Finding a good meal while on a budget is always a little harder because you want to find great filling meals but at the same time not compromising on quality. While people will tell you 'no lunch comes free', luckily for us, there are still good people out there who serve up hearty food at amazing prices. So if you don’t want to spend too much while eating out and are looking for affordable food in Singapore, we’ve put together a list of places to help you stay well-fed on your holiday while not breaking the bank.
Here are some of the best cheap eats in Singapore:
Picture Credit: Toasties
Set on serving the best food possible, Toasties uses high-quality ingredients to create flavourful sandwich-type foods. Handmade bread is the base for mouth-watering fillings like Chipotle Chicken, Mexican Pulled Beef, Cheese Steak, Tuna, or more. Are you drooling yet? Beacuse we are! Their sandwiches can be customized or selected as an ala carte, so fussy eaters: this place is perfect for you! What’s the best part? Their amazing filling sandwiches are all under $10! Toasties has 5 outlets all over Singapore so simply whip out this list and check if you're nearby one!
Address: 51 Tampines Ave 4, #01-85
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
Address: 201D Tampines Street 21, #01-1171
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
Address: 6 Raffles Blvd, #03-212
Opening Hours: 11am – 10pm
Address: 321 Clementi Avenue 3, #01-10/1
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm
Address: 1 Senoko Avenue, #02-02
Opening Hours: 9am – 6pm (Mon-Fri)
Price Range: About $10
Picture Credit: Segar Restaurant
Located in Chinatown, many Muslims might not know of this Halal-certified Thai Chinese cuisine restaurant. Chinatown is probably not a regular spot for Muslims at meal times due to the lack of Halal food, but Segar Restaurant is a must-try. It’s a great place to take the family since they offer sharing platters, so keep that in mind when looking at the prices on the menu. Segar is best known for its Curry Fish Head and Claypot Tom Yum Soup.
Address: Chinatown Point, B2-39/40/41 Singapore 059413
Opening Hours: 11.30AM to 9.30PM
Price Range: About $10 per person (shared)
Picture Credit: Nasi Lemak Kukus
Probably one of the most successful Nasi Lemak places, Nasi Lemak Kukus is a completely self-service eatery. The best part is that you start off with as big a serving of rice that you want at no extra cost, and only pay for what you add to your plate after that. Also called free-flow coconut rice, ala carte dishes then include beef rendang ($3.50), chicken sausage ($0.50), ikan goreng ($0.70) and more. Who said cheap restaurants in Singapore have to compromise on quality? If you’re looking for cheap hawker food in Singapore, this is one of your best bets. Hawker food in Singapore is always some of the most authentic and delicious meals that can be found.
Address: 229 Selegie Road, Singapore 188344
Opening Hours: 12PM to 10.30PM (Closed on Sundays)
Price Range: Around $10 depending on your add-ons
Picture Credit: As Shifaa Cafe
With a hearty-sized serving, As Shifaa Café is known for its Malay interpretation of Chicken Rice. This Nasi Ayam is only $5 per plate and is a completely satisfying meal. Fried chicken that is crispy on the outside, juicy and delicious on the inside, served with rice and a sambal that ties the whole dish together. Could you ask for more? Needless to say, their other main dish, Mee Soto, is only $3.20 for a good-sized bowl. As Shifaa Café has some of the best meals in Orchard Road under $10.
Address: 304 Orchard Road, #06-52 Lucky Plaza, Singapore 238863
Timings: 11AM to 4PM (Closed on Sundays)
Price Range: About $5
Picture Credit: Curry Times
Singapore’s well-loved Old Chang Kee brings you Curry Times, a restaurant with warm whole dishes on their menu. It is the perfect place to share some good times with friends and family as Curry Times have quite a few sharing dishes on their menu. Try their signature Curry Chicken, Curry Fish, Curry Beef, or a number of dishes from their vast range. The best part of all is that Curry Times does believe in giving out free goodies as everyone is allowed to help themselves to the giant tub of “iced gems” – a signature biscuit with colored icing – at no extra cost! Curry Times is one of the best budget places to eat lunch in Singapore.
Address: Changi Airport Terminal 3, #B2-51 65, Airport Blvd 819663
Opening Hours: 7AM to 11PM
Price Range: About $10
Address: Changi Airport Terminal 4,#02-81/82, Departure/Transit Lounge North
Opening Hours: 6AM to 12AM
Address: 238 Thomson Road, #02-33/34/41/42, Singapore 307683
Opening Hours: 9AM to 10PM (Mon-Sat)
10AM to 10PM (Sun & PH)
Address: 3 Gateway Drive, #02-08, Singapore 608532
Opening Hours: 11AM to 10PM
Address: 1 Northpoint Drive, #B1-201/202, Northpoint City, Singapore 768019
Opening Hours: 11AM to 10PM
Picture Credit: Rayyan’s Waroeng Penyet
Where can you find beef steak for under $10? At Rayyan’s Waroeng Penyet! Admittedly, it isn’t the biggest steak you’ll have, but they have great value for the price! With a breakfast, lunch and kids’ menu, you are spoilt for choice. Meat lovers will relish their beef steak, ribs, and lamb chops, while those who prefer local spices will enjoy their Nasi Lemak and more. If you’re not a meat person, don’t worry, they offer seafood, chicken and vegetarian options as well! Rayyan’s specialty is fusion Indonesian Western cuisine.
Address: 121 Telok Ayer St, Tanjong Pagar, Singapore
Opening Hours: 7AM to 3.30PM (Mon-Wed)
7AM to 9:30PM (Thu-Fri)
9AM to 1PM (Sat)
Price Range: About $10
Picture credit: Spize River Valley
Open till the wee hours of the morning, head to Spize for your late night fix. It is one of the best places to eat in Singapore at night. The Asian and Mediterranean cuisine is what you will find here, with some extremely affordable dishes and some a bit pricier. Their sizeable portions allow you to share if you don’t have the appetite of a crocodile. Their soup, salad, burgers, rice, and noodle dishes are all under $10, while their pasta, grills and seafood range from $15 to $35. If you are sharing though, you don’t need to worry about the price tag!
Address: 409 River Valley Road, Singapore 248307
Opening Hours: 12PM to 5AM (Weekdays)
12PM to 6AM (Weekends)
Address: 336 Bedok Road Singapore 469512
Opening Hours: 12PM to 2AM (Weekdays)
12PM to 3AM (Weekends)
Price Range: $10 – $15
Picture Credit: Islamic Restaurant Singapore
A true classic that has been around for decades, Islamic Restaurant Singapore is also known for their Dial-A-Biryani. That’s right, their biryani is so popular that it has its own hotline. Islamic Restaurant has had the privilege to feed past presidents and diplomats thanks to their standard of food and yet remains extremely affordable. Their Biryani range from $8-$11 (with just the prawn biryani at $13) and every other dish is either $10 or under.
Address: 745 North Bridge Rd Singapore 198713
Opening Hours: 10AM to 10PM
Price Range: About $10
Singapore has made Muslim-friendly travel easy with its plentiful Halal food places, and on top of that, it is not difficult to find nearby food places that are affordable when you travel to Singapore. With plenty of options, we hope that eating out and experiencing Singaporean culture as well as the multi-ethnicity that it offers will only make your travels a great one. May these dishes leave your mouths watering and make you come back for more!
