Let’s be honest! We weren’t planning on staying in Singapore for too long. It’s small and expensive. You can always find it on the list of most expensive cities in the world. Basically, nothing interesting for budget travelers like us. But we’re so happy we didn’t listen to the rumors. It may be small but there are so many things to do in Singapore, so many delicious meals to eat, especially at a reasonable price. So here is our 3-day Singapore itinerary for budget travelers!
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Table of Contents
How to get to Singapore
It’s easy enough to get to Singapore. It’s a business and cultural hub in South-East Asia, so there are a ton of international flights that come into the best airport in the world, Changi Airport. Even if you only have a short layover in Singapore, the airport offers free city tours, so you can take it all in!
Another way to get to Singapore is to take a bus from Malaysia. We have a Couchsurfing friend who simply hopped on the bus to cross borders. In fact, a lot of people even live across the border in Malaysia and work in Singapore. It’s the ultimate money-saving hack!
Getting around Singapore
Getting around Singapore is super easy. The MRT system (Mass Rapid Transit) is very well-developed and connects to all areas of the city. Best of all, communication in the MRT is also in English, which makes it a breeze to get around.
As a budget-friendly tip, we would recommend getting a Singapore Tourist Pass which gives you unlimited access to the MRT. You can buy the tourist pass for 1 day ($10 SGD), 2 days ($16) or 3 days ($20). You will need to pay an extra $10 for the card but will get a refund when you return it.
Another good way to get around is to use the Grab app. It’s like Uber, but for Asia. We’ve used this app in most of the countries we’ve been to in South-East Asia.
How to spend 3 days in Singapore for budget travelers
Most people don’t stay here for much longer than the time of their layover, but if time permits, we highly recommend you explore this awesome place. And don’t worry, it’s not as expensive as most make it out to be. We found that 3 days in Singapore were perfect. It helped keep our budget low but do so many things that were on our list.
Day 1 in Singapore for budget travelers – A day of culture and eating
For your first day in Singapore, we recommend you take the day to visit the different cultural centers of Singapore. And if you like food as much as we do, today’s going to be delicious.
Little India – Start in Singapore’s vibrant neighborhood
Start your first day in Singapore with Little India. Discover all the scents and sounds that make this place unique. The colorful houses, the street art, the delicious food, and the Mustafa Center.
This place has everything and anything you could possibly want: clothes, shoes, beauty products, appliances, and electronics. If you need anything during your trip and want to stick to a budget, this is the place for you! It’s one of the cheapest places to shop in Singapore.
Also, be sure to have a meal in Little India. You’ll have quite a few places to pick from. Our fave was the Masala Dosa at Murugan Idli shop. It’s South Indian deliciousness! Expect great food, but terrible service. Just laugh off the looks and attitude, and enjoy your meal. The great thing is that the prices are quite low for budget travelers.
Getting here: Take the MRT and get off at the Little India MRT Station on the NorthEast or Downtown lines.
Visit Singapore’s iconic area – Chinatown
Next, head over to Chinatown. The streets are filled with stalls selling a ton of souvenirs, in case that’s your thing. We enjoy looking through the stalls but we never buy anything (we can’t lug these things around for a year). Plus, it’s not very eco-friendly!
It’s still fun to see all the cool and crazy things they have available. There’s also plenty of street food, so treat yo’ self and try a few different things!
Be sure to visit the Tooth Relic Temple with the 10,000 buddhas lining its walls: it’s truly a beautiful temple. You can admire Buddha’s tooth on the second floor and be sure to make your way up to the roof for the beautiful orchid garden. Not many people head up there, so you’ll have some peace and quiet.
The temple is free to visit, though you can make donations if you choose. Again, another outing that’s perfect for budget travelers.
It’s also important you wear appropriate clothing when you go: cover your knees and shoulders. If not, you’ll be given a sarong and a shall to cover up.
If time permits, you can also walk around Chinatown and find the cool Instagram-able buildings that will make people wonder how you had time to squeeze a trip to Hong Kong.
Getting here: Take the MRT from Little India MRT Station towards Harbour Front on the NorthEast line for 3 stops and exit at the Chinatown MRT Station.
End your day in Singapore’s colorful Kampong Glam
Finally, it’s time to make your way over to Kampong Glam. Although there are only a few streets making up this area, it’s still quite a sight. Clothing shops and restaurants line the streets, while people bustle around, looking for good deals.
In the center is Sultan Mosque. Make sure you check opening times – we got there as it was closing, so we didn’t have a chance to go inside. However, the mosque is quite beautiful from the outside! As always with religious places, make sure you dress appropriately.
Take a stroll down Haji Lane and the surrounding streets to admire all the street art created by local artists. They really give the area a cool vibe and an awesome character.
At night, this quarter comes to life! The streets are alive with the sound of music pouring out from all the pubs and restos. So sit down, order a delicious meal and enjoy the show. Beware of the tourist traps, however! They will try and charge you an arm and a leg for mediocre food.
A good tip to save your budget is to look out for anywhere that is packed with locals: there, you’ll be able to find a feast fit for a king or queen at a reasonable price. If you’re a budget traveler, walk around. You’ll find a ton of great options without breaking the bank.
Getting here: Take the MRT from Chinatown MRT Station towards Bukit Panjang for 5 stops on the Downtown line and exit at the Bugis MRT Station.
Day 2 in Singapore – Flowers at the Botanic Gardens & fun on Sentosa Island
Head out early and grab the typical Singaporean breakfast. Half boiled eggs, toast with Kaya (coconut jam and butter) and the famous Kopi C coffee. This should cost you anywhere from $2 to $5, depending on where you are. There are a plethora of options: just close your eyes, spin, and point. And for budget travelers like us, at this price, you can have 2 meals!
Check out the free Botanic Gardens in Singapore
Now, it’s time to discover the Singapore Botanic Gardens, the only tropical garden in the UNESCO World Heritage List. It boasts an astounding 82-hectares of gardens, lakes, rainforest and sheer beauty you’ll want to explore, so wear comfy shoes and a hat, bring water and get started.
The entrance to the Gardens is free, which is perfect for budget travelers. Although some expositions, like the Orchid Garden, have a paying entrance (about $5). Make sure you head there early enough so you can avoid crowds and the scorching heat. There’s not a lot of shade, but it still gets pretty hot!
Getting here: Take the MRT and exit at the Botanic Gardens MRT Station on the Circle or Downtown lines.
Chill out on Singapore’s beaches on Sentosa
When you’re done admiring the beauty of the Gardens, head out for a fun afternoon at Sentosa island, the State of Fun. This is the entertainment island where you can find Adventure Cove Aqua Park, an 11-story tall skywalk, the S.E.A. Aquarium, Universal Studios Singapore, beaches, a 37-foot Merlion, and so much more.
A quick tip for our budget travelers: skip taking the Sentosa Express monorail from the main station. Instead walk to the second station (S2 Waterfront), just a quick 10-minute stroll away, and you can grab it for free.
It’s a beautiful walk on the boardwalk, and there are lots to see around. And depending on where you want to go, you can skip the monorail completely by simply walking around the island. We spent our afternoon at Siloso Beach but you could easily spend a whole day here if you wanted to.
Getting here: Take the MRT from Botanic Gardens MRT Station towards Harbour Front for 10 stops on the Circle line and exit at the Harbour Front MRT Station (end of the line). Either walk across the Sentosa Boardwalk (free) or jump on the Sentosa Express ($4 SGD).
End the night at Singapore’s Marina Bay Sands
Finally, when you’re almost ready to call it a night, make your way over to the Marina Bay Sands to enjoy Spectra, the light show. There’s one at 9 pm and another at 10 pm. And best of all, it’s free!
Getting here: Get back on the Sentosa Express (the ride back is free) and exit at the Harbour Front MRT Station (end of the line). Get on the Circle line for 26 stops and exit at the Marina Bay MRT Station (end of the line).
For a quicker route on the MRT, take the North-East line towards Punggol for 2 stops and exit at the Chinatown MRT Station. Transfer to the Downtown line towards Bukit Panjang for 2 stops and exit at the Downtown MRT Station. Transfer to the North-South line towards Marine Bay for 1 stop and exit at the Marina Bay MRT Station. Though you will need to transfer twice, this route is a much faster alternative.
If you want to keep the night going, stroll through the Gardens by the Bay, admiring the SuperTree Grove, the multiple works of art, and all the flora.
If you like ice cream (who doesn’t?!), you can walk across the Helix Bridge and find a local ice cream sandwich vendor offering his sweets in a multitude of flavors, for about $2. That’s the perfect way to end another amazing day, at a budget-friendly price!
Or, if you’re tired of walking, you can always grab a drink at Clark Quay. Both are great options.
Day 3 in Singapore – Admire the beauty of the modern world in the Marina Bay Sands area
You may want to keep this itinerary for a scorching hot day because parts of it will be spent inside. Although to be honest, this is not necessarily a budget-friendly activity to do in Singapore.
Escape Singapore’s heat at the Gardens by the Bay
Start off at the Gardens by the Bay, walking around to explore the different areas, art sculptures, and the ever-famous SuperTree Grove. You can also opt to hop on the self-driving shuttle: it’s a pretty cool experience!
When the sun gets too hot, head to the Flower Dome and the Cloud Forest. We wish we had seen these but they were closed for maintenance. It’s all good though, it gives us an excuse to go back to Singapore!
The entrance for the two conservatories is $28, though they do offer free guided tours through some of the sections if you want to get more bang-for-your-buck.
For a quick bite to eat, check out the restaurants at the Marina Shoppes. It’ll also give you a reason to do some window shopping or grab some souvenirs for people back home. As you can imagine, however, this is not necessarily a good place for budget travelers who actually want to stick to a budget!
Getting here: Take the MRT and exit at the Marina Bay MRT Station on the Circle or North South lines.
Get cultured at the ArtScience Museum
Finally, stroll over to the ArtScience Museum, the iconic lotus-shaped building. We saw two expos while we were there: the #instafamous Future World and Art from the Streets. We spent the whole afternoon here, just immersing ourselves in the technology and beauty behind Future World. It’s an expo that is perfect for kids and adults alike.
Then, we were left in awe admiring the history of street art, with exhibits from famous artists like Banksy, Shepard Fairey, and Invader, just to name a few.
The entrance cost to the museum is not free (sorry budget travelers), but it’s well worth it. There are different fees depending on how many expositions you see. It can range from $19 to $40. It was a great way to escape the heat and see some cool expositions, so it’s up there on the list of things to do in Singapore.
Grab a bite at the budget traveler friendly hawker stalls
Now, depending on what time it is, you have a few options. You can head to our favorite hawker center for a bite to eat. Lau Pa Sat is a short walk or MRT ride away and has food from all corners of the world. For budget travelers, this is exactly what you want to find in Singapore! Cheap and delicious, just like we love it.
If it’s not quite supper time, you can always catch the SuperTree Grove show at 7:45 pm or 8:45 pm. They light up the trees and have a whole music show going.
So find a good seat under the trees or just lay on the floor and enjoy it. You’ll want to show up 15 to 20 minutes early for the show if you expect to get a good spot to view the lighting of the SuperTrees. The best thing about the show is that it’s free. Another fun thing to do in Singapore for budget travelers!
Do this budget-friendly Singapore trip your way
We didn’t have time to do everything we wanted to in Singapore. Did we mention we obviously have to go back?! Below are some things we wanted to do but couldn’t quite squeeze in. You can always swap out things in our itinerary for these fun budget-friendly finds:
- Haw Par Villa. A park of life-sized statues and dioramas that highlight stories from Chinese mythology. Created by the Haw Par brothers, creators of Tiger Balm
- Changi Point Coastal Walk. Near the world-famous airport, there is a quiet boardwalk by the water where you can see the planes fly in and out.
- Treetop walk at MacRitchie Reservoir. Walk on a free-standing suspension bridge 25 meters off the ground. Amazing for budget travelers in Singapore, because the entrance is free!
When is the best time to visit Singapore
The weather in Singapore doesn’t change much from one season to the next, so any time is a good time to visit Singapore. Just beware that there are certain holidays to look out for, especially in January, February, June, July, September, and October. During these months, accommodations get booked in advance, and the attractions are more crowded.
The weather in Singapore in March
We visited Singapore in early March and had a great time. The weather was hot, though it did get quite toasty in the sun. Nights were perfect, no need to wear warmer clothing. There weren’t too many people around when we were at different attractions, which made it perfect to explore.
How to be eco-friendly in Singapore
As always, we want to be sure everyone travels in the most eco-friendly way possible! That’s why we want to share these few little tips with you to make your stay in Singapore as eco-friendly and sustainable as possible.
- Bring reusable water bottles and coffee mug: Tap water in Singapore is safe to drink for locals and travelers alike. So make sure you bring a reusable water bottle that you can fill up (we always have our Lifestraw Go with us!) And if you love to drink coffee, make sure you bring your reusable coffee mug too! You’ll need it for your Kopi C.
- Eat as local and vegan as you can: This is the easiest way to reduce your environmental footprint. Eat as much local produce and food as possible, and especially, eat all the vegan options you can! It’s a delicious and easy way to reduce your carbon footprint.
- Bring your own bags and refuse plastic bags: Like most places, they still offer plastic bags in grocery stores, at the local markets, and at various shops. So bring your own bag and do your little step to save our beautiful planet!
- Walk around Singapore: We walked all around the different areas in Singapore and had a great time getting lost in the streets. Although you can’t walk from one area to the next, the neighborhoods are easy enough to navigate.
- Use public transportation to get around Singapore: The subways and busses in Singapore are some of the most efficient and cleanest we’ve seen in the world. It’s very easy to get around the city using public transportation. It’s cheap to get around if you get the tourist pass too!
We had such a great time in 3 days in Singapore. We would highly recommend it for anyone who is in the area, even if you are a budget traveler.
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