– Detailed Breakdown Of Our Singapore Travel Costs –
Singapore is known as an expensive country to visit. And sure, by South East Asian standards, it does cost a bit more to travel in Singapore than, let’s say, Indonesia or even (surprisingly perhaps) Malaysia.
But, that doesn’t mean that you can’t visit Singapore on a budget. And, it definitely shouldn’t mean that you skip it on your South East Asia travel itinerary altogether!
Singapore is a small but beautiful country. In many ways, it’s quite different than most of its neighbours – Modern, highly organised and clean, as well as super safe to travel in!
But, how expensive is Singapore to visit?
Below, you’ll find our exact cost breakdown for how much money we spent during our week in Singapore
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Overview
- Our Singapore travel costs outlined below are quoted in both Singapore Dollars (S$) and Euro (€)
- At the time of travel, S$1 = €0.65 / €1 = S$1.54
- If you’re looking for other currencies, I always use XE.com for current exchange rates
- My husband and I travel as a couple
- Since you’re sharing the cost of things like accommodation and taxis, this can mean slightly cheaper prices at times
- Most of our travel costs below are shown as a total for us as a couple
- Where appropriate, total costs are split by 7 days or 8 nights to get the per day/night price
Our Singapore Travel Costs At A Glance
- Total Singapore travel costs for one week (7 days / 8 nights) as a couple = S$1419.48 / €921.74
- Average cost per day as a couple = S$190.81 / €123.90
- Average cost per person per day = S$95.40 / €61.95
Our Singapore Travel Costs – 7 Days / 8 Nights
The Cost Of Accommodation In Singapore
Accommodation accounted for 47% of our total Singapore travel costs
Our total spend on accommodation during one week in Singapore was S$670.58 / €435.44
As a couple, our budget for accommodation works out at an average of S$83.82 / €54.43 per night
Recommended accommodation budget: S$80-100 per night
Accommodation is probably going to be the most expensive part of your time in Singapore. It’s quite difficult to find decent private accommodation for anything less than S$80 per night.
It’s worth bearing in mind that it’s quite common for hotels and hostels in Singapore to have window-less rooms.
These will be cheaper than rooms with windows but it can be quite disorienting having no natural light at all. When you’re booking, make sure you double check the details so that you don’t accidentally book one of the windowless rooms if that’s not what you want.
It’s also worth noting that in Singapore, staying in a dorm room is not really going to save you any money if you’re traveling as a pair.
A private room costs more or less the same as 2 beds in a dorm.
Of course, if you’re traveling solo, that’s a different story.
Ways To Keep Accommodation Costs In Singapore Down:
- If you can handle it, choose a room without windows
- We stayed in a window-less double room at Eighteen by Three Cabins, near Chinatown, where we paid €50.12 a night. It was rather small and had a shared bathroom but a simple breakfast was included and the location was really good!
- Air BnB, while not necessarily cheaper, can give you more bang for your buck
- We stayed in a small studio apartment in Katong, near East Coast Park. It set us back €58.74 a night but had the benefit of a washing machine and a simple kitchenette
The Cost Of Food & Drinks In Singapore
Food and drinks accounted for 41% of our total Singapore travel costs
Our total spend on food and drinks during one week in Singapore was S$585.60 / €380.26
As a couple, our budget for food and drinks works out at an average of S$83.66 / €54.32 per day
Recommended food and drinks budget: S$40-50 per person per day
As with anywhere, the cost of food and drink can vary greatly depending on your style. We mixed it up between cheap and cheerful at Hawker Centres, and fancier meals including some alcohol at restaurants.
Our cheapest dinner was around S$6 each, while the most expensive meal we had in Singapore came to S$62 each… So yeah, your food and drink budget might vary a bit!
Alcohol will, of course, bring up your average spend. So, if you plan on drinking, you may want to budget a bit more per day on food and drinks for your time in Singapore.
Ways To Keep Food & Drink Costs In Singapore Down:
- Stay somewhere that has breakfast included – this will save you at least S$5 per person per day!
- Eat your meals at Hawker Centres or food courts
- The tap water in Singapore is completely safe to drink, so avoid buying bottled water and bring your own refillable bottle
- Drink less Alcohol and stick to happy hour – there are often 2 for 1 deals going!
Read Next: Things You Should Known Before Visiting Singapore
The Cost Of Activities In Singapore
Activities accounted for 7% of our total Singapore travel costs
Our total spend on activities during one week in Singapore was S$102.44 / €66.52
As a couple, our budget for activities works out at an average of S$14.63 / €9.50 per day
Recommended activities budget: S$10-15 per person per day
Despite its small size, there is an incredible amount to see and do in Singapore, which is why we spent a full week here.
Many people visit Singapore for only a few days, but trust me when I say there’s plenty here to keep you busy for a week.
The great news is that there is lots of free stuff to do in Singapore! But, depending on what you’d like to do, you’ll want to allocate some of your Singapore budget to attractions.
We didn’t actually end up doing an awful lot of paid activities during our week in Singapore though.
Having said that, Gardens By The Bay, especially the often photographed Cloud Forest, is definitely worth a visit despite its slightly pricey entrance fee.
Tickets are sold as a bundle for entrance to two conservatories at S$28 per person. We visited the Cloud Forest and Flower Dome, both of which we enjoyed immensely.
We also splurged somewhat for a trip up the incredible Marina Bay Sands hotel, to the SkyPark Observation Deck.
For S$25 per person, you’ll travel up its 57 stories, which gives incredible panoramic views across Singapore’s impressive skyline. It’s worth considering purchasing your tickets online in advance in order to save a bit of money.
Note: The spectacular 150-meter infinity pool at Marina Bay Sands is for hotel guests only, and not accessible to visitors
Top Tip: If you plan on going up the MBS Observation Deck as well as Gardens By The Bay, it’s worth buying a combo ticket
An alternative way of enjoying the extensive vistas at the top of Marina Bay Sands is to enjoy a meal or cocktail (or both!) at one of its rooftop restaurants or bars.
The views might be slightly more limited, but you can spend around the same as your entrance ticket to SkyPark on a (light!) meal and get the best of both worlds.
Ways To Keep Activity Costs In Singapore Down:
- Enjoy the many free activities on offer;
- Make use of one of the many free walking tours of the city
- Explore Arab Street, Chinatown, Little India, the Merlion and much more
- Explore the extensive Gardens By The Bay with its incredible Supertree Grove
- There is a free Garden Rhapsody light and sound show every evening at 7.45pm and 8.45pm
- Get into nature at MacRitchie Reservoir, Fort Canning Park or Singapore Botanic Gardens
- Go window shopping at Marina Bay Sands or on Orchard Road
- Watch the free nightly 15 minute light and water show, Spectra, by Marina Bay Sands
- Make use of one of the many free walking tours of the city
- Sign up for the Sands Rewards Lifestyle Programme to get discounts or even free admission to some attractions
Read about our experience at MacRitchie Reservoir Park and Treetop Walk
The Cost Of Transport In Singapore
Transport accounted for 4% of our total Singapore travel costs
Our total spend on transport during one week in Singapore was S$60.86 / €39.52
As a couple, our budget for transport works out at an average of S$8.69 / €5.65 per day
Recommended transport budget: S$5 per person per day
Note: This transport cost breakdown does not include travel in and out of Singapore as this will vary greatly depending on where you are coming from. But, as a guide, this is what we spent;
- Flights – We flew in to Singapore from Ireland = S$740 / €483 per person one way, which we booked through Vayama.
- Bus – From Singapore we headed to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, by bus = S$31 / €20.15 per person with KKKL
Depending on where you’re staying, there’s an awful lot of Singapore that you can explore on foot. But, while Singapore isn’t huge, you’ll likely still end up using public transport at times.
Buses are the cheapest way to get around and the bus network in Singapore is pretty extensive. Your accommodation will likely be able to help you figure out which bus you need to take. The bus drivers are generally pretty friendly and willing to help too.
We used the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) to get from Changi Airport into Singapore itself. For only S$2.31 each one way, this is a pretty cost effective ride if you ask me! Plus, the MRT system is super simple, even for newbies.
If you plan on getting around Singapore using public transport, it might we worth considering getting a Singapore Tourist Pass. For S$10 (1 day) to S$20 (3 day) you get unlimited rides on the MRT and bus networks.
Some places might be a little more tricky to get to using public transport. In these cases, I suggest using Grab – the South East Asian version of Uber.
We used Grab to get to and from MacRitchie Reservoir, which cost us $12 each way from our AirBnB in Katong.
Ways To Keep Transport Costs In Singapore Down:
- Walk as much as possible
- Use public transport and get a (multi-) day tourist pass for the days you are exploring more of Singapore
- Paying for the MRT with your contactless Visa or Mastercard works out cheaper than buying an actual ticket!
Singapore is a safe and fun place to visit, whether you only have a few days or as much as a week or more. The good news is that while you could blow your budget here if you wanted to, Singapore doesn’t have to be an expensive place to visit.
By our experience and calculations, one person should be able to get by on around S$700-1000 for one week in Singapore!
Have you been to Singapore? What was your experience with travel costs during your time there? Let me know in the comments below!
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