Is Singapore Expensive? Real Costs & Budget Tips 2025

Singapore’s Reputation vs Reality

Singapore is consistently ranked as one of the world’s most expensive cities — for residents. But for travelers, it’s more nuanced. Accommodation and some attractions are expensive, but food can be incredibly cheap if you eat at hawker centres, and transport is affordable. Here’s what things actually cost.

Accommodation Costs

• Hostel dorm: SGD 25–45/night
• Budget guesthouse: SGD 60–100/night
• Mid-range hotel: SGD 120–200/night
• Luxury hotel: SGD 300–800+/night

Singapore is small — staying anywhere central puts you within 30 minutes of everything by MRT.

Food Costs

This is where Singapore surprises budget travelers:

• Hawker centre meal: SGD 3–6 (chicken rice, laksa, char kway teow)
• Food court meal: SGD 6–10
• Casual restaurant: SGD 12–20 per person
• Nice restaurant: SGD 30–60 per person

If you eat all meals at hawker centres, you can feed yourself for SGD 15–20/day. Singapore has some of the world’s best street food — there’s no reason to eat expensively unless you want to.

Transport Costs

MRT (subway) and buses are excellent and cheap:

• MRT journey: SGD 0.92–2.50 depending on distance
• Bus journey: SGD 0.83–2.10
• Taxi: SGD 10–20 for most journeys
• Grab (ride-hailing): SGD 8–18 for most journeys

Attraction Costs

• Gardens by the Bay (conservatories): SGD 28–53
• Marina Bay Sands SkyPark: SGD 32
• Universal Studios: SGD 83
• Singapore Zoo: SGD 48
• Singapore Botanic Gardens: FREE
• Sentosa beaches: FREE
• Supertree Grove light show: FREE
• Chinatown, Little India, Arab Street: FREE

Daily Budget Estimates

Budget traveler: SGD 80–120/day — hostel dorm, hawker centre meals, free attractions, MRT transport.

Mid-range: SGD 200–350/day — budget hotel, mix of hawker and restaurants, a few paid attractions.

Comfort traveler: SGD 400+/day — nice hotel, restaurant meals, major attractions.

Budget Tips

• Eat at hawker centres for every meal if possible — Maxwell, Lau Pa Sat, Newton, Old Airport Road
• Free attractions are genuinely great — Botanic Gardens, Sentosa beach, Supertree night show, ethnic neighborhoods
• Book accommodation early — Singapore gets expensive fast when things sell out
• Use MRT — taxis and Grab add up quickly
• Happy hours — bars along Boat Quay and Clarke Quay have 5–8pm deals