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Is Singapore expensive to visit? 2026 costs & budget guide
A trip to Singapore ranges from $1,500 to $4,000, depending on some factors. Learn how to plan your trip budget and save money for a full Singapore trip.
A trip to Singapore can cost between $560 and $3,000, excluding flights and accommodation, for 1 person traveling for 1 week.
However, a full budget requires considering things like food, activities, transportation, and, why not, some money-saving tips for budget and luxury travelers.
This guide covers all about whether Singapore is expensive to visit, including how to stay connected during your trip with a Holafly eSIM.
Peace of mind before you fly
Set up your eSIM before travel and get unlimited data on arrival.
Is Singapore expensive to visit?
Singapore is often considered expensive to visit compared to other destinations in Southeast Asia, with luxury travelers spending over $400 per day on accommodation, food, and transportation.
Budget and mid-range travelers can still visit Singapore, but prices are a bit higher than in destinations like Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok.
How much does a trip to Singapore cost?
A trip to Singapore, including flights and accommodations, can easily cost over $2,000 for budget travelers, $3,000 for mid-range travelers, and over $5,000 for luxury visitors.
However, factors can increase your final budget, such as your departure destination, as Australian travelers pay roughly half the price of a round-trip to the USA or the UK.
Here’s a quick breakdown of costs for a 1-week trip for the different types of travelers:
| Budget traveler | Mid-range traveler | Luxury travelers |
|---|---|---|
| $1,500 for Australian travelers, $2,000 for UK and US travelers | $2,500 for Australian travelers, $3,000 for US and UK travelers | Over $4,000 for US, UK, and Australian travelers |
Factors that impact your Singapore trip cost
Planning a Singapore travel budget requires considering several factors, such as flights and accommodations, which are usually the most expensive.
Plus, things like transportation, food, and activities also add up to your final budget, so let’s see how these can impact your final Singapore trip budget.
Flight prices to Singapore
Round-trip flight prices to Singapore highly depend on where you’re traveling from, with the US and UK having similar costs.
Australian travelers will find lower prices, even in the high season, costing roughly half as much as in the UK and the US.
Here’s a breakdown of flight prices to Singapore by origin and season.
| Travel destination | Peak season | Off season | Travel time |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | $805 to $1,150 (~£599 to £857) | $600 to $930 (~£447 to £670) | 13:30 to 16 hours |
| US – West Coast | $780 to $1,130 | $780 to $1,070 | 18 to 22 hours |
| US – East Coast | $1,250 to $1,300 | $1,140 to $1,250 | 22 to 30 hours, depending on departure city |
| Australia | $440 | $405 | 8:30 to 9 hours |
Accommodation costs in Singapore
There are all kinds of accommodations in Singapore, from capsule hotels like POTATO Boutique Capsule and CUBE to 5-star hotels like the Marina Bay Sands and the Ritz-Carlton.
For budget travelers, Airbnb and hostels are ideal options, with some rooms costing as little as $27 per night.
For travelers who don’t mind staying outside the center, Sentosa offers great deals, with some 5-star hotels like the Outpost Hotel and Oasia Resort starting at $150 to $160 per night.
Here are some examples of accommodation options in Singapore:
| Airbnb | $27 to $42 per night for capsule-like rooms, $110 to $120 per night for full apartments |
| Hostals | $21 to $40 per night on shared rooms |
| 2 to 3-star hotels (Bliss, Champion Hotel, ibis Budget) | $65 to $91 per night |
| 5-star hotels (Ritz-Carlton, Marina Bay Sands, Amara) | $177 to $780 |
Food and dining costs
Food in Singapore isn’t that expensive, but you need to know where to look during your stay.
Depending on your budget, here are some options to consider:
- Hawker centers: These are open-air food courts where travelers can find many food vendors offering local dishes like Hainanese Chicken Rice, Laksa, and Nasi Lemak at affordable prices.
- Fine dining: Restaurants like Burnt Ends, KOMA, and Candlenut are great options, with an average price per person of $60 to $100, depending on the dish and drinks.
- Drinks: Beers and cocktails range from $15 to $25 on most bars and restaurants. On rooftops and bars like ATLAS, prices go up to $25 to $40 for cocktails.
- Supermarkets: If you’re staying at an Airbnb and planning to cook, Cold Storage and FairPrice are great options for saving on groceries.
Transportation costs
Transportation costs in Singapore are pretty affordable, with airport-to-city fares costing around $20.
To get around the city, the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) is a great option that covers most of Singapore. If you plan to visit Sentosa, the Sentosa Express is the best, most affordable transportation option.
Still, there are other options to consider, such as:
- Grab: The local Uber, with trip fares ranging from $3 to $5 depending on how long the trip is.
- Buses: Similar to the MRT, connecting most routes in Singapore, and easy to use with the SG Bus app.
- Taxis: Widely available, but prices are higher compared to Grab, with fares ranging from $5 to $10 for short trips.
- Airport fares: Dependent on the service travelers take, standard fares cost around $20, while private services can cost over $40.
Activities and attractions costs
When planning the things to do in Singapore, you’ll find there are plenty of free and paid options to consider.
You can explore historical landmarks and walk through popular neighborhoods, or take a ride on the Singapore Flyer for a unique view from above.
But there are more activities to consider, such as:
- Visit local museums: Museums such as the ArtScience Museum, Peranakan Museum, and Asian Civilisations Museum cost around $10 and are easily accessible via MRT or bus.
- Universal Studios: Located in Sentosa, Universal Studios is a go-to option for travelers, with tickets costing around $65 per adult.
- Private full-day tours: Range from $80 to $240 per person, with some including a full island tour and private river cruises.
- Night safaris: Range from $60 to $120 per person, depending on the tour operator, with some including a tram ride.
- Private photo tours: Cost around $330 per group, with stunning photos of iconic landmarks in Singapore, such as Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay.
- Luxury shopping: Visit The Shopees and Orchard Road, you’ll find over 170 high-end brands, so plan your budget accordingly!
Peak times vs. off-peak in Singapore
Singapore is a year-round destination, but prices can rise during local or international events.
This also applies to seasons: April to August are the busiest months, November to January are the best for enjoying local holidays, and July to September are the best months for shopping.
Depending on your travel date, you need to consider some things that will impact your budget:
- Chinese New Year: This holiday usually falls from late January to mid-February, and due to increased visitor numbers, prices typically rise by about 25%, even though it’s the monsoon season.
- F1 weekend: This event lasts three days, from Friday to Sunday, and due to the high number of tourists and F1 enthusiasts, accommodation, food, and flights can increase by 25% to 30%.
- Monsoon season: Even though heavy rain is more common, prices usually drop 30% compared to other months, so pack a rain jacket and an umbrella for your trip.
Essential money-saving tips for Singapore
Singapore is not so expensive to visit, compared to how much it costs to visit Bora Bora, but it’s still worth having some money-saving tips for your trip:
- Book in advance: Similar to visiting other year-round destinations, booking flights, accommodations, and even restaurants will help you reduce costs compared to short-notice bookings.
- Cook if you’re on a budget: Cooking is always a great way to save money, as you can easily spend around $60 instead of $5 to $10 per meal.
- Take advantage of free attractions: There are many free things you can do in Singapore, like visiting Little India or Chinatown, or walking around historical landmarks, without spending a single cent.
- Check the calendar for events: Special events like the Chinese New Year, F1 weekend, and other holidays can increase prices, so either visit before or after these take place.
- Avoid using roaming in Singapore: It can easily increase your trip costs, so consider other alternatives for mobile internet, like an eSIM.
- Get a Singapore tourist pass: This helps reduce your transportation costs, but consider it only if you’re using public transport as your main mode of transportation.
Staying connected in Singapore
Getting mobile internet in Singapore can easily increase your overall spending, especially if you rely on roaming, which can easily cost over $10 per day.
Instead, travelers can use an eSIM for Singapore with unlimited data, 5G data speeds, 24/7 customer support, and up to 1 GB of hotspot data for up to 90 days.
Staying for longer or visiting other destinations like Malaysia or Indonesia? Try Holafly Plans, a monthly subscription with coverage in over 170 destinations and all the benefits of the travel eSIM.
That’s not all – at Holafly, we make travel easy by including 1 GB of Always On backup data with every eSIM purchase. No hidden fees, just a ‘thank you’ for staying with us. Simply keep the Holafly eSIM installed on your device to stay connected for whenever travel gets difficult.
Peace of mind before you fly
Set up your eSIM before travel and get unlimited data on arrival.
FAQs
Including flights and accommodation, travelers need around $860 to $2,000 for a 3-day trip to Singapore based on their travel preferences.
Yes. Singapore is considered the most expensive destination in Asia, followed by major cities like Hong Kong, Beijing, and Shanghai.
The cheapest month to visit Singapore is November, with March and post-New Year’s Day also being cheap months.
Plans that may interest you
I first started my content creation journey as a freelancer in 2019, before connecting with Holafly in 2021. At Holafly, my travel and tech interests come together in one place as I craft high-quality articles about the eSIM and related markets. My content aims to help travelers stay connected, wherever they are.
