Think Singapore is too expensive for budget travelers? Think again! While the city is known for its luxury shopping and flashy skyline, it’s absolutely possible to explore Singapore on a budget—without missing out on the best experiences!
From affordable hawker food to free attractions and clever transport hacks, you can enjoy everything this incredible city has to offer without blowing your savings.
In this guide, we’ll share 13 expert tips to help you do Singapore on the cheap—so you can stretch your dollars and still have the trip of a lifetime! (And if you stick around till the end, we’ve included a bonus secret hack that not many visitors know about!)
Let’s dive right in…
13 Ways to Save Money on a Trip to Singapore
#1 | Use Public Transport
One of the things we love the most about Singapore is its fast, efficient, clean, and affordable public transport system. And if you’re visiting Singapore on a budget, then the pubic transport system is 100% the best way to get around.
The MRT (Mass Rapid Transport) is Singapore’s main train/subway system. It covers the majority of Singapore city/island and trains generally run between 2-5 minutes apart during the day. There are also buses, shuttles, monorails and other forms of public transport available where there is no MRT, however the MRT network is constantly expanding with new routes and stations opening regularly.
Singapore is also a very walkable city, but there are a number of attractions which are not within walking distance from one another, and this is where the MRT comes in handy. Most attractions in Singapore are a short MRT ride away from anywhere you will be staying.
Single trip tickets on the MRT (metro) cost between S$0.80 to S$3 for adults or you can purchase a Singapore Tourist Pass at most MRT stations which offers unlimited rides on Singapore’s public transport networks within a set period (1, 2, or 3 days). Alternatively, an EZ-Link Card is a Pay-As-You-Go public transport card that you can top-up at any MRT station.
#2 | Take the Train from the Airport to the City
When most visitors arrive at Singapore airport, their first instinct is to jump into a taxi and ask the driver to take them to their hotel. Most hotels are located around Singapore city, which is about a 20-30 minute drive from the airport, so a taxi will cost around S$20-40(or more during peak periods).
However, as we mentioned, Singapore has a very cheap and efficient public transport system and there is usually an MRT station located near most hotels in the city. A ride on the MRT from Singapore airport to the city costs around S$3, which is a massive saving!
#3 | Eat at Hawker Centres
Singapore is a food lover’s paradise, and no trip would be complete without exploring the local culinary scene. It has to be said however, that restaurants in Singapore are astoundingly expensive. Hawker Centres on the other hand, are cheap as chips (and they’re clean too!).
A meal at a Hawker Centre will set you back around S$3 to S$8 which is far cheaper than you’ll find and any restaurant or cafe.
But when it comes to food in Singapore, skimping on cost doesn’t necessarily mean skimping on flavour! Some of the best Singaporean dishes to try, including Michelin-recommended specialities, can be found at Singapore’s famed Hawker Centres.
Check out Maxwell Hawker Centre, Tekka Centre, or Tiong Bahru Market for some of the best hawker dishes in town!
#4 | Enjoy a Fancy Lunch Instead of a Fancy Dinner
As mentioned earlier, dining at a restaurant in Singapore will set you back a small fortune. But if you’re set on experiencing one of the Singapore’s fine dining or Michelin-starred establishments, then we recommend making a booking for lunch instead of dinner.
It’s not uncommon to find restaurants that charge upwards of S$250 for an evening meal, offering a similar experience for S$100 at lunchtime. The lunch menu is usually slightly paired back – generally offering 5-7 courses instead of 9-12 courses, but who really needs 12 courses anyway?
Some of our favourite restaurants that offer a reduced-cost lunch menu include The Tippling Club, ATLAS, SKAI, NAE:UM, and Lolla.
#5 | Take Advantage of Happy Hour
Singapore has many trendy bars. But the cost of a night out at these places can really add up, as some charge upwards of S$20 for a drink! If you’re looking to save some coin but still enjoy a few afternoon drinks, you’ll be happy to known that many of the bars around Clarke Quay and Boat Quay offer great Happy Hour deals where you can get discounted or 2-for-1 drinks. And your drink will even come with an amazing view over the river or Marina Bay.
#6 | Explore Singapore’s Free Attractions
If you’re travelling on a budget, then you’re in luck, because Singapore honestly has some of the best free attractions of any city in the world (in our opinion). There are loads of parks, gardens, temples, and monuments that you can see for free (or very cheap) in Singapore.
Here is a list of our favourite free things to do in Singapore:
- Mount Faber Park & Henderson Waves
- Gardens by the Bay (some attractions require payment, but it’s free to enter and explore the Supertree Grove and other parts of Gardens by the Bay).
- Merlion Statue
- Sentosa Island Beaches
- Fort Canning Park
- Har Paw Villa
- Free concerts at The Esplanade
- Explore the bustling streets and heritage shophouses of Chinatown
- Explore the spice shops, gold shops and colourful streetscapes of Little India
- Explore the murals and boutique of Kampong Glam
#7 | Purchase a Singapore Go City Explorer Card
If you plan on seeing some of Singapore’s paid attractions but don’t want to pay full price, we recommend purchasing a Go City Explorer Card. This pass lets you choose 2 to 7 top attractions and visit them at your own pace over 30 days—saving you up to 45% compared to buying individual tickets.
Alternatively, the All-Inclusive Pass offers access to over 35 top attractions for a set number of days. Visit as many included attractions as you like over 2 to 7 consecutive days and save up to 50% compared to buying separate tickets.
#8 | Visit During the Off Season
July through November is considered off-season in Singapore, which means there are fewer tourists visiting the lion city. It also means that accommodation prices drop 30 per cent! That’s two very good reasons to visit during the off season.
Be advised that this time of year is also considered the rainy season. But in our opinion, the passing showers and humidity associated with the rainy season in Singapore is not all that difficult to navigate if you’re prepared. And everywhere indoors is usually air-conditioned!
Don’t forget that Singapore is located close to the equator and the temperature only varies by a few degrees year-round – meaning that it’s always hot and humid, even during the peak ‘dry’ season!
#9 | Avoid Big Events & School Holidays
The busiest time to visit Singapore usually coincides with School Holidays and large festivals or events that are held throughout the year. During these times you’ll find that hotel prices are much higher than other times of the year.
To ensure you spend less of your cash on accommodation, we recommend avoiding Chinese New Year (usually held sometime in January or February) and the Hindu Festival of Deepavali (October or November). Other events to avoid in order to save cash include the Singapore Food Festival (July), Singapore’s National Day (August 9), the Formula One Grand Prix (September) and Christmas.
#10 | Avoid Staying Around Marina Bay
Marina Bay is the main tourist hotspot of Singapore, and where most visitors want to stay because it’s close to major attractions such as the Marina Bay Sands Hotel and Gardens by the Bay. This area is crowded with expensive 5 star hotels. By avoiding staying around Marina Bay, you’ll likely save yourself a lot of money.
Instead opt to stay around Chinatown, Robertson Quay, Orchard, or Little India. These areas offer quaint boutique hotels, 5 star chain hotels without the price tag, or guesthouses that are set in heritage shophouses.
These locations also offer closer proximity to great hawker centres and more affordable dining options. Not only will you pay a lot less per night, but you’ll also get a more authentic Singaporean experience.
Also remember that most of Singapore’s neighbourhoods are well serviced by the MRT and it only takes 10-15 minutes to reach Marina Bayfront from the above mentioned locations.
Honestly the standard of accommodation in Singapore is generally quite high, even for 2 and 3 star hotels, so you can’t really go wrong!
#11 | Book Hotels Early to Take Advantage of Cheaper Rates
When it comes to booking hotels, the further in advance the booking period, the lower the nightly rate will generally be. On the flip side, the closer it comes to check-in date, the more likely that prices will be higher. This is true all destinations around the world, not just Singapore.
As a general rule of thumb, we always recommend to book as early as possible, and book a fully refundable rate (if available). This way if a sale pops up later on which will net you greater savings, you can usually cancel the original booking without charge and take advantage of the sale price.
But what about last minute deals? Yes, sometimes it is possible to find a cheap last minute rate, but we generally find that booking early is better on the hip pocket. Plus, if your original booking is fully refundable, you can always cancel it and rebook at the cheaper rate. Try to book at least 3-4 months in advance if possible.
#12 | Look for Newly Opened Hotels
When a hotel has just opened up, they usually offer great discounts to try and fill rooms quickly. This is also a good tip for booking accommodation anywhere in the world, not just in Singapore.
Recently, we managed to snag a great rate on a newly opened 5 star hotel near Chinatown in Singapore. It was located right near some great restaurants and hawker centres, and only 2 minutes walk to the closest MRT station. We paid less than S$250 per night, with breakfast included, whereas normally this hotel would have cost at least S$350 per night, or more during peak season!
#13 | Stay in hotels that offer breakfast Included
It’s easy to find hotel deals in Singapore that include breakfast as part of the room rate—especially if you book through a travel advisor. In some cases the rate including breakfast can be the same price (or cheaper) than the room-only rate. Fuel up at the breakfast buffet and you might not need to fork out for lunch!
#14 | Bonus Secret Tip – How to See the View from Marina Bay Sands for cheaper!
Because you made it all the way to the end of this article, we’ve got a bonus secret hack to share with you.
This relatively unknown trick will allow you to see the best views in Singapore for much cheaper than most people. The word is out now though so it might not be a secret for much longer!
The top floor of the Marina Bay Sands is the best place to see the best views of Singapore. Most visitors head straight to the Marina Bay Sands Sky Park Observation Deck, however, this will set you back around S$35 per person, just to see the view!
To see the same view for must cheaper, head to LAVO Restaurant (Tower 1) in the mid-morning or mid-afternoon. Let them know you don’t have a reservation but want to have a drink at the bar. Order the cheapest drink on the menu (a soft drink costs S$8, a beer or mocktail costs S$15, or a cocktail starts at S$22), then head out and find a table on the deck and enjoy the view!
Expert Tip: If you try this trick during lunch or dinner sitting times, you most likely won’t get a table outside, so try it during non-peak times.