Learning how to eat cheaply in Singapore is mostly about where you sit down. A plate of noodles or rice at a hawker centre often costs around S$4 to S$7. A similar dish in a mall restaurant can cost two or three times as much.
The cheap places also serve much of the best local food, so you do not have to miss out. You just need to know where to look.
Eat at hawker centres first
Hawker centres are large, open-sided food halls full of small stalls with shared tables. Most stalls cook one kind of food, such as chicken rice, noodles or Indian flatbread. They are the cheapest way to eat a full, freshly cooked meal in the city. Our guide to what a hawker centre is explains how they work.
Good places to start are Maxwell Food Centre near Chinatown, Lau Pa Sat in the business district and Old Airport Road Food Centre to the east. Popular stalls build long queues at lunch, so go a little early or late.
A few things save money here:
- Share several dishes with friends instead of ordering one big plate each.
- Buy drinks from the drinks stall rather than canned drinks from a shop.
- Read the price board before you queue. Most stalls show prices clearly.
Read our guide to hawker centre etiquette before your first visit.
Use food courts when you want air-conditioning
Food courts are the indoor version, usually found in shopping malls. One company runs the whole hall and rents out the stalls. You get cool air and a comfortable seat, but a meal usually costs a dollar or two more than at a hawker centre.
Food courts are handy on hot afternoons, on rainy days or when you are already shopping. Look for them on the basement or top floors of large malls. Our comparison of a hawker centre vs a food court covers the other differences.
Try coffee shops and set lunches
A coffee shop, or kopitiam, is a smaller open-air eating place, often on the ground floor of a public housing block. It has a drinks counter and a handful of food stalls. Read what a kopitiam is for the basics, then learn how to order kopi, the local coffee.
Many coffee shops and hawker centres have an economy rice stall. You pick a few cooked dishes to go with a plate of rice. Our guide on how to order economy rice shows you how to keep that plate cheap.
Set lunches at restaurants
If you want a sit-down restaurant, go at lunch on a weekday. Many restaurants offer a set lunch with two or three courses. It often costs much less than the same food at dinner.
Check whether menu prices end in "++". This means a service charge and GST, a sales tax, are added to the bill. Hawker stalls show the price you actually pay.
Everyday habits to eat cheaply in Singapore
Small choices add up over a trip.
- Refill a water bottle. Tap water in Singapore is safe to drink, so fill up at your hotel before you go out.
- Make lunch your main meal. Hawker centres in office areas are full of good-value lunch dishes.
- Carry small notes and coins. Many stalls take cards or QR codes, but some still take cash only.
- Eat in when you can. Some stalls charge a little extra for a takeaway box. Takeaway is called da bao locally.
- Watch the extras. One extra egg or side dish is cheap, but several extras push up the price.
What a cheap food day can look like
Here is a simple budget day of eating.
- Breakfast: kaya toast, soft-boiled eggs and kopi at a coffee shop.
- Lunch: chicken rice or a noodle dish at a hawker centre, with a drink from the drinks stall.
- Afternoon: a cold dessert or fresh juice in a food court.
- Dinner: two or three shared dishes at a hawker centre, such as satay and fried noodles.
For many visitors, a day like this costs roughly S$20 to S$35 per person. Prices change, so check the stall boards as you go. For more ideas, see our list of cheap meals for big appetites and all our Cheap Eats guides.
FAQs about eating cheaply in Singapore
How much does a cheap meal cost in Singapore?
A single hawker dish often costs around S$4 to S$7, and a drink around S$1.50 to S$3. Food courts cost a little more. Prices change, so always check the stall board.
Is hawker food safe for visitors?
Hawker stalls are licensed and inspected. Busy stalls that cook your food fresh to order are a sensible choice.
Do I need cash at hawker centres?
Not always. Many stalls accept cards or QR payment, but some are cash only. Carry some small notes and coins to be safe.
Is tipping expected at cheap places to eat?
No. Tipping is not expected at hawker centres, food courts or coffee shops. You simply pay the price shown.
