A guide to living in one of the most expensive cities in the world

By Cher Morente, Singapore Management University, Singapore

Read for where to eat, have fun and everything else under the sun, coming from a student who made the most of her year abroad in Singapore without breaking the bank! (although I almost did)

1. Food

As someone who used to do their food shop at Lidl in 1st and 2nd year, the prices at supermarkets definitely came as a shock to me at first. It would cost me the same amount for a weekly shop in the UK for just a few days in Singapore. Fortunately for me, everyone on exchange felt the same way and we would just end up eating out together the majority of the time. Luckily, eating out in Singapore is relatively cheap if you go to the right spots – hawker centers! They have so much variety and the most you’ll pay is around $10 SGD (roughly £6!) so having it a few times a week won’t hurt and will always be delicious given the number of michelin-guide hawker stalls open in Singapore.

A few of my favourite hawker centers are Hong Lim Food Complex, Maxwell & contrary to popular belief, Lau Pa Sat. While it can get busy during peak hours, as any hawker center, it is definitely worthwhile and isn’t a tourist trap as the prices remain reasonable.

Of course, eating out 24/7 isn’t the healthiest option which is why I recommend doing a mix of the two. I made sure to stock up on fruits and vegetables that I can snack on and even add to meals for versatility as well as some breakfast options. NTUC Fairprice or CS Fresh is the most popular option with NTUC being the cheapest of the two. But there is also a supermarket called ShengSiong that is claimed to be cheaper but, I didn’t have the chance to go as it was far away from where I was staying.

As for food on campus, it is also super cheap with the cheapest meal I had was $3.80 which is super handy during exam season when you’re on campus more than 2 days a week.

1.1 Restaurants

Bonding over food is key to many cultures and Singapore does not fall behind. With many scheduled business dinners, meetings & events, the F&B scene is unmatched. It is important to note that dining in a restaurant is a bit pricier especially with added tax and service charge, but when converted into pounds the quality, ambience and experience you’re getting is highly worth it.

Here are some restaurants I tried and would highly go back again:

• Pasta Bar – Duxton Hill
• Spago – Marina Bay Sands
• Jypsy – One Fullerton
• Jumbo – Riverside Point

Above are some pictures from the restaurants!

1.2 Cafés

Singapore’s café scene is vibrant given that the locals love to café hop during their free time. There are many in Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar area as well as Joo Chiat.

Here are some of my favourite cafes:

• Glasshouse
• Alani
• Kobashi
• Cafe Margaret

2. Leisure

Leading an active lifestyle is highly encouraged in Singapore and because it is insanely hot to simply walk sometimes, there are plenty of choices for hobbies such as tennis, badminton and golf which have classes/sessions you can join for a fee. There are also plenty of yoga and pilates studios around the city and if you use ClassPass with a free trial, you’ll be able to test different ones before committing. Or if you’re feeling fancy, there is activities running on top of MBS on the Observation Deck in the early mornings such as Vinyasa Yoga, Mat Pilates and more.

But, if you’re looking for something more low-to-no cost, there is always the SMU Gym plus there are lots of societies/clubs (CCAs) you can join at SMU!

3. Entertainment

From biking around the city to nights out, Singapore offers a variety of things to do alone or with friends.

One of my friends and I’s favourite daytime thing to do is have a picnic at Marina Barrage as it was low cost and let us soak in our favourite view – the city skyline. We would play games and chat for hours on end. The perfect way to get to know each other better on exchange.

There are also plenty of other activities you can do such as, attend a ballet performance, sing your heart out at karaoke, visit museums & art galleries and so much more!

However, when it comes to the evening, we enjoy going out and meeting new people which usually leads us to the likes of Marquee, Zouk, Dashi Go Go & Nova depending on our mood but always ends in a fun time.

Or if you’re looking for a more chilled out vibe, there are plenty of cool & unique spots that have earned their spots in Asia’s best bars.

3. Sights

There’s no doubt that you’ve already been to famous sights: MBS, Merlion and Gardens By The Bay well within your first week on exchange but, there is a lot to explore in the city which you can definitely spread out overtime in between school and travelling.

For a city, Singapore is surrounded by lots of greenery such that a walk in the CBD is enough to refresh you from a low mood! But, if you’re keen to explore more of its lucious greenery, here are a few to add to your list: MacRitchie Resovoir & Park (it has the Treetop Walk full of monkeys), Henderson Waves, Labrador Nature Reserve & Mount Faber.

An underrated spot has got to be the Japanese Gardens at Jurong Lake Gardens. Although it is far from the CBD, it provides a serene and peaceful place to clear your mind from the hustle & bustle.

Now, I know everyone’s financial situation is different but, saving money in certain areas is likely something students want especially those looking to travel on exchange! Having said that, while it’s good to be conscious of a budget and boundaries, it is important to remember that exchange is temporary and you shouldn’t restrict yourself too much because you should have fun!

These are only my recommendations that you can turn to when you’re running out of ideas of what to do but, definitely explore Singapore and create your very own list of favourite spots.