Customer buying food at a hawker stall with a $1.50 chicken wing sign

Travel Tips

Money & Budget Guides

What things cost in Singapore and how to make your budget go further, from meals to hotels.

This page gathers EatStays guides on Singapore travel costs and money. It covers daily budgets, food and hotel prices, cash and cards, tipping and service charges, and simple ways to save. Guides on this topic appear in the list below. The notes further down give you the basics in one place.

Food is where you can save most. Read How to Eat Cheaply in Singapore Without Missing Out.

Plan it with EatStays: Value Hotels.

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Singapore travel costs: what to expect

Singapore travel costs depend mostly on where you sleep and where you eat. Hotels are pricey by Asian standards, and so are taxis and alcohol. Food can be very cheap, though, and public transport is good value. Many of the best sights are free.

The currency is the Singapore dollar, written S$ or SGD. The prices below are rough ranges for one person. Prices change often, so check before you go.

Typical prices for food, transport and hotels

Food and drink

Hawker centre meal: roughly S$4 to S$8 for a plate of chicken rice, noodles or rice with dishes. A hawker centre is a large food hall with many small stalls.
Kopi or teh: about S$1.50 to S$3. Kopi is local coffee and teh is local tea.
Mall food court meal: roughly S$7 to S$12.
Casual restaurant: about S$20 to S$50 per person.
Fine dining: often S$150 or more per person, before drinks.

Good places to start are Maxwell Food Centre, Old Airport Road Food Centre and Tiong Bahru Market. For more ideas, see Cheap Eats.

Getting around

MRT and bus rides: usually around S$1 to S$3 a trip, depending on distance. The MRT is the city's metro.
Taxis and ride-hailing: a short city ride is often S$10 to S$20. Fares rise at peak times, late at night and for airport pick-ups.

Hotels

Hostel dorm bed: roughly S$30 to S$70 a night.
Budget or value hotel: roughly S$120 to S$250 a night.
Mid-range hotel: roughly S$250 to S$450 a night.
Luxury hotel: often S$500 or more a night.

Room rates jump during big events and holidays. Compare options in Budget Hotels & Hostels and Capsule Hotels in Singapore: How They Work.

Daily budgets for Singapore

These rough daily totals cover a bed or half a double room, food, transport and one or two paid sights.

Budget: about S$80 to S$150 per person. Stay in a hostel or capsule hotel, eat at hawker centres and take the MRT.
Mid-range: about S$200 to S$400 per person. Stay in a three- or four-star hotel and mix hawker meals with restaurants.
Luxury: S$500 or more per person, with a five-star hotel, fine dining and taxis.

The Budget Travel topic has more ideas for spending less.

Cash, cards and tipping

Credit and debit cards work in most hotels, shops, malls and restaurants.
You can tap a contactless bank card or phone wallet to pay for MRT and bus rides. See How to Use the MRT in Singapore: A Tourist Guide.
Some hawker stalls take only cash or local payment apps. Carry some small notes and coins.
ATMs are easy to find in malls and many MRT stations. Your home bank may charge a fee for each overseas withdrawal.
Licensed money changers are found in many malls. Compare the rates on their boards before you change money. Mustafa Centre in Little India has money changers too.

Service charge, GST and tipping

Tipping is not expected in Singapore. Many restaurants add a 10% service charge plus GST, the goods and services tax. GST is currently 9%. Menus often show "++" after a price, so a S$20++ dish costs about S$24 in the end. Hawker stalls do not add a service charge.

How to save money in Singapore

Eat at hawker centres. A filling local meal costs a fraction of a restaurant meal.
Refill a water bottle. Tap water is safe, so you do not need to buy bottled water.
Enjoy free sights. The outdoor gardens at Gardens by the Bay, the Singapore Botanic Gardens and the Marina Bay Night Walk cost nothing. See Free Things To Do for more.
Take public transport. The MRT is cheaper than taxis and often faster at busy times.
Book hotels early. Staying near an MRT station outside the centre can also cost less.
Go easy on alcohol. Alcohol is heavily taxed, so bar bills add up fast. The legal drinking age is 18, and it pays to drink responsibly.
Claim the GST refund. Visitors who spend over a minimum amount in participating shops can claim GST back when they leave. See GST Refund at Changi Airport: Step-by-Step Guide.

FAQs about Singapore travel costs

Is Singapore expensive to visit?

Hotels, taxis and alcohol cost more than in most nearby countries. Hawker food, public transport and many sights are cheap or free.

How much money do I need per day in Singapore?

A budget traveller can manage on roughly S$80 to S$150 a day. A mid-range trip is closer to S$200 to S$400 a day. Prices change, so treat these as rough guides.

Do I need cash in Singapore?

Cards work almost everywhere. Still, carry some cash for hawker stalls and small shops.

Do you tip in Singapore?

Tipping is not expected. Many restaurants already add a 10% service charge, so you do not need to add more.

What does "++" mean on a Singapore menu?

It means a service charge and GST will be added to the price shown. Together they add roughly 20% to the bill.