Can it be done? 2 tourists try spending just US$20 in Singapore for a day

When it comes to Asia, Singapore is not the most budget-friendly travel destination. 

So, many a time, tourists try to come up with creative, cost-effective itineraries to stretch their dollar. 

One example is Eoin and Aisling, a couple who hail from Ireland and started their backpacking adventures in September 2021. 

During a recent trip to Southeast Asia they tried to see what the both of them could do for a day in Singapore with a budget of just US$20 (S$27.50) and documented it in a YouTube video on Sunday (Nov 5). 

"Singapore is known as a pretty expensive country to try and travel [to] and today, we're going to put that to the test," Eoin said at the start of the almost-13-minute clip. 

For this experiment, they excluded accommodation cost and only included essentials like food, transport and activities. 

Eat hawker food to save money 

Before starting their day, they had to take a bus out to the city as they are currently staying at the East Coast neighbourhood. 

A bus ride to Bugis cost them both US$2.10. 

"The buses here in Singapore are super handy and they're also very, very affordable," praised Eoin. 

Before getting some lunch, they decided to treat themselves to some ice cream from Mixue's Bugis Street outlet, which cost them US$1.50 for two cones. 

While the couple did not purchase anything else from the Bugis Street Market, they recommended the area to those looking for affordable shopping options. 

"You can pick up clothes, souvenirs, food, drinks and a wee bit of everything else in between," said Aisling. 

After their ice cream, they headed to the nearby Albert Centre Market and Food Centre to grab lunch. 

The sheer amount of food options left them spoilt for choice for around 20 minutes but they eventually settled for a plate of economy rice, chicken cutlet kolo mee and ice kopi. This set them back by US$7.75.  

"If you're looking to eat cheaply in Singapore then making use of the many hawker centres is going to be your best bet," said Aisling. 

"Honestly, the options here are great and most meals come with a really low price tag."

Free shows and more ice cream 

The couple then spent some time exploring the Bugis area before buying some water from 7-Eleven for US$1.50. 

After getting a break from the local heat in the air-conditioned Raffles City mall, they went to Boat Quay and Marina Bay. 

"Every time we come to Singapore we love to check out that area. There's always so much going on as well," said Aisling. 

"We've been lucky that we've caught free concerts before, then you've got the light show, and you've got the Gardens by the Bay as well. And they're all so, so good because they're free as well. So you're on a budget, then they're definitely very helpful." 

And luckily for them, they managed to catch yet another free concert this time around too. 

This was at the Esplanade Outdoor Theatre and featured a troupe of classical Korean music instrument players and dancers. 

When the spectacular concert was done, the couple planned on going to Gardens by the Bay to catch the Garden Rhapsody light show at Supertree Grove. 

But on the way, they bumped into an ice cream vendor who was selling traditional wafer and sandwich ice creams. 

As they were unable to resist the sweet treat, they bought a mint chocolate chip wafer ice cream for US$1.10. 

"Man this is so good. Refreshing as well. The heat today is ridiculous it's really really humid. Ice cream solves all your problems in life," remarked Eoin. 

When they finally reached Gardens by the Bay, they realised there was an ongoing Mid-Autumn Festival event going and it was jammed with people. 

While enjoying the festivities, they found that the organiser was giving out free packet drinks and they managed to snag two. 

"Unreal, because we are actually nearly out of water and juice and we're about to go watch the Supertree show so these are going to keep us hydrated," said Eoin. 

More hawker food and an even better light show 

After the light show, the couple escaped the crowds by heading to Ah Heng Curry Chicken Noodle at Hong Lim Market & Food Centre for some dinner. 

There, they got two bowls of curry noodle soup for US$5.90, which wiped out their remaining budget. 

But even so, they managed to end a night on a high with a free light show outside Marina Bay Sands. 

"To be honest, it was actually much better than the Supertree performance earlier," Aisling said frankly. 

So yes, the couple did managed to enjoy a full day of activities and food within a tight US$20 budget. In the end, they spent a grand total of US$19.85. 

"That is our US$20 challenge complete here in Singapore. Smashed it, no bother," said Eoin cheerily, who added that the budget was not just for one person, but for two.  

"So if you're coming here as a solo traveller, it doesn't have to be as expensive as what you're probably imagining it to be." 

Some tips the couple gave were to eat at hawker centres, travel via local transport and make use of all the free activities available. 

ALSO READ: How expensive is Singapore? 2 tourists try to survive on a $50 budget for a day

melissateo@asiaone.com