How Much Things Cost in Singapore
Singapore is becoming an increasingly popular destination for Australians. And with the weather, food, activities and shopping - it's not surprising. Travelling somewhere new for the first time can make budgeting a bit difficult. But it becomes easier to plan your holiday once you know how much things cost in Singapore.
To give you a better idea of how much everything is going to cost, we've listed some essential things you might need on your holiday like accomodation, transport, food and more.
All the prices we've quoted in this article are in Australian dollars but you can visit our currency converter to find out what the exchange rate is between the AUD and SGD.
Before you head to Singapore, learn about:
- Is it expensive to visit Singapore?
- How much you need to bring to Singapore
- How much it costs to fly from Australia
- The cost of food
- Buses and trains
- Tours in Singapore
- Hiring a Car
- Accomodation
Is it Expensive to Visit Singapore?
When it comes to travelling in Singapore, there is a big difference between there and Australia. Let's have a look at the cost difference between some food and activities in Singapore and Australia:
Australia vs Singapore
In this table, we have a comparison of some things you might do in Singapore. The prices are approximate, and can change between different cities in Singapore.
| Expense | Cost in Australia | Cost in Singapore |
| Breakfast with Coffee | $25AUD | $30AUD |
| 1 full week of public transport (MyKi) | $43AUD for a MyKi Pass | $40AUD |
| Full priced Movie ticket | $23AUD | $13AUD |
| Museum Entry | $28AUD | $0-10AUD |
| A pint of beer | $9AUD | $10AUD |
How much money do I need to bring?
The answer to this question really depends on the type of holiday you're planning. Will you be backpacking and staying in hostels? Will you be living it up at a fancy hotel? If you want to do it on a budget, you easily can or you can splurge and go on a luxury holiday.
Singapore can be a slightly more expensive country to visit, compared with other Asian destinations. Having said this, there are ways you can cut costs if you need to.
Here we have listed an estimate of what you'd need, per person, per day depending on your holiday.
Budget holiday: $200AUD
Middle of the range holiday: $200 - $400AUD
Luxury holiday: At least $400AUD
How much does food cost in Singapore?
Food is a pretty important part of a holiday, and a great way to get to know a country. Especially somewhere like Singapore where there is delicious food to try on every corner. Like Chilli Crab! In Singapore, you can really decide how much you want to spend on food everyday. You could get by on as little as $30AUD or if you're fine dining you could spend a lot more! Below we've listed some general prices for eating and drinking out, and the cost of some other bits and bobs.
Eating out:
- Breakfast: $5 - $25 AUD
- Lunch: $10 - $30 AUD
- Dinner: $10 - $40AUD
Drinks:
- Coffee: $3.50AUD
- Beer: $10AUD+
- Glass of wine: $10AUD+
Some other examples:
- Big Mac meal: $8AUD
- Bottle of Wine: $30AUD+
- Bottled water: $4.50AUD
- Cocktails: $20AUD+
- Food tour: $50 to $200AUD
How much does it cost to fly from Australia to Singapore?
Like flying anywhere in the world, flights between Australia and Singapore can change depending the time of year. Having said this, there are often sales that can get you there quite cheaply.
The flight prices also depend on where in Australia you're flying from but from most capital cities you can easily get a direct flight.
Generally the average cost of a return flight to Singapore Changi Airport from Melbourne or Sydney will cost you about $500 - $1000AUD. But the fight prices can go up to $6,000AUD depending who you fly with.
Buses and Trains
Public transport is quite readily available in Singapore. One of the fastest, and easiest ways to get around is using the MRT (mass rapid transit), which is their railway system! A three day pass will set you back about $20AUD. Having said this, there are also buses, taxis and ride sharing options to get you around the island. Below are some prices you can expect to pay for using public transport in Singapore:
You can get 1 day, 2 day or three day passes to access all public transport in Singapore. They range in price from $10AUD to $20AUD.
Taxis and Ride Sharing
- There are taxis in Singapore. There is usually a $2.50AUD drop charge, and an additional $2AUD per kilometre that you travel.
- Uber is also available in Singapore.
Tours
Utilising tours is a great way to meet other travellers and learn about the area you're in. If you're looking to have a completely guided tour, you could consider looking into companies like Intrepid, or Topdeck. But even on a smaller scale, you can often find guided tours to different parts of the country which can usually be organised through your hotel or hostel. These may set you back a small fee to cover the cost.
The great news is that many of Singapore's sights are free or relatively cheap to enter!
Here are some examples of other popular tours you might consider in Singapore. They will all have different prices, depending on the tour inclusions and length.
- Evening boat cruise $55AUD
- Scooter tours $50AUD
- Singaporean Cooking class $100AUD
- Night Safari tour $100AUD
- Unlimited attractions pass $270AUD
Viator is a great website to get information about tours you can do throughout Singapore!
Hiring a Car
You can hire a car in Singapore.
Although, with the exceptional public transport you may not feel the need to. The traffic can also be a little chaotic in some parts of the country. In order to drive there you will need to obtain an International Drivers Permit (IDP) which you can do in Australia. Remember that if you're hiring a car and you're under 25, it is usually more expensive than it is for older drivers.
Price of a Rental Car in Singapore, per Week:
- Budget: $210AUD per week for a budget car that will comfortably fit two people and luggage
- Mid-range: $600AUD for a mid-range car that will easily fit four people and luggage
- High-end: Up to $2000AUD+ for a high end car such as a convertible, large SUV or luxury vehicle
Rental Car Companies
Accomodation
You can somewhat be flexible about how much you spend on accomodation when you get to Singapore. If you're keeping it low key and don't want to spend much, there are hostels, or you could live it up! Below are some rough guides to how much you can expect to pay.
Accomodation on a budget, like hostels cost about $30 to $80AUD a night.
Mid-range accomodation like a double room in a 3 star hotel will probably cost between $100 and $300AUD a night.
A double luxury hotel room will cost from $400AUD up to as much as you're willing to spend per night.
Using the following sites will give you an even better idea of how much the accomodation you're after will cost you.
Tipping
Tipping is not compulsory in Singapore. However, you may find that you want to tip and at some places you might find there is a service charge added to your invoice. Below we've listed some things you should keep in mind about tipping in Singapore:
- Wages in the service industry can be quite low in Singapore, and throughout South East Asia. If you have the means to, it is greatly appreciated.
- 5-10% of your bill is an acceptable amount to tip.
- A set service fee of 10% is becoming more common in Singapore.
- You can also consider leaving a tip at the reception of your accomodation, so that all staff can share in your generosity, but this is also not customary.
Need to know more about travelling to Singapore?
