Singapore May Have Been Ranked One Of The Most Expensive Cities In The World Last Year, But Here's How You Can Enjoy Your Visit Without Breaking The Bank!
The Telegraph listed Singapore as the seventh most expensive city in the world in 2014. That being said, there are many ways you can still enjoy the city to the fullest without breaking your budget. You can make a memorable visit to the Lion city without hurting your wallet. As travellers who are only there for a short visit, tourists often overlook opportunities to find reasonable deals while on their vacation to this colourful and vibrant city. Having lived in Singapore in my pre-teens and having visited twice during the last two summers, I can attest to the fact that you can relish Singapore on a budget!
Here are some tips to make your stay in Singapore affordable and fun.
Get an EZ-Link Travel Pass
While the yellow taxis are easy to access in Singapore, the best and most convenient way to travel in the city is by using its most convenient public transit options, which are not only clean, well-regulated and well-maintained, but which will also take you from one end of the city to another without having to spend more than S$4–5. An EZ-Link card costs about S$15 and has a S$10 credit for you to use in your travels.
While the transportation services do offer a tourist plus card, which can be purchased for up to S$30, I recommend getting the EZ-link card, which you can use anytime you decide to return to the tropical and cosmopolitan city! You can use the EZ-link card on the MRT (Mass-Rapid Transportation), LRT (Light Rail Transportation), and public buses easily. All you have to do is tap in and tap out of the bus or the train station.
Skip the Fancy Restaurants and Try the Hawker Centres
When travelling in Singapore City, you need not eat at the expensive restaurants mostly located in Marine Parade or other restaurants located in posh and expensive parts of town. You can stop by at any of the food courts, also known as “hawker centres,” which are peppered across the city — even in expensive shopping malls. Here, you can purchase a variety of meals and try different cuisines for less than S$10–20, which includes your meal, a drink and even a dessert.
While eateries and restaurants near areas like China Town, Clarke Quay and Boat Quay may seem authentic, they will be expensive. You could try delicious Indonesian and Malaysian nasi padang (above left), which is rice with traditional accompaniments and curries, or Hiananese (roasted) chicken rice (below right), which would cost you a mere S$14 at the Marina Bay Sands food court.
Enjoy the Parks
With its wonderful weather and beaches, Singapore hosts many parks designed for tourists and locals alike. My favourite park remains East Coast Park or ECP, which is parallel to the ECP Highway. Not only can you enjoy the soothing breeze as you walk along the beach, but you can also rent a bike for just $10 for two hours, or have a family picnic with the various sites for family barbecues. As you bike for kilometres, you can take a snack break, enjoying chicken satays and fresh fruit juices at the nearby hawker centres in the ECP area. Bike trails lead all the way to Singapore’s famous Changi Airport, and you can make a night out of your cycling trip by watching the planes take off and land.
Photographs courtesy of Nidhi Shrivastava (Blogger's own)
Nidhi Shrivastava
Author
Nidhi Shrivastava (@shnidhi) is a Ph.D. candidate in the English department at Western University and works as an adjunct professor in at Sacred Heart University. She holds double masters in South Asian Studies and Women's Studies. Her research focuses on Hindi film cinema, censorship, the figure o...
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