Home › Singapore › On a budget
Singapore on a budget: how to do it well
Short answer
Yes, if you sleep cheaply: hawker food, cheap transport and many free sights make Singapore manageable on a budget. A realistic minimum is about S$110 per person a day (S$60 bed, S$25 food, S$20 sights, S$6 transport), and dorm beds bring it lower.
A realistic daily budget
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing) | S$60 | S$130 | S$300 |
| Food & drink | S$25 | S$60 | S$150 |
| Sights & tickets | S$20 | S$60 | S$120 |
| Local transport | S$6 | S$12 | S$40 |
| Per person, per day | S$111 | S$262 | S$610 |
Approximate 2026 prices, two people sharing a room. From our Singapore day-cost table.
Free things to do
- The Supertree Grove and Garden Rhapsody light show at Gardens by the Bay (19:45 and 20:45)
- Spectra, the laser and water show on Marina Bay (around 20:00 and 21:00)
- The Singapore Botanic Gardens, a UNESCO site open from 5:00
- The Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Chinatown
- The Jewel Changi Rain Vortex, the world's tallest indoor waterfall
- The Marina Bay promenade, the Merlion and the Esplanade roof terrace
Cheap eats
- Hainanese chicken rice at Maxwell Food Centre: about S$5–6
- Char kway teow at Old Airport Road or Chinatown Complex: about S$4–7
- Roti prata with curry at Tekka Centre: about S$1.50–3 a piece
- Kaya toast set with kopi and soft-boiled eggs: about S$4–7
- Laksa in Katong or any hawker centre: about S$5–8
Where to sleep for less
Budget travellers stay in Little India and Bugis, where hostels and capsule hotels cluster near the MRT; dorm beds and capsules typically cost roughly S$30–60 a night, and budget doubles about S$120–180. Chinatown has a few more hostels within walking distance of Maxwell and Marina Bay.
Getting around cheaply
Use the MRT and buses, paying with a contactless bank card or phone (fares roughly S$1–2.50 a ride). From Changi Airport, the MRT (East-West line, change at Tanah Merah) costs only a couple of dollars to the city; taxis cost roughly S$25–40 plus surcharges. Walking is easy between Chinatown, the CBD and Marina Bay.
A sample budget day
- Morning: Buddha Tooth Relic Temple (free) and a kaya toast breakfast (about S$5)
- Lunch: chicken rice at Maxwell Food Centre (about S$6)
- Afternoon: Kampong Glam and Little India on foot (free), MRT between them (about S$2)
- Evening: Supertree Grove and Garden Rhapsody (free), dinner at Satay by the Bay or Lau Pa Sat (about S$12)
- Total: about S$25 plus your bed, about S$85–110 a day with a S$60 bed
More ways to save
- Fill your water bottle from taps and water fountains; tap water is safe.
- Pick one paid ticket per day, such as the Cloud Forest and Flower Dome or the Night Safari, and spend the rest on free sights.
- Eat breakfast at a kopitiam (coffee shop) rather than a hotel buffet.
- Use the free MRT-connected airport and city malls to escape the heat instead of paying for cafés.
- Take a bumboat to Pulau Ubin for a cheap rural day out rather than a paid tour.
- Look for hawker 'set' deals at lunch, and check each stall's day off so you do not cross town for nothing.
Some links on this page are partner links. If you book through them TonyPlan earns a small commission — the price you pay is exactly the same.
Common questions
Can I visit Singapore on a budget?
Yes, with a hostel bed, hawker food and free sights such as the Supertree Grove, the light shows and the Botanic Gardens. About S$110 a day is realistic, less in a dorm.
What is the cheapest way from Changi Airport to the city?
The MRT, which costs only a couple of dollars with a contactless card; change at Tanah Merah for the city centre.
Where do budget travellers stay?
Little India and Bugis, with hostels and capsule hotels close to the MRT.