Heading to Singapore with the family and don’t want to break the bank? Check out these 9 Tips on How to Save Money when Travelling to Singapore with kids.
How to Save Money when travelling to Singapore with kids
Singapore is one of those places that has it all when it comes to family travel. A bustling city that is very safe, kid-friendly and easy to get around. A huge array of food options. Amazing kid-friendly resorts, world-class attractions to suit kids of all ages. Shopping in malls that never end.
But, it is also costly, and saying yes to doing everything in this place also makes it for one very pricey holiday. Read on to learn more and on 9 Tips on How to Save When travelling to Singapore with kids.
Is Singapore expensive?
If you compare it to other cities in South East Asia, the answer is yes.
A taxi ride in Singapore will set you back more than double what a taxi will cost you in Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur.
A burger in a decent family-friendly restaurant will cost you around SGD 25 per person. A small glass of wine will also cost as much as that burger. Yes, you read correctly.
Hop over to the glitzy island of Sentosa and an ice cream can set you back a whopping SGD 9 per scoop and paid entry to pretty much everything you see, including playgrounds.
But, a bit of research and planning can go a long way, and save you HUNDREDS, while still having an amazing holiday with the kids.
9 Tips on How to Save Money when Travelling to Singapore with Kids
Head to convenience stores for snacks, ice creams and drinks
If you are out for the day and need a cold drink, snacks, or ice creams, head to many of the local convenience stores like 7-Eleven that are all over Singapore to buy what you need with prices as little as SGD 2-3 per ice cream or drink. Most of these also sell light lunch options, and in some, some hot food to-go that you can heat up in-store.
Top Tip: There is No need to buy any water! Tap water is SAFE to drink in Singapore so take your water bottle and fill up at the hotel before you head out to do sightseeing.
Skip the Breakfast Buffet and check out the local malls & supermarkets
Unless the breakfast is already included in your room package – paying for the buffet for a whole family can be expensive. Most family resorts charge around SGD 35-40 per adult and SGD 15-20 per child which can add up to over SGD 100 for the average family of 4.
Instead, Stock up at a local supermarket or bakery for your breakfast foods. There are several FairPrice, Cold Storage, Giant & Market Place throughout all of Singapore that have a vast variety of baked goods and pre-cut fruit, snacks, and drinks.
Popular bakery chain BreadTalk also has stores around of Singapore selling a huge range of freshly made pastries for SDG 3-4 per piece.
If staying in Sentosa, head over for anything you need to VivoCity – it’s the largest shopping mall in the whole of Singapore.
It’s just a short few stops away on the monorail (ViVoCity Station on the Sentosa Express or HarbourFront stop on the MRT) – it has over 100 food stalls, as well as supermarkets, and was our go-to to stock up on anything we needed as a fraction of the price of what you can buy from Sentosa.
Use Public transport
Local taxis and the now widely used ride-sharing service Grab are popular options to get around and still quite affordable compared to other countries – but if want to travel on a budget and avoid the traffic jams – use the MRT (Underground Metro of Singapore). It’s clean, fast, and a very efficient way to get around in Singapore.
All the stations have easy access to the platforms for strollers and children below a height of 0.9 m (or 7 years old), can travel with their parents for FREE on the MRT.
To access the MRT, just tap your credit card on and off at your last stop. Depending on how far your are travelling each trip costs between SGD 1.50-2.50 per person.
Cut back on alcohol
Alcohol is taxed heavily in Singapore so the cost of any alcoholic beverage is pricey compared to other countries. Beers and wine can be purchased for cheaper from the supermarkets. A good alternative is also to head over to a hawker centre, which usually has beers for sale at SGD 7-8 which is just over half the price of the average beer in restaurants and bars in the city.
Plan your visits and shop around for discounted entries to key attractions
There are of course some attractions that are must-see in Singapore with kids, like Universal Studios, and are indeed paid – but well worth the money. Do your research before your trip, read reviews, and see if it is indeed an attraction that is worth it and suitable for the ages of the children.
Entry tickets can sometimes be purchased at discounted rates on a site like Klook in Singapore or if you want to visit several attractions on your visit, a Klook Multi-Attraction Pass is worth it to save some money rather than buying individual tickets!
Connect to many of the Free Internet Hotspots
Free Wifi is widely available all over Singapore and you can easily connect to public wifi (Wireless@SGx) at malls, MRT stations, museums and many more places. This can save you lots rather than spending money on expensive overseas roaming charges! You can find more information on how to stay connected in Singapore on the Visit Singapore Tourism Page.
Use a Coin Laundry instead of the Hotel Laundry
Laundry Service the resorts/ hotels in Singapore can be extremely expensive – the items washed are usually charged per item, and when travelling with kids the reality is that the washing doesn’t stop.
If you can manage to wash your own items in the room, or even better have a communal laundry you can use that’s great.
If not, a very affordable option is to find a coin laundry. The cost to wash and dry a large load of laundry is around SGD 10. Ideally, find a laundrette that is near your accommodation, a lunch stop or something to visit so you can easily drop off and collect the laundry when done. There is a handy guide HERE on the popular coin laundry stores in Singapore.
Eat at hawker centres
Hawker centers are absolutely fantastic places to try the amazing food that Singapore has to offer. Very popular with locals and tourists, you are bound to find dishes that everyone in the family will love as there are many stalls selling a variety of dishes all under one roof.
At prices as little at 4 SGD per dish, the food is very affordable and extremely tasty. It’s defenitely a top tip on How to Save money when travelling to Singapore with kids.
You can check out my other posts on some of the most popular and unique dishes to try in Singapore, Here on Unique and Classic Dishes you have to try at hawker centers!
Visit and cool off at some of the many free attractions in Singapore
Sightseeing and visiting some of the popular attractions in Singapore like Universal Studios or Singapore Zoo is not cheap – but there are several things that you can do that are completely free too!
Take a stroll around Marina Bay Sands and Gardens by the Bay and cool off at the huge splash park. Visit the pristine beaches at Sentosa or wander in the manicured Botanical Gardens. Admire the shophouses in China Town and wonder in the many souvenir shops. The Tooth Relic Temple around the corner is a must-see and also free.
Read more on the Top 5 Free Attractions to see in Singapore Coming Soon.
Best Family – Friendly Accommodation Options in Singapore
Singapore
Shangri-La Singapore – Click HERE to Check Prices
Holiday Inn Express Clarke Quay – Click HERE to Check Prices
Ibis Singapore on Bencoolen – Click HERE to Check Prices
Sentosa Island
Village Hotel Sentosa – Click HERE to Check Prices
Shangri – La Rasa Sentosa – Click HERE to Check Prices
Hard Rock Hotel Sentosa – Click HERE to Check Prices
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I hope you enjoyed this post on How to Save Money when Travelling to Singapore with Kids. You can read more of my Singapore post in my posts here!
