Singapore | What to See & Do On a Budget
Singapore has the most developed economy in Southeast Asia and a high standard of life. Therefore, when you visit it, you can expect to spend quite a lot of money for different activities and accommodation.
However, there are still some free or cheap things to do if you travel like us, on a budget.
Ivan and I spent 3 wonderful days in this beautiful country. Here is a list of the places we saw and things we did while we were in Singapore.
Table of Contents
Travel by public transport
Singapore’s transport system is excellent. You can either use light trains (LRT), buses or subway (MRT) to move around the island on a budget.
Every station has a map and you can easily orientate how to get from point A to point B.
If you want to travel cheaply, there are 2 types of prepaid cards that you can buy and use for a discounted price of your ticket.
EZ-Link Card
From Singapore Changi Airport, we bought at a counter two EZ-Link cards for S$12 each. They were already with S$7 preloaded credit inside. The rest S$5 of the price goes for the plastic card itself.
It is valid for 5 years, so you can use it the next time you visit Singapore, or just keep it as a memory.
When your credit becomes S$3 or below, you should pop the card up if you want to continue using it.
Notice that if you pop the card with more money than you need, you can take your money out of the card at any station.
Cost: S$12
The Singapore Tourist Pass
The other option is to buy The Singapore Tourist Pass. It is a special EZ-Link Card that offers unlimited travel on public buses, MRT and LRT trains for certain days.
Its price depends on the number of days you want to use it – S$10 for 1 day, S$16 for 2 days, and S$20 for 3 days.
Keep in mind that passes are sold with a fully refundable smart card rental deposit of S$10.
The rental deposit is fully refundable when the card is returned to any of the authorized Transitlink Ticket offices in Singapore, including within six days from the date it was first issued.
If you wish to retain the card beyond the 5-day rental period as a souvenir, the S$10 card rental deposit will be forfeited.
After the rental expiry of the card, and if you choose to retain the card, you can continue using it as a normal EZ-link card by topping it up with cash at any of the machines or TransitLink Ticket Offices.
Cost: S$10/S$16/S$20
Eat at Food markets
It doesn’t matter if you are on a budget or not, you should eat at a local food market at least once.
You will find a high variety of delicious meals like rice with chicken, pork or beef meat, noodle soups, fish, and desserts, all of them freshly made daily.
They are sold at very good prices and you will save a few dollars by eating at the market.
During our visit to Singapore, we ate almost all of the time at these local vendors and all meals were very delicious, and also very cheap.
Ivan and I recommend you to find Albert Centre Market & Food Centre, next to Bugis Station, and Maxwell Food Centre, located nearby Buddha Tooth Relic Temple in Chinatown.
Cost: S$2-S$8
Walk in the Gardens by the Bay
Probably the most visited place in Singapore is Gardens by the Bay.
This is a huge park that includes two conservatories (Flower Dome and Cloud Forest), the Supertree Grove, a Skywalk bridge between the trees, Dragonfly and Kingfisher Lakes, a Children Garden, a Heritage Garden, a Sun Pavilion, and some beautiful sculptures.
It is free to walk next to the lakes, in the gardens and around the Supertrees.
The Supertrees
With their impressive height as tall as a 16-floor building and over 162,000 plants put there, these 18 trees are pretty spectacular and a must-see attraction.
12 of them are located in Supertree Grove and the other 6 are located on the other side of the park, at Golden and Silver Gardens.
What we liked the most about them was the fact that they are not put there only to decorate the park, but also to produce energy.
Some of them have photovoltaic cells to harvest solar energy for lighting up the Supertrees. Others are integrated with the Cooled Conservatories and serve as air exhaust receptacles.
There is an OCBC Skyway bridge which connects the Supertree Grove into a 128-metre long walkway at 22-metre high.
It is opened from 9.00 AM to 9.00 PM and its admission is S$8.
Go there evening time and see the free light and sound show at 7.45 PM and 8.45 PM from above.
Flower Dome
Don’t miss to visit also the two amazing conservatories in Gardens by the Bay – Flower Dome and Cloud Forest.
With its impressive 1.2 hectares, Flower Dome is the largest glass greenhouse in the world and it is listed in the Guinness World Record.
Inside, you can see amazing plants from five continents, which are separated into nine different gardens.
Keep in mind that the inside temperature is 23°C – 25°C and the humidity is 60% – 80%, so you may feel hard to breathe at some point.
Cloud Forest
The Cloud Forest is a tropical conservatory that includes the world’s tallest indoor waterfall at 35 meters.
You can walk up to the top of it and explore some exotic plants that live in cloud rainforests at 2,000 meters above sea level. There is also a spectacular view of the Marina Bay Hotel from here.
The temperatures in this conservatory are the same as in the Flower Dome, but the humidity is even higher – 80% – 90%.
The conservatories are open daily from 9.00 AM until 9.00 PM.
You need to buy a ticket at the counter or online to enter there, but trust us, the price is worth it! It includes both conservatories and costs S$28.
Cost: Free to walk around the Supertrees, lakes, and in the gardens
*OCBC Skyway Bridge Admission – S$8
*Flower Dome and Cloud Forest Conservatories – S$28
Picture The Merlion Statue and the Light Show
The Merlion is a mystic creature with a half-lion and half-fish body. It is the symbol of Singapore and, therefore, you will see it in a few places around the city.
The main statue is located on the opposite side of the Marina Bay Sands Hotel, next to Esplanade Bridge. It is impressive with its size and outlook, so don’t miss to check it closely.
The spot is also perfect for taking some beautiful night photos of the bay.
You can go there and watch the free light and water show coming from the Marina Bay Sands Hotel every evening at 8.00 PM.
Cost: Free
Step high at Marina Bay Sands Sky Park
After seeing the gorgeous Marina Bay Sands Hotel from the outside, we were curious to check it also from the inside.
Its architecture consists of 3 vertical buildings and one horizontal building suited on the top which looks like a ship. On our 2 night in Singapore, we visited this hotel for a small walk.
The interior is very spectacular with its fine furniture and shining pieces of art. After passing the main lobby for the guests, we saw a sign leading to a separate entrance and elevators for going on the Observation Deck. We purchased our tickets and caught the elevator leading to the 56th floor.
The view from the top is truly amazing! This place is a great spot for taking shots from above. You can see the whole city from there.
You will find vendors who are selling food and drinks and also a fancy bar where you can purchase a cocktail and enjoy yourself and the 360-degree view.
Despite the crowds and the high entrance fee, the experience was worth it and we recommend to visit this place.
Cost: S$23
Shop and Pray at Chinatown
Get a bus or a train and go to Chinatown. This neighborhood is full of old buildings and small shops, which are selling delicious meals and colorful souvenirs.
Don’t miss to visit the local market and purchase some traditional spices or try their amazing cuisine.
This neighborhood has also a lot of Buddhist temples which are cultural treasures and must be seen, especially the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple.
Cost: Free
See Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum
The most beautiful Buddhist temple in Singapore is the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple and Museum.
It is located in Chinatown and it is very close to Chinatown MRT Station.
This 4-story building is a place where you can feel the true spirit of this religion and learn more about the history of Buddha.
We were lucky enough to catch one of the traditional ceremonies there and stay a bit to enjoy the magic voices of the prayers.
Go all the way up to the roof where you can see the ten thousand Buddhas pagoda.
Don’t forget to cover yourself. There are robes at the entrance that you can borrow if you are in shorts and a top.
Non-flashed photography is permitted at the museum, but it is not allowed at the Sacred Relic Chamber.
The temple is opened daily from 7.00 AM until 7.00 PM. The museum and stupa Chamber is opened from 9.00 AM to 6.00 PM.
It is free of charge, but you can leave donations if you wish.
Cost: Free/Donations
Visit Masjid Sultan | Sultan Mosque
This mosque has beautiful architecture and it is a national monument of the country, so it is worth visiting it.
It was built in 1928 and since then has been one of the most important buildings in Singapore.
The temple is located in the historic Kampong Glam district. Everyone can go inside and look around and there are even some free tours of it, provided by the locals.
Keep in mind there are hours for praying in which outside visitors are not allowed. Don’t forget to cover your knees and shoulders before entering the mosque.
Cost: Free
Go inside the Malay Heritage Center
This museum is on the opposite side of Sultan Masjid Mosque. You can combine both attractions and visit them together.
Established in 2005, the Malay Heritage Centre shows the history, culture, and contributions of the Malay community within the context of Singapore’s historical and multicultural society.
There are six permanent galleries spread over the two levels of the building.
The museum is opened daily 10.00 AM – 18.00 PM, except Monday when it is closed.
Cost: S$6
Explore Downtown and Walk by the River
Don’t miss walking the streets of Downtown, especially at night time.
We passed by a few of the attractions such as Bugis Mall, The Church of Our Lady of Lourdes, the City Hall and went to the Singapore River.
There is a path along the river where you can enjoy the city’s lights and take beautiful photos. Some of the best bars and restaurants are also located here.
Cost: Free
Pass the Footbridge to Sentosa Island
While you are in Singapore, you should definitely visit the nearby Sentosa Island.
It is a paradise for fun with its amusement parks such as Universal Studios Park, Adventure Cove Waterpark, the aquarium Marine Life Park, and the Trick Eye Museum. There are also amazing beaches and a Golf Course.
After a quick look, we decided to buy tickets for an evening music-and-light show called Wings of Time.
Ivan and I chose the cheapest way to get to the island and walked along the Footbridge to Sentosa Island, also known as Sentosa Boardwalk. There is a fee of S$1 to pass it.
It will take you around 20 minutes from the one end to the other and you will have enough time to enjoy the view on your way. Plus, it costs you only a dollar!
Cost: S$1
Watch Wings of Time Show at Sentosa Island
One of the best shows that we have seen is called Wings of Time. It is open-air, open-sea music and light show full of colors, lasers, and special effects.
This is the perfect ending of your visit to Singapore and it is worth the price. There are daily shows at 7.40 PM and 8.40 PM.
You can buy tickets directly at the counter of the show at Sentosa Island or book and combine online with other attractions on the island.
Cost: S$18 and above
Fly cheaply from Changi Airport
Final Thoughts
Although it is an overall expensive country, there are many free or cheap things to do in Singapore when you travel like us on a budget.
We had a lot of fun while we were there and recommend you visiting this country at least once.
Happy travels,
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I absolutely loved Singapore when I visited BUT i did find it expensive! I wish I had read this before going as I really had no idea how many budget options there were!
Yes, Singapore is a beautiful, but an expensive country! I’m glad that you found this post, maybe you’ll visit Singapore again someday. Cheers!
I never thought that I wanted to visit Singapore before, but I didn’t realize that it had so much to offer. I have always wanted to visit a Buddhist Temple and the Buddhist Toothe Relic Temple looks great. It must have been amazing to see a ceremony there.
Hey Kelly, Singapore is indeed a very beautiful country and has a lot to offer. Buddhist Tooth Relic Temple in Chinatown is definitely a must-see place when visiting Singapore. We were very impressed by this temple.
We don’t always need to spend tons of money to have fun and enjoy our time in a new place. Great post!
Hey Patricia, yes I agree on 100%! If you want to travel on a budget, you will find cheap things, even free, to see and do everywhere, you just need to look for it!
Looks like Singapore has a lot to offer. Enjoyed the beautiful photos and fun facts. I would love to see the Flower Dome and explore Sentosa Island!
Thank you very much, Ashley! I am glad you enjoyed my article. The Gardens and Sentosa Island are the best in my opinion. Cheers!
Really informative article! I feel like I could get the same info from someone who lived there and you managed to accumulate that in 3 days! Excellent read
Thank you very much, Alli! I appreciate it!