Backpacking Singapore City (The Definite Budget Guide)

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Find your Perfect Hostel in Singapore City

Singapore is tiny, pricey, and hotter than a noodle wok at lunch hour—yet backpackers keep coming back for the skyline that looks like it got lost on its way to the future.

I’ve visited often enough to have favorite MRT exits, and every trip proves the same rule: spend smart, move light, and let the city’s hawker stalls handle your taste buds.

This backpacking Singapore City guide will show you how to stretch your dollars without stretching your patience.

Top Picks: The Best Hostels in Singapore City

Best for Hostel Newbies

Atelier Hostel9.0

from $22.25 | More Details

Best for Female Solo Traveler

Dream Lodge8.9

from $17.93 | More Details

Best Party Hostel

Dream Chaser Boutique C...8.8

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Budget & Estimated Daily Costs in Singapore City

Singapore costs more than its Southeast Asian neighbors, but a disciplined backpacker can keep daily spend between €45 and €55.

That covers a pod dorm, three hawker meals, unlimited public transport, and one paid attraction.

Upscale coffee, rooftop drinks, or Sentosa thrills will nudge you to €70–90. Flash-pack at €100+ and watch your wallet melt faster than ice cream on Orchard Road.

What €50 buys:

• Bed in a capsule dorm with AC
• Breakfast kopi + kaya toast, chicken rice lunch, satay dinner
• All-day MRT and bus rides
• Entry to one paid sight like the National Gallery

Typical Daily Expenses in Singapore City

• Accommodation (Dorm Pod): €22–30 in shoulder season; add €5–10 during peak weeks.
• Food: €15–20.
   • Breakfast: €2–3—kaya toast set.
   • Lunch: €4–6—Hainan chicken rice.
   • Dinner: €6–10—laksa and sugar-cane juice.
• Transport: €4 daily with an EZ-Link card.
• Attractions: €6–12—many temples and gardens are free.
• Extras: €8–15—two beers, ice-cream potong, or souvenir magnet.

Shoestring comfort sits at €50; add crafts beers or indoor skydiving and wave goodbye to another €30.

Short and crisp: The Best Hostels in Singapore City

1. The InnCrowd Backpackers Hostel 1 - best for Solo Traveller
2. A Travellers Rest-Stop
3. Betel Box Backpackers Hostel - best for Beach Lovers Retreat, Party Hostel, Solo Traveller, Youth Hostel
4. HI - Hangout at Mt. Emily Hostel
5. Hostel One66

The InnCrowd Backpackers Hostel 1

9.2

Little India

"…Best hostel in Singapore, if not the region, I reckon. I love the area in which it's located, the more

A Travellers Rest-Stop

9.1

"GREAT PLACE! One of the best hostels I stayed in. The rooms as well as the hostel are pretty clean more

Betel Box Backpackers Hostel

8.7

"…It's marvelous. What more one can expect at SGD18? Again, I will repeat my stay in Betel Box in more

from

$12.57

HI - Hangout at Mt. Emily Hostel

9.1

"…The receptionist was very courtesy, helpful and always had smile. It's my favorite place - This is more

Hostel One66

8.9

"…Not having much chance to meet Yang (the owner). Not his fault since we are out all the time. But more

Money Saving Tips

• Buy an EZ-Link card at Changi; free transfers inside 45 minutes keep rides cheap.
• Eat where queue lines are longest—fresh food, local prices.
• Refill water bottles at public fountains; tap water is safe (and cold).
• Catch the Supertree Grove light show from the boardwalk—zero cost, same sparkle.
• Use free Wi-Fi at libraries and malls instead of café surfing.
• Choose hawker centres for happy hour: two beers for €6 beats Clarke Quay pints at €12 each.

Getting Around Singapore City on a Budget

Singapore’s public transport is so punctual it could host a TED talk on time management.

• MRT: Fast, cool, and rarely costs more than €1.20 a trip.
• Buses: Great for sightseeing—top deck, front seat, free city tour.
• SG bikes: €0.60 per 15 minutes; perfect for Marina Bay loop.
• On foot: Chinatown, Bugis, and Little India are walkable and shaded.
• Late nights: Use Grab or Gojek after midnight; taxis add heavy surcharges.

Pro hack: walk underground malls between MRT stops to escape humidity—free AC and food courts en route.

Best Free & Budget Friendly Attractions

Free Things to Do

• Watch Supertree Grove light show twice nightly.
• Snap selfies at the Merlion Park skyline terrace.
• Wander Haji Lane murals and indie stores.
• Stroll MacRitchie’s rainforest boardwalk and spot monitor lizards.
• Picnic at Marina Barrage with kite flyers and skyline views.

Low Cost Attractions

• National Gallery after 6 p.m.—€9 concession price.
• Bumboat cruise on Singapore River—€16.
• SkyViews Observatory off-peak—€12 for 50th-floor panorama.
• Sentosa cable-car one-way ticket—€12, then walk beaches free.

Food and Drinks on a Budget

• Hawker Heaven: Maxwell, Lau Pa Sat, and Tekka sell meals under €5—watch for “A” hygiene grades.
• Breakfast Swap: Skip pricey hostel toast; grab chwee kueh rice cakes for €1.50.
• Vegetarian Win: Ananda Bhavan serves masala dosas for €3.
• Cheap Drinks: Buy tallboy Tigers at 7-Eleven and chill at Esplanade steps.
• Meet Locals: Join hostel groups for shared outdoor hotpot at Bugis—split bill, double fun.

5 Hidden Gemz in Singapore City (by Hostelgeeks)

How it works

Experiences for Backpackers

• Cycle East Coast Park sunrise—bike hire €8 half-day.
• Night Safari combo ticket—€28 with hostel promo codes.
• Kayak tour around Pulau Ubin mangroves—€40 half-day.
• Free Chinatown Heritage walking tour (tip appreciated).
• HDB rooftop sunset at Toa Payoh Sky Garden—no ticket required.

Additional Tips & Final Thoughts

• Best Time to Visit: March–May and late October offer lighter rain and fewer events.
• Book Early: Reserve dorms and Night Safari tickets a week ahead for weekends and holidays.
• Avoid Tourist Traps: Skip boat-bar seats at Clarke Quay; bring your own drink along the riverwalk.
• Safety First: Singapore is safe but fines are fierce—no eating on MRT, no littering.
• Cultural Respect: Cover shoulders in temples, remove shoes in mosques, and accept that tissue packets on tables mean “reserved.”

Singapore rewards smart spenders: pair street food with hostel pods, ride the MRT like a local, and let the Garden City show you how futuristic can still feel friendly.

Grab your EZ-Link card—laksa and laser shows are waiting.

Backpacking Singapore City? Here’s What You Need to Know

These are the guides I wish I had before visiting. I’ve been there, had fun, did some minor mistakes, and now I’m passing the best tips on to you. Safe travels!

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About the author: Nour De Wilde Salhab

A Lebanese-Congolese-French-Belgian girl as likely to be found climbing a volcano in Indonesia or reading a sci-fi book by the sea in the South of France. Always on the hunt for remarkable experiences. My two favorites so far: volunteering in emergency medical services in Lebanon and solo backpacking around the world. Life is enjoyable in all its facets, from its healthy extremes to its mundane slows.