Is Singapore Expensive to Visit?

By Dom Bewley
Published: July 18, 2024
Is Singapore Expensive to Visit

With its melting pot of diverse cultures living in harmony, and a wealth of experience opportunities, Singapore is one of the world's best vacation destinations. With so many cultures in one place, no two days will be the same. You'll be sampling eastern cuisine one day only to hold up the bar at an Irish pub the next. So, with so much to do, see, and try, you might wonder how much it will all set you back.

Well, wonder no more, because we're about to answer all your most burning questions. Is Singapore expensive to visit? What kind of budget should you plan for, and how can you keep costs down? Read on after the jump.

Including:

  • When to visit
  • Where to stay
  • How to get about the city
  • Where to eat and drink
  • What to do
  • and more!
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When to Visit

If you want to warm your chilled bones in the colder months, Singapore is a great place to miss the freeze. Temperatures year-round vary between the mid-70s to almost 90°F, so you'll be comfortable in your summer best.

However, one thing to bear in mind is the country's climate. Singapore is what we call a 'tropical paradise'. While that may fill your mind with exotic fruits and palm trees, what it actually means is that those high temperatures are partied up with frequent heavy rainfall. Monsoon season takes place between November and January, so if you're not bothered by a few inches of rain, you'll likely get the best deals on flights if you plan to go around then. Likewise, if you head there between June and August, you'll pay a premium as it's the country's busiest time of year.

Flights-wise, your best bet to get a good deal is to plan ahead. Booking flights months or even a year in advance means you'll likely get the best prices as well as your pick of the seats. Check out sites like Skyscanner to compare airlines, flight times, and prices all in one handy place.

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Where to stay

Accommodation is usually the biggest expense on any vacation. But it needn't be. Savvy shoppers, or at least those of you who don't need the lap of luxury, will find a ton of budget-friendly options in Singapore.

Families might not want to stay in a hostel, but solo travelers or groups of friends might luck out on shared accommodation, with some going as low as around $20 a night. It won't be romantic and won't have all the bells and whistles of a classy hotel, but you'll get a bed, a bathroom, and bag space for your carry-on.

Alternatively, if you're looking for that 5-star experience, you'll need to multiply that nightly amount by 10 at least, because top hotels start at around $220 a night. That might not seem like a lot compared to quality hotels in other countries, but all these costs add up. To summarise, accommodation in Singapore is only as expensive as you make it, so consider that when planning your visit.

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Attractions

Of course, when considering if Singapore is expensive to visit, we have to talk about attractions! The city is a veritable playground of things to see and do, from floral extravaganzas to theme parks. But, with so much to see, costs will inevitably begin to add up.

Well, put your fears at rest, dear reader. Pick up an All-Inclusive Pass or an Explorer Pass and let Go City handle the rest. With the former, you can pick the number of days you want and visit as many of Singapore's best attractions as you want. With the latter, pick up to 7 of the city's experiences and see them at your own pace.

Whichever you pick, you could save up to 50% on entry, so pick a pass, skip the queue, and enjoy all of Singapore's best bits in one affordable place!

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Transportation

Another often-significant vacation expense is travel. Some cities have public transport systems that leave much to be desired, forcing you to rent a car or pay for myriad cabs throughout your stay.

Thankfully, Singapore is not one of those cities, as it boasts a fantastic interconnected series of buses and trains that will help you navigate to every experience your heart desires. And best of all, it's cheap too! For as low as $10, you can pick up a Singapore Tourist Pass for unlimited travel around the city. Get a 1-day pass or one that covers you for up to 3 days.

It's easy peasy and won't break the bank. And, when you're trying to minimize costs and squeeze your cents, it's a godsend.

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Food and drink

Given the diversity of cultures on display in Singapore, one of the country's biggest draws is its cuisine. Local dishes are married with cuisines from across the eastern world and beyond, so no matter your predilections, your appetite is sure to be sated.

And, thankfully for your bank, fine dining can be had on a budget. Street food lovers can wander to any market and find brilliant local dishes like chicken rice, laksa, and char kway teow for under 5 bucks. Shopping mall food courts have similar deals, but more on shopping later.

Alternatively, if you fancy Michelin-starred bites, you will have to pay a comparable amount to countries like the US and UK. Meals at top joints will set you back about $40 - 200 per person, so you're certainly paying for the privilege.

However, if you want to wet your whistle, things aren't so simple. Singapore is a traditionally conservative country with strict laws on alcohol consumption. So, while you'll find a thriving rooftop bar scene that makes the most of the country's climate and surroundings, you'll need to fork out a little extra to sip some suds. Beers typically come in at around $8-10, which will be fine for those of you traveling from New York or London, but can seem exceedingly pricy when compared to other cheaper neighborhoods. The good news is that happy hours and drinks deals are relatively common, so examine the menu before making a purchase to get the best boozy bang for your buck.

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Shopping

Finally, it's time to talk about shopping. Many consider Singapore to be a shopping haven, with handfuls of malls, markets, and boutiques more than willing to take your coin.

If you're big into designer brands and luxury items, head to the aforementioned malls, or high streets like Orchard Road, to get the very biggest labels. Prices are negligibly better than in the west, but you may also find items you simply can't get on our shores.

Alternatively, if you're in the market for authentic clothing, handcrafted jewelry, or other knickknacks, Singapore's markets are the way to go. Prices are more than affordable, and the items you'll find will be more unique than anything in a shop window.

So, is Singapore expensive to visit? Yes and no. Hopefully, we've given you the tools and tips to work to a budget. Now stop worrying and enjoy your vacation!

Dom Bewley
Go City Travel Expert

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Orchard road Street sign
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Things to do in Orchard Singapore

Those seeking out things to do in Orchard Singapore can tick all the boxes going. Dominated by the eponymous Orchard Road, the neighborhood may be small – at less than a kilometer in area – but it certainly isn’t short of attractions. Centrally located between the National Museum of Singapore to one side and Singapore Botanic Gardens to the other, Orchard is Singapore’s equivalent to London’s Oxford Street or New York’s Fifth Avenue. It rivals both as a place to spend your time. Long gone then are the days when it was lined by nutmeg, pepper and fruit trees, giving it its name. Instead, whether day or night Orchard is the de facto shopping and entertainment district, boasting glitzy hotel stays, unrivalled shopping opportunities and no shortage of options when it comes to food and drink either. Among all this you’ll also find a number of cultural treasures, from parks to museums. Here’s the Go City guide to all Orchard Road is famous for! Check out hundreds of stores Arguably Asia’s hottest shopping district, the 2.5 km length of Orchard Road has over 25 shopping malls to choose between. Offering something for pretty much every kind of traveler, from the budget-conscious to the budget-buster, their stores provide a potentially unending exploration of must-have items (as well as a respite from Singapore’s tropical climate). Remarkably, in a city where the old is often swept away to make space for the new, Orchard’s very first department store clings on at Tang Plaza. TANGS (as it’s styled) continues to maintain a significant hold over the latest trends, much like it has since its store first opened its doors in 1958 – when the British flag still flew over Singapore. For atmosphere, do away with the big department stores and malls for the likes of Lucky Plaza and Far East Plaza. Here you’ll discover everything from secondhand gems to souvenirs (and a few black-market knock-offs too). However, Orchard’s most exciting shopping destination is possibly ION Orchard, whose shapely glass exterior sits above Orchard MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) station. ION Orchard blends luxury names such as Cartier, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany with the work of local craftspeople. But should the spending spree threaten to become too much, there’s always ION Orchard’s very own art gallery. Located on the fourth floor, its collection includes contemporary artworks from sculpture to multimedia displays. There’s also the Great Singapore Sale, which sees stores right across Orchard slashing prices each June. Discover the history of Orchard Although on first glance it may appear like the area is all about shopping, there are many other things to do in Orchard Singapore if you know where to look. Just beyond Orchard Road’s eastern extreme stands the classically-styled building constructed for the National Museum of Singapore in 1887. One of Asia’s largest, it does away with the idea of a museum as a dark studious place where visitors can only talk in muffled tones. In contrast, its light-filled galleries help detail the history of the island without it feeling like a chore. Its treasures include the Singapore Stone, found on the banks of the Singapore River and etched with as-yet undeciphered writing potentially a thousand years old. Opposite Plaza Singapura shopping mall is Istana Park, a 13,000 square meter green space. Its 26-meter-high Festival Arch marks the official start of Orchard Road, while the Istana Heritage Gallery details the history of Istana Palace. This building was the home of the British governor before becoming the office of the president on independence. This history is told through archive imagery and some of the gifts given to Singapore’s presidents by foreign dignitaries. The palace itself is only open on special occasions, while a changing of the guard ceremony takes place on the first Sunday of the month (except in July and August). Roughly 60 times larger than Istana Park, Singapore Botanic Gardens is the only tropical garden in the world to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Over 150 years old, the mature gardens are a huge contrast to the area’s malls. Its attractions include a small area of rainforest, Ginger Garden, and National Orchid Garden. The latter contains approximately 3,000 different types of orchid, with many named after the great and the good of international affairs, from Nelson Mandela to Queen Elizabeth II. Sample Orchard’s culinary delights Although not as famous as the Raffles Long Bar, L’Espresso café is an excellent place to enjoy a traditional afternoon tea while experiencing a full-on Victorian fantasy at Orchard’s Goodwood Park Hotel. Neatly-cut sandwiches, tasty savory bites and desserts to die for can be sampled from around midday onwards. Alternatively, you could save yourself for a sundowner on the pool terrace come early evening. Head behind Centrepoint mall to Emerald Hill and you’ll not only take in some rare survivors of Chinese Baroque architecture (think colorful ceramic tiles, shuttered windows and brightly-colored fronts) but also a great selection of bars, coffee shops and restaurants. They often reside in the historic structures themselves, saving them for prosperity and ensuring they remain charmingly atmospheric at the same time. To experience the real Singapore, you’ll also want to dine at a food court at least once during your stay. Forget any thoughts you might have of sticky tabletops and nothing but fast food, Singapore’s food courts (also called hawker centers) serve up healthy, freshly-prepared dishes from right across the region at ridiculously good prices. Food Village Takashimaya inside Ngee Ann City Mall is a great place to start whatever you’re after and whatever the time of day. Save on admission to Orchard’s top attractions From stores with price tags running into the thousands to sumptuous meals for little more than loose change. From must-do ticketed events to free things to do in Orchard, this area of Singapore is one that cannot – and shouldn’t – be ignored. Explore the very best things to do in Orchard Singapore with Go City. Choose between our All-Inclusive Pass or Explorer Pass and you’ll get access to some of the city’s top museums, tours and attractions while making big savings on standard admission prices.
Alex Birungi
The Treetop Walks at MacRitchie Reservoir in Singapore
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Natural Attractions in Singapore

Think of Singapore and you’ll likely conjure up images of shimmering glass-and-steel superstructures; a dense forest of urban activity with soaring skyscrapers that jockey for position as they reach ever further heavenwards. But that would be to overlook the vast swathes of green space and unspoiled natural habitat that has earned this island nation the nickname ‘the Garden City’. Read on for our guide to some of the finest natural attractions in Singapore, including: Singapore Botanic Gardens The Gardens by the Bay MacRitchie Reservoir Lazarus Island Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve The Southern Ridges Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Pulau Ubin The Gardens by the Bay Yes we know: the massive durian-shaped hothouses at Singapore’s Gardens by the Bay are very plainly not the work of Mother Nature. But it’s what’s inside that counts, right? And what’s inside is nothing short of a nature spectacular. Expect an absolute riot of sights, scents and sounds in the Flower Dome, where carpets of colorful blooms emit a quite dizzying array of perfumes and a thousand-year-old olive tree forms the centerpiece of the pretty olive grove. Meanwhile, the humid Cloud Forest promises sweet-smelling orchids, jungles of ferns and trailing vines and a tall, tranquil waterfall. The Southern Ridges Six miles of jungle trails and elevated walkways connect Mount Faber Park, Labrador Nature Reserve and more along the epic Southern Ridges. Tiptoe through the treetops and shutterbugs may just sneak a snap or two of some of the abundant wildlife here: red-whiskered bulbuls, banded bay cuckoos, orange-bellied flowerpeckers and other such tropical critters await. The trail also includes a section that crosses Henderson Waves, an undulating architectural masterpiece that also happens to be the highest pedestrian bridge in Singapore at a whopping 36 meters above terra firma. Don’t look down! MacRitchie Reservoir Completed in 1868, MacRitchie is the oldest reservoir in Singapore and has become both a thriving nature reserve for native wildlife and huge natural playground for locals and tourists alike. Spot macaques and monitor lizards on the seven-mile hike around MacRitchie Trails or get a birds’ eye view from the Treetop Walks, a 250-meter suspension bridge that links the reserve’s two highest points. Take to the water and spend the day kayaking or lace up your running shoes and hit one of the excellent cross-country trails here. Lazarus Island Like your beaches secluded? Lazarus Island is the place for you! One of Singapore's Southern Islands, it’s connected to neighboring Saint John’s Island by a causeway. You’ll need to catch a ferry to Saint John’s and walk the 15 minutes or so to get there but, trust us, it’s well worth the effort. Bone-white sands, swaying palm trees and tropical turquoise waters that are great for swimming and snorkeling await the intrepid traveler. Get there early enough and, who knows, you may even find you have the whole place to yourself! Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve Twitchers rejoice! One of the finest natural attractions in Singapore, the unspoiled Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is a thriving habitat for native birds and a crucial stopover for migratory species including the long-legged Asian dowitcher and distinctive Pacific golden plover. Across more than 300 acres of mangrove forest, mudflats and ponds, you might also spot monitor lizards, lobsters, mudskippers, water snakes and big, beautiful Atlas moths. The occasional saltwater croc has even been known to put in an appearance from time to time. Take the two-hour loop trail around the reserve to get the most from your visit. Singapore Botanic Gardens This sprawling 200-acre tropical oasis on the edge of Singapore’s Orchard Road Shopping district has been around since 1859 so to describe the gardens as ‘mature’ would be something of an understatement. Admire colorful and aromatic plants in the aptly named Ginger Garden, take a stroll around Swan Lake, snap a selfie at the iconic bandstand, and enjoy the rare experience of wandering through a rainforest within the city limits of a vast metropolis. The gardens are open from 5AM until midnight so you'll have plenty of time to get lost among the vines, blooms and tree-lined walkways. Best of all, entry is free, though a fee applies for access to the thousands of eye-popping blooms inside the National Orchid Garden, the park’s star attraction. Pulau Ubin Boomerang-shaped Pulau Ubin is an island off Singapore’s northeast coast, where lush uncharted jungle is dotted with traditional kampongs and disused granite quarries, now reclaimed by nature, teem with diverse flora and fauna. Pick ripe, pungent durians along the cycle paths – and try one if you’re feeling bold enough or hungry enough to brave a bite! There’s an observation tower and looping walkway at the island’s otherwise wild Chek Jawa Wetlands, where you’ll hear the melodious call of the bulbul and, if you’re lucky, maybe even catch sight of the electric-blue flash of a kingfisher diving for its supper. Bukit Timah Nature Reserve Last but most definitely not least in our rundown of Singapore's greatest natural attractions is the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, slap-bang in the middle of the island. One of very few designated reserves in the country to have remained untouched by timber merchants, it’s a sprawling green space containing some 400 acres of tropical rainforest as well as, at over 500 feet, the highest hill in the country. The reserve is, perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the finest treasure troves of biodiversity to be found in all of Singapore, with animal species including flying lemurs, crab-eating macaques, reticulated pythons and endangered Sunda pangolins to be found among the dense forests and thick undergrowth. There are many superb walking trails here, with options available for everyone from the amateur ambler to the hardened hiker. Head up to the peak for 360-degree views across Singapore and beyond. Save on attractions and activities in Singapore Save on admission to Singapore attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Ride at Sentosa 4D AdventureLand
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Sentosa For Less: Free Fun Near 4D AdventureLand

Skip the fees and keep the fun—here’s your list of Sentosa’s best complimentary attractions by 4D AdventureLand!

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