Singapore Backpacking Budget – Cost of Travel in 2023

Singapore street food

This post details the estimated cost of travel in Singapore in 2023. It is known as an expensive place but we have outlined two daily travel budgets – one for shoestring travellers and one for those looking for a slightly more comfortable Singapore backpacking budget. Further down there are details on the local currency and sample prices for travellers in the city-state.

Singapore map

Singapore Cost of Travel in 2023


Shoestring Backpacker Budget

  • US$50 per Day | 67 Singapore Dollars per Day

Singapore has a reputation for being a very expensive place and that is true to a large extent. Certainly it is far more expensive than the rest of Southeast Asia with many things costing at least double what you find in other countries in the region. Alcohol is very expensive and if you’re visiting the city-state as part of a trip in SE Asia on a small budget, you’d be wise to save your partying for other places.

Backpackers in Singapore on a low budget, might expect to spend around 50 US Dollars per day. This shoestring budget is designed to cover all your daily travel expenses including the cost of accommodation (hostel dorm bed), transport and meals. You’ll need to be a bit selective and be savvy when choosing your daytime activities and evening entertainment to stick to this budget though as around half of that figure is likely to go on finding a bed alone and there are plenty of popular attractions that you will push you up to $50 and that’s before you factor the cost of meals and drinks.

Singapore does at least have one or two advantages for the budget traveller. The main one being that it is basically just a city and you won’t spend any money going from town to town like in other countries. Travelling around Singapore is relatively cheap and if you choose a hostel in a good location, you can see a lot of it on foot. Picking a hostel with self-catering facilities will also help cut your costs considerably as eating out two or three times a day will make it difficult to stick to this budget.

More Comfortable Singapore Backpacking Budget

  • US$70 per Day | 94 Singapore Dollars per Day

Overall, Singapore isn’t exactly considered good for backpacking as you’ll need a lot more than a typical Southeast Asian travel budget to really experience the best of its cuisine, nightlife and attractions. However it can be reached easily from Malaysia and cheaply by air from other major cities in the region so many travellers still opt to visit.

To get the best out of your time in Singapore, it might be wise to set aside something more in the region of US$70 per day or nearly 100 Singapore Dollars. Even the swanky airport, one of the world’s best, is full of tempting ways to spend your money and there is plenty to see and do in the city, although a visit can be crammed into just two or three days given how small Singapore, one of the world’s most densely populated countries, is.

One of the main attractions to Singapore is shopping and there is a nonsensical amount of mega shopping malls to potentially spend your money in. You can get excellent deals on electronics and other items, so it may be wise to leave a bit of spare cash over if a shopping spree is on your agenda.

Singapore skyscrapers
Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

How much are things in Singapore?

Approximate Price
Single Ticket (local transport)S$1.40-2.50 (1-1.85 USD)
Meal in a local restaurantS$8-15 (6-11 USD)
Local beer in bar/restaurantS$8-12 (6-9 USD)
Dorm bed in a hostelFrom S$35 (26 USD)
Budget private roomFrom S$70 (52 USD)
Admission to Sky Park at Marina Bay SandsS$26 (19 USD)
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Singapore is clearly very expensive in comparison to the cost of travel in Indonesia or the cost of travel in Cambodia for example so be sure to save some funds if this is the final destination of a larger trip in the region.

Prices do fluctuate a bit depending on when you come to Southeast Asia. However, as the table above demonstrates, you will struggle to find dirt cheap accommodation here. Eating out isn’t overly extortionate if you enjoy street food or look for budget restaurants, but alcohol prices are very high.


Money

Currency – Singapore Dollar

£1 = 1.62 SGD

€1 = 1.43 SGD

US$1 = 1.35 SGD

The exchange rates and prices featured are accurate as of March 2023. Contactless payment is possible in most settings but it’s still useful to carry cash, particularly when it comes to Singapore’s street food culture which may be a more budget-friendly option than eating in restaurants all the time.


This Singapore backpacking budget was last updated in March 2023.


Singapore Backpacking Budget – Cost of Travel in 2023

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