Being one of the world’s leading economic centers, Singapore is the most expensive city-state country by Southeast Asian standards. Budget travelers should note that Singapore is much more expensive than the rest of Southeast Asian countries. Most people visit Singapore for three days only as they think there isn’t anything else to see. However, if you want to explore the country on the cheap way, check out the following tips you can do:

Accommodation: You can have a hostel dorm around USD 20 - 30 or stay at a budget hotel starting from $ 50 for a double room. Most standard hotels charge around $100 – 300 per night for a basic room.

Food: Singapore is famous for its delicious food. There is a lot of good food on the street stalls in Singapore for less than $5 per meal. You should visit Chinatown and try great dim sum, noodles, beef and other specific Chinese food here for around $7-9 per meal. Don’t miss out to eat Indian food in Little India where you can get the best of Indian cuisine, like vegetarian food, seafood dishes, fiery curries, chicken tandori and fluffy naan breads.

Transportation: There are plenty of good public transportation, buses, taxis and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) in Singapore. They are cheap, reliable and cover most points of interest for the visitors. You only spend about US$8 per day to get unlimited rides on buses and trains. But Singapore is also quite pedestrian-friendly; Pavements and pedestrian crossings are plentiful. It is convenient to walk and stroll around from place to place in Orchard Road, Chinatown, Little India or Bugis street.

Activities: Overall, you could do some activities in Singapore without spending a lot of money. Some places of attractions are free, like Singapore Botanical Gardens which is home to over 1000 species of orchid, rainforest and various streams and waterfalls.

Travel around Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, the country’s premier ecotourism attraction spotting wildlife like macaques, squirrels and various species of birds. You also can watch a free concert in the evening hosted by the Singapore Symphony Orchestra at different venues, in parks or at the race course.

Walking around the Chinatown is also quite interesting; this is the place where you can get the authentic of Chinese heritage. You can admire the Thian Hock Keng temple for its beautiful architecture and Sri Mariamman Temple, the oldest Hindu temple which is very colorful and elaborative. Shopping around Chinatown is quite enjoyable as you can pick up a bargain. The streets filled with shops, stalls and many restaurants offering good food with very cheap price.

Visit Singapore Zoo’s night safari, one of the best in the world and very popular. This is a huge place covering an area of 28 hectares and has over 3,600 mammals, birds and reptiles. The entrance fee to the zoo and a night safari costs $39. You can see the zoo in the morning and return at night for the safari.