of Singapore! While there are a million things to do here, if you’re on a budget you can simply spend the day here and enjoy a swim or a walk along the beach. Don’t forget to visit the “Southernmost point of continental Asia”, which is also located on the island. Side note: Singapore is known for its tropical climate, so don’t be surprised if your beach day gets interrupted by some warm rain showers here and there. Consider it part of the experience 😉
5 southern ridges
The Southern Ridges is another collection of Trails along the Southern Shoreline. The trail connects three different parks and spans over 10km in total. The trail is also popular with locals, who you will see working out and running on the weekends. However, don’t worry, if you don’t feel like doing a 10km hike you can exit the trail at any point.
6 walk around the city
And last but not least, just walk around the city center and take in all the extravagant high-rises and the old temples scattered in between the new buildings. Pop into some souvenir stores, window shop, check out the museum gift shops. There is plenty to do and see without having to spend any money. You can also check out my 5 Days in Singapore Itinerary for a detailed list of things to do, many of them free!
accommodation
Accommodation wise really the only affordable option in my opinion are hostels. You’ll find affordable capsule hotels or dorm rooms in any of the major city areas. Expect to pay between 20-30 USD per night per person. Here are some budget hostel recommendations:
TRANSPORTATION
by foot
As you’ll be able to tell from all the previous sections and tips in this blog post, I’m a huge advocate for WALKING! Singapore is such a walkable city – the area is almost flat, there’s always something to see and it feels really safe (even as a female traveler, and even at night). If you plan your day right you can really see the majority of the city by foot (over a span of several days).
by mrt
Else, for the attractions that are a bit further away (e.g. Sentosa Island, Tree Top Walk, etc…) I would recommend to use the metro. You can simply tap your credit card at the metro entrance and tap off when you exit. I believe we spent under 10 dollars for our 5 day stay there, which is less that if you were to buy any of the official “Tourist Passes”.
To see our full itinerary check out my blog post here.