Breaking Down the Real Cost of a Singapore Trip

What a Trip from Singapore Actually Costs Including Flights

A four night trip to Singapore costs between S$1,080 and S$9,500 per person including return flights from a medium haul destination. The range depends on where you fly from, which airline you choose, and how you sleep and eat once you land. This page breaks down real S$ costs for three traveller profiles so you can budget before you book.

The Three Numbers That Matter Most

You need to settle three things before you can estimate your total trip cost. Your flight band determines the biggest line item. Your accommodation choice decides the second. Your dining style sets the rest.

Flight Bands And The Crossover Trap

Flight band. Short haul (under 3 hours) budget return fares run S$60 to S$180. Medium haul (3 to 6 hours) budget return fares run S$150 to S$400. Long haul (over 6 hours) budget return fares run S$350 to S$900. Full service airlines cost roughly double. The crossover point where budget carriers lose their advantage after adding baggage, seat selection, meals and payment fees is S$200 to S$250 for short haul, S$450 to S$550 for medium haul, and S$900 to S$1,200 for long haul.

Accommodation

A dorm bed or capsule hotel runs S$30 to S$50 per night. A 3 star hotel near the city centre runs S$120 to S$220 per night. A luxury resort at Marina Bay or Sentosa starts at S$400 and can hit S$1,000 per night. Peak season December January and June July pushes rates 30 to 50 percent higher.

Dining

Hawker centre meals cost S$4 to S$7 per dish. Mid range restaurant meals cost S$25 to S$45 per person. Fine dining costs S$80 to S$200 per person. A day of hawker eating runs S$18 to S$25. A day mixing hawker and restaurants runs S$45 to S$70. A day of fine dining runs S$160 to S$400.

Below is the all in cost for each profile for a 4 night trip from a medium haul origin. All figures are in Singapore dollars per person and include return airfare on a budget carrier with checked baggage, accommodation, meals, airport transfers and basic travel insurance.

Budget: S$1,080 to S$1,550 Per Person

You sleep in a dorm or capsule hotel at S$35 per night, eat all meals at hawker centres for S$20 per day, and fly a budget carrier from a medium haul city like Bangkok, Manila or Hong Kong. Return airfare on Scoot or AirAsia with 20kg checked baggage, seat selection, a meal and the payment fee comes to S$350 to S$550. Accommodation for 4 nights costs S$140 to S$200. Food for 4 days costs S$80. Airport transfer via MRT costs S$4. Travel insurance for a 5 day basic plan costs S$25 to S$50.

The failure case: that S$60 return fare you saw on AirAsia does not include the baggage fee, the seat selection fee, the meal, or the payment processing fee. The real flight cost after add ons climbs steeply. Book a fare that includes at least 20kg of luggage to avoid the stress of weighing your bag at the gate.

Your biggest risk is accommodation. Dorm beds in central hostels sell out weeks ahead during peak season. If you arrive without a booking on a Friday in December you will pay S$80 for a capsule in Little India or worse. Book at least 3 weeks ahead.

Mid Range: S$1,930 to S$2,920 Per Person

A 3 star hotel in Chinatown or Kampong Glam costs S$120 to S$220 per night. You eat a mix of hawker lunches and mid range restaurant dinners. Return airfare on a budget carrier from a medium haul city with add ons runs S$400 to S$600. Full service on Cathay Pacific or Thai Airways costs S$700 to S$1,000 and includes baggage and meals so you skip the add on friction entirely.

Book the full service option when the fare difference is under S$200. The crossover point for medium haul is S$450 to S$550. Above that the budget carrier saves you real money. Below that the full service airline gives you better departure times and lounge access.

Where You Sleep Matters

Accommodation is the trap. A 3 star hotel near Orchard or Marina Bay in peak season can cost S$300 per night. Book a hotel in Tiong Bahru or Katong instead. The neighbourhoods are quieter, the food is better, and you are still 15 minutes from the city centre on the MRT.

What To Do Each Day

Your daily spend on attractions adds S$30 to S$60. Budget S$10 for the Gardens by the Bay Cloud Forest and Flower Dome tickets booked online, S$25 for the Marina Bay Sands SkyPark observation deck, and S$5 for the National Orchid Garden. Skip the S$40 S.E.A. Aquarium unless you have children. The Asian Civilisations Museum costs S$15 and tells you more about Singapore in 90 minutes.

Luxury: S$3,620 to S$6,740 Per Person

You stay at a Marina Bay Sands or Sentosa resort for S$400 to S$1,000 per night. You dine at fine restaurants, order chilli crab at Jumbo Seafood with fried mantou buns, and book a full service airline from a long haul city like London, Tokyo or Sydney.

Return airfare on Singapore Airlines or ANA from a long haul origin costs S$800 to S$2,500. The 2024 Changi Airport departure taxes and fees embedded in your ticket total S$55.30 per passenger. You do not need to pay that separately but it is why the advertised fare is never the final one.

Eating And Moving

Meals for 4 days run S$640 to S$800 if you eat at top end places. A dinner at a Marina Bay fine dining restaurant costs S$150 to S$200 per person. The kaya toast breakfast set at Ya Kun Kaya Toast is S$6 and remains the best cheap meal in town even on a luxury trip.

The failure case: the hotel pool at Marina Bay Sands is for guests only but the SkyPark observation deck costs S$25 and anyone can book it. Do that instead. Budget S$40 to S$80 per day for ride hailing. Grab and Gojek are essential because taxis in peak hour with the 25 percent surcharge and the S$8 airport surcharge on Friday Sunday evenings add up fast.