When in Singapore, you will quickly realize that traveling here on the cheap is not that easy. It’s not Thailand or Cambodia where you can spend $1-$3 on your accommodation and dine out for $3 (including alcoholic drinks). No wonder, why Singapore is the most expensive city in the world. However, you can still enjoy the local cuisine without breaking the bank!
Let’s say your daily food budget is $10 (12.65 Singapore dollar). It not much, but if you know where to dine out, you can easily stuff yourself with proper food for that amount of money. Now, let’s get familiar with 5 cheapest and most delicious places to dine out in Singapore:
Hawker Center: Maxwell Road
Have you ever heard of Hawker Center before? If not, you must read our Beginner’s Guide to the Singapore Hawker Center.
When in Singapore, you just have to make it to Maxwell Hawker Center. It is located at the edge of Chinatown and if has more than 100 different stalls so there is a great of variety of Chinese as well as Western food to choose from. Both, locals and tourists, alike flock here for the variety of cuisines and local specialties. The quality is also unbeatable!
Here is what you can have for your SG$12:
Breakfast: spicy or sweet congee for $3
Lunch: fish soup for $3
Dinner: Stir-fried egg noodles for $3
Snacks: apple and banana for $1,5
Drinks: coke and orange juice for $1,5
Address:1 Kadayanallur St Singapore 069184.
Open time: Daily 8am – 10pm.
#2 Hawker Center: Newton Circus.
This is one of Singapore’s most historical hawker centers. Make sure you go to Newton if you want a primer on local food, or if you like people-watching in a lively atmosphere. It’s a perfect place for vegetarians – several stalls now cook their dishes without pork or lamb.
Here is what you can have for your SG$12:
Breakfast: noodle soup with fish balls $2,5
Lunch: Thai spring rolls $3,5
Dinner: Indian naan bread with curry sauce, samosa + hot tea for $4
Snacks: A big bowl of fruit salad for $2
Address: 500 Clemenceau Ave North Singapore 229495.
Open time: Daily 12pm – 2am.
#3 Hawker Center: Lau Pa Sat.
Lau Pa Sat is located in the heart of the CBD. Once you get there, you will notice that the place is always packed with businessmen at lunchtime. However, when night falls, the atmosphere changes completely as satay stalls and beer vendors come out and set up an alfresco dining area. Seriously, you won’t find a better night in Singapore than enjoying sticks of chicken, beef, and prawn satay while knocking back cheap pints at Lau Pa Sat!
Here is what you can have for your $12:
Breakfast: Chicken soup with rice cake for $3
Lunch: Grilled pork with rice $2,5
Dinner: Thai pancake for $3
Snacks: Sweet mini dumplings for $3
Address: 8 Raffles Quay, Singapore 048582.
Open time: 24/7
Which place and food would you go for when in Singapore?
49 thoughts on “Best Places to Eat in Singapore for $10 A Day”
When we were in Singapore for 2 weeks, I think we ate at Maxwell pretty much every day and never got bored because it had so many options. And really so cheap that we never had to worry about breaking the budget either! I’m glad the even if everything else in Singapore is kind of expensive, at least the food is delicious and cheap!
That’s so true, Steph. You can never get bored of the food at Maxwell.
We Love Love LOVE the food in Singapore. The Hawkers markets have so much variety to choose from and its all so cheap.! nom nom nom
Agree!!
Just a word of warning: Don’t order food from those seafood stalls that charge by weight at Newton Circus – you’ll blow your food budget for one month!
There are many more hawker centres around the island with good stalls, and the above-mentioned website reviews the better ones.
The other hawker centres in the city centre with a high concentration of good stalls are Chinatown Market, Amoy Street (both are close to Maxwell) and Market Street/Golden Shoe near Lau Pa Sat. The latter two, popular with office crowds, are best visited just before lunch time.
Thanks Nicholas for sharing! We will keep that in mind :-)!
Gosh, this looks beyond delicious! Whyyyyy are you teasing me with this awesomeness? :)
P.S. Singapore was probably one of the most ‘delicious’ places we’ve visited in Asia.
Hahahaha! I love foodporns too! :)
This all looks delicious and great to hear that you can also have great eats without having a huge budget. I always thought Singapore was really expensive.
Yes, Singapore is expensive, but the food at Hawker centers are super cheap!
LOVE Singapore and LOVE the hawker centres! Cannot wait to go back there. I only wish Chilli Crab were less expensive.
That makes 2 of us!
I have been infatuated with wanting to visit Singapore ever since I saw an Anthony Bourdain travel show there. He said the street food is amazing! I like how you talked about going to the Center where people were flocking. You and Cez have said in the past that is good, safe sign of where to eat. Interesting that it’s significantly more expensive than so many of the other places you guys have been to. Have a great day, Agness! :)
You just have to go there one day, Mike! Truly amazing!!
Soooooo delicious looking! I would definitely eat at a hawker center in Singapore.
I was eating, eating, eating and eating in Singapore ! :D
YUM!!! Whenever I travel, I just want to know what I’m going to eat. That’s a far more important question then where will I sleep and what I will do…
Same here LOL!
There are quite a number of great food stalls in Newton. You have to be careful and confirm prices before they cook though. Especially if you’re eating at some of the seafood places. There have been a few cases where tourists have finished their meal only to be stunned by the price of the bill afterwards.
We have not been to Newton, unfortunately.
I love love LOVE this post. Bookmarking for my trip to Singapore in December. Everyone says that Singapore is so dang expensive, but you have proven, nope, not the case. $10 a day for eating, wow, thats one meal for me, a days eating is cheaper than a day of me home cooking. Awesome. Cant wait to get my eat on in Asia. 153 days to go!!! :)
I’m super excited for you Anna!!!!! Time flies :)!! If you need more Singapore tips, let me know!
I’d choose #3 Hawker Center: Lau Pa Sat. What a good resource for everyone heading to Singapore!
It’s a nice place, indeed!
I’d love to go to Newton Circus and try out their vegetarian food, looks delicious!
They have plenty of vegetarian meals there!
I just tortured myself by looking at these yummy photos with no food in the house! I thought Singapore would be an expensive place, but these foods are affordable and look great. And I love browsing stalls, especially food stalls, so Hawker Centre it is!
Go eat something yummy then! :D
So much good looking food for such a good price!!
Make it to Singapore and try them all!!!
You did fabulously in eating out for $10 a day. Singapore is a foodie destination non pareil, IMHO.
The hawker centre near Little India is pretty awesome, great tips for Singapore there’s so much available! Thanks for sharing!
My pleasure mate!
Hey! I’ve nominated you for the ‘Versatile Blogger Award’! Go here to find out more! (sorry if you’ve already been nominated!)
andysworldjourneys.com/2014/07/23/versatile-blogger-award-nomination/
I think I went to the Hawker Centre on Maxwell Road – difficult to work at first as no menus in English, but we got taken under the wing of a lovely couple of ladies on a stall who showed us the best dishes.
I can personally endorse the Hawker Centres. With such reasonable prices it is little wonder they are packed out with locals at lunchtime as I discovered.
Totally agree.