Where to Eat on a Budget in Singapore | Cheap Eats Guide

Singapore is notoriously expensive for tourists. But fret not because here is my guide on where to eat on a budget in Singapore.

KOPITIAM

Kopitiam is the prime site where residents and tourists go to for a diverse range of affordable food and beverages. Founded in 1988, it has since expanded to 80 outlets in different locations across Singapore and is now a quintessential part of every Singaporean neighborhood.

There are plenty of local dishes that you can sample at Kopitiam but here are my top two favorites:

Leia Khu | Breakfast, Kopitiam, Singapore
TRADITIONAL SINGAPOREAN BREAKFAST

There’s no better way to start a day in Singapore than enjoying a filling breakfast meal consisting of kaya toasts, soft boiled eggs, and a hot cup of coffee that vaguely tastes like sikwate.

Price: 2.30 SGD (approx 90 PHP)

Leia Khu | Laksa, Kopitiam, Singapore
LAKSA

Laksa is a flavorful coconut curry noodle soup loaded with rice noodles, tofu puffs, fresh bean sprouts, meat (shrimp or chicken), and spices.

Price: 3 SGD (approx 115 PHP)

CRAWFORD LANE

BAK CHOR MEE

Prepare to queue for Hill Street Tai Hwa Pork Noodle‘s bak chor mee. This Michelin-starred egg noodle dish is mixed with fish sauce, lard, chili paste, black vinegar, minced meat, pork liver, sliced pork, wonton, and fried fish bones. It comes with a bowl of complimentary soup.

Price: Starts at 6 SGD (230 PHP)

LITTLE INDIA

Leia Khu | Tekka Centre, Little India, Singapore

Tekka Centre is a colorful, multi-level commercial complex in Little India which is a market, a shopping mall, and a food court all rolled into one. This is a place you definitely should stop by when it comes to eating on a budget in Singapore.

Leia Khu | Tekka Centre, Little India, Singapore

Stepping inside the food court of Tekka Centre may be a little overwhelming at first because the selection of food stalls there is aplenty. There’s just so much to see and taste!

But out of all the food options available there, my favorite has got to be briyani.

Leia Khu | Briyani, Tekka Centre, Little India, Singapore

Briyani is an aromatic Indian one-pot rice dish prepared with fried onions, various fragrant spices, yogurt, meat, eggs, coriander, and mint leaves. One serving is enough to power you for the entire day.

Price: 4.50 SGD (approx 175 PHP)

Leia Khu | Beverages, Tekka Centre, Little India, Singapore

Make sure to try the local beverages in Tekka Centre too. All of them are refreshing and delicious. Mango lassi definitely should not be missed.

Average Price: 1.20 SGD (approx 50 PHP)

CHINATOWN

Leia Khu | Chinatown, Singapore

Another must-visit spot for budget-friendly meals is Chinatown. There you can find street kiosks, restaurants, and hawker stalls offering the most authentic Singaporean dining experience.

Leia Khu | Hong Kong Soya Noodle, Liao Fan, Chinatown, Singapore

Located in Chinatown Food Complex, Liao Fan is a humble hawker stall known for serving the world’s cheapest Michelin-starred meal. Their iconic chicken noodle dish is definitely worth the long queue! You can customize the dish by selecting your preferred meat cut or by adding more ingredients.

Price: Starts at 4.80 SGD (approx 185 PHP)

ORCHARD ROAD

Leia Khu | Orchard Road, Singapore

Orchard Road is world-famous for its long stretch of glitzy shopping malls where affluent consumers shop and dine. Yet, if you look hard enough you can still find something to eat there without breaking the bank.

Leia Khu | Ice Cream Sandwich, Orchard Road, Singapore

Ice cream sandwiches are a delight to have after walking all day round in the humid streets of Singapore. These bricks of ice cream come in different flavors (green tea, chocolate chip, peppermint chocolate chip, durian, mango, chocolate, raspberry ripple, red bean, blueberry ripple, vanilla, sweet corn, yam) and you can choose if you want them served in a cup or between two slices of rainbow bread or wafer biscuits.

Price: 1.20 SGD (approx 50 SGD)

LUCKY PLAZA

Along the glittery Orchard Road, there’s a nondescript mall named Lucky Plaza filled with souvenir shops, remittance centers, money changers, boutiques, and food stalls which mainly caters to the Filipino diasporas.

Classic Pinoy masa favorites like Jollibee and Tapa King can be found here. But apart from Filipino food stalls, there are also other local homestyle food options to choose from.

Leia Khu | Nasi Pandang, Lucky Plaza, Orchard Road, Singapore

Nasi Padang serves an eponymous rice meal with various choices of delicious pre-cooked Indonesian viands.

Price: 3.80 USD (approx 200 PHP)

7-Eleven

7-Eleven Meals | Photo grabbed from https://thesmartlocal.com/

Last but definitely not the least on where to eat on a budget in Singapore is 7-Eleven. This ubiquitous convenience store has a lot of tasty ready-to-eat meals at prices everyone can afford.

Price: Starts at 2 SGD (approx 80 PHP)

Traveling to Singapore for the first time? Click here to read my travel guide.