Hawker food is cheap, but Singapore hotels are among Asia’s priciest and add a 10% service charge plus 9% GST on top of the room rate. Drinks are heavily taxed, so a night out costs more than at home.
Starts with a sample trip. Change any number to match yours. Set up your travel profile to fill these in for you.
Compare hotels in central Singapore →Tick what you plan to do and we’ll price it for your group. Your picks set “Attraction and tour tickets” and “Shows, tours and extras you picked” in your budget.
The sample is 2 travelers for 4 nights. Your plan ($3,750) covers the main costs most people budget for, the ones you enter on the left. Costs people forget ($1,181, about 31% more for this trip) are the fees, taxes, tips and extras listed in the calculator. Prices were last checked on October 17, 2026.
Share of the $4,931 real cost. Nights and travelers multiply most of these costs, so changing either one moves the total the most.
9 of this trip's numbers link to a published price or rate. The rest are our estimates, and each one says what it is based on. You can also read how we calculate every trip.
| Cost | Default | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Airfare per person | $1,150 per traveler | KAYAK shows an average round trip from the US to Singapore of about $1,136 (cheapest in September, highest in December). Source |
| Hotel per night | $250 a night | KAYAK shows central Singapore hotels averaging about $400 a night and 4-star rooms from about $130–160; our figure is a good mid-range double before service charge and GST. Source |
| Food per person, per day | $45 per traveler, per day | Hawker meals cost about S$3–6 and a food day runs S$20 on hawker food to S$35+ with sit-down meals; our figure mixes both before restaurant service charges. Source |
| Cost | Default | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Checked bag fees Off by default | $90 per traveler | Our estimate: Singapore Airlines and main-cabin fares on most carriers include a checked bag; basic economy and extra bags cost about $45 each way. Our estimate |
| Passports Off by default | $165 per traveler | The State Department lists $130 for the book plus a $35 acceptance fee for a first adult passport. Source |
| Hotel service charge and GST | 19.9% of the hotel | Hotels typically add a 10% service charge and 9% GST (on the rate plus service), so S$100 becomes S$119.90. Source |
| Airport taxi or Grab round trip | $60 for the trip | Changi says taxis to the city cost about S$25–45 plus an S$6–8 airport surcharge; two rides for a group are about S$80. Source |
| MRT and buses | $6 per traveler, per day | Adult MRT fares run S$1.28–2.57 per ride (from December 27, 2025), and foreign contactless cards add about S$0.60 a day. Source |
| Restaurant service charge and GST | 10% of the food | Restaurants add 10% service and 9% GST while hawker centres charge nett prices; our 10% assumes about half of food spending is at restaurants. Source |
| Drinks and nightlife | $15 per traveler, per day | A standard pint at a Singapore bar is about S$12 without a deal; our estimate allows about two drinks a day. Source |
| Attraction and tour tickets | $80 per traveler | Our estimate for two or three paid attractions (for example the Gardens by the Bay domes, a Sentosa attraction or an observation deck) per traveler. Our estimate |
| Phone data | $15 per traveler | Our estimate based on typical Singapore eSIM plans from Airalo, Nomad and similar providers for about a week. Our estimate |
| Card fees | 3% of your plan | Typical foreign transaction fee on US credit and debit cards that charge one; many travel cards charge none. Our estimate |
| Souvenirs and treats | $40 per traveler | Our estimate for snacks, small gifts and treats per traveler. Our estimate |
| Shows, tours and extras you picked Off by default | $0 for the trip | Starts at $0. Filled in from what you pick in the things-to-do planner; each one links to its own price source. Our estimate |
| Travel insurance | 6% of your plan | Squaremouth says a comprehensive plan averages about 6% of the trip cost, usually 4% to 10%. Source |
| Pre-trip shopping | $60 for the trip | Our estimate for travel-size toiletries, sunscreen and small things bought before a trip. Our estimate |
| Pet boarding or sitter | $50 a day, if you check Pets | Dogster puts regular kennel boarding at about $35 to $85 a night. Overnight sitters at home cost more. Source |
For 4 nights with flights, a hotel and food, plan on about $3,750 for two people. Once you add the costs most visitors forget, like the hotel service charge and GST, airport rides, MRT fares and restaurant service charges, it's closer to $4,950. Use the calculator above to change any number to match your trip.
US citizens don’t need a visa for a tourist visit, but everyone must submit the SG Arrival Card within three days before arriving. It’s free on ICA’s website or the MyICA app – avoid look-alike sites that charge a fee. Source
Hotels and sit-down restaurants usually quote “++” prices, then add a 10% service charge and 9% GST, about 19.9% in total. Hawker centres and coffee shops charge the price shown. Source
The MRT is the cheapest option at a couple of Singapore dollars per ride. A taxi costs about S$25–45 plus an airport surcharge of S$6–8, and a private shuttle is S$70 for up to four people. Source
Yes, but it’s already in your airfare: Changi’s passenger service fee and levies total S$65.20 per departing passenger. A new green fuel levy (S$10.40 in economy to the Americas) is added to tickets sold from October 1, 2026 for flights from January 2027. Source