Cheap Things to Do in Singapore Under $20 (2026): 12 Picks
15 October 2026 · By the Eventful team
The three best cheap things to do in Singapore cost nothing for residents: Garden Rhapsody at Gardens by the Bay (7.45pm and 8.45pm most nights, with special editions around Christmas), the Singapore Botanic Gardens (5am to midnight), and the national museums, which are free for Singaporeans and PRs. Here are 12 things to do for under $20, from zero to a $19.90 nett buffet with live baby lobster.
Top photo: Maxwell Food Centre, by Actuall7, CC0 via Wikimedia Commons
Singapore has a reputation for being expensive, and a lot of the best of it is free. Prices below are for Singapore residents unless we say otherwise. If you are planning a cheap date, see date ideas by budget.
1. Garden Rhapsody Where: Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay. MRT: Gardens by the Bay (TE22) Exit 1, or Bayfront Exit B. Hours: shows at 7.45pm and 8.45pm most nights, with special editions around Christmas; outdoor gardens open 5am to 2am. Price: free.
The best-known free show in the country. Lie under the Supertrees for the 8.45pm one.
2. Spectra at Marina Bay Sands Where: Event Plaza, Marina Bay Sands waterfront. MRT: Bayfront. Hours: Sunday to Thursday 8pm and 9pm, Friday and Saturday 8pm, 9pm and 10pm. MBS swaps in special editions on some nights, check its page. Price: free.
Fifteen minutes of light and water on the bay. Stack it with Garden Rhapsody on the same night.
3. Singapore Botanic Gardens Where: Singapore Botanic Gardens, Tanglin. MRT: Botanic Gardens. Hours: 5am to midnight daily. Price: free; the National Orchid Garden (8.30am to 7pm) is $5 for locals, $15 standard.
Free all day. Bring breakfast and eat it by the lake.
4. TreeTop Walk at MacRitchie Where: MacRitchie, Central Catchment Nature Reserve. Hours: Tuesday to Friday 9am to 5pm, weekends and public holidays 8.30am to 5pm, last entry 4.45pm, closed Mondays except public holidays. Price: free.
A real forest hike with a suspension bridge for $0. Go early and bring water.
5. National Gallery and National Museum National Gallery: 1 St Andrew's Road. MRT: City Hall Exit B, about a 7-minute walk. Hours: 10am to 7pm daily, last admission 6.30pm. Price: general admission free for Singaporeans, PRs, kids 6 and under and Singapore-based students; $20 standard, $15 for kids 7 to 12 and seniors. National Museum: Stamford Road, by Fort Canning. MRT: Bras Basah. Hours: 10am to 7pm daily, last entry before closing, check the museum's site for the cut-off. Price: permanent galleries free for Singaporeans and PRs.
Two air-conditioned afternoons, free with your IC. Pick one per visit, both in one day is a lot.
6. Free shows at the Esplanade Where: Esplanade, Marina Bay. MRT: Esplanade. Hours: free shows on the Concourse almost daily, and at the Outdoor Theatre on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. Price: free.
There is something on the Concourse most days. Check the free programmes list before you go.
7. Jacob Ballas Children's Garden Where: Singapore Botanic Gardens. MRT: Botanic Gardens. Hours: 8am to 7pm, closed Mondays unless a public holiday. Price: free.
If you have kids, this is a whole morning of water play that costs nothing. The tree house is closed for repairs until around the end of 2027.
Under $10
8. National Orchid Garden Where: inside the Singapore Botanic Gardens. Hours: 8.30am to 7pm daily, last entry 6pm. Price: $5 for locals ($15 standard); local seniors and students $1; children under 12 free.
The only paid part of the Botanic Gardens, and a strong $5 in this list.
9. Canopy Park at Jewel Where: Level 5, Jewel Changi Airport. MRT: Changi Airport. Hours: Monday to Thursday 10am to 9pm, Friday to Sunday, eves and public holidays 10am to 10pm, last admission 30 minutes before closing. Price: $8, or $6 for Singapore residents.
Slides, mist bowls and a garden walk under the Jewel dome. Check the 110cm height rule for the slides first.
10. Sentosa on a budget Where: Sentosa. MRT: HarbourFront. Getting in: free on foot across the Sentosa Boardwalk; the Sentosa Express is $4 from VivoCity and free between island stations. Price: beaches are free.
Walk in for free, swim for free, and only pay if you eat on the island. Our Sentosa food guide has the cheaper picks.
11. Pulau Ubin Where: bumboats from Changi Point Ferry Terminal. Hours: boats run on demand 6am to 7pm and usually leave when about 12 people are on board. Price: $4 per person each way, plus $2 for a bicycle.
Eight dollars return for a kampung day trip. Add a bike rental in the village if you did not bring one.
A buffet under $20
12. Family Mookata Where: AMK (Blk 215 Ang Mo Kio Ave 1), Jurong West (Blk 429 Jurong West Ave 1) or Yishun (6 Yishun Industrial Street 1), each inside a coffeeshop or food court. Hours: 1pm to 11pm daily, last orders 9.30pm. Price: $19.90 nett per adult (minimum 2), $14.90 for kids 100cm to 140cm. Not halal.
Live baby lobster and crayfish you catch from the tank, lok lok, marinated meats and a cheese dip on the pan, for $19.90 nett. Drinks are extra. The weekday afternoon is the cheapest time: Mon to Fri, 1pm to 4pm: 10% off all food. Mon to Thu, 5pm to 8pm: 5% off. Drinks not included, no discounts on public holidays. Only 5 bookings per timing. Book AMK, Jurong West or Yishun free.
Family Hakata is the halal version at the same price. Where: Blk 728 Ang Mo Kio Ave 6, #01-4200, inside KPH1990 Coffeeshop. Hours: 1pm to 11pm daily, last orders 9.30pm. Price: $19.90 nett per adult (minimum 2), $14.90 for kids 100cm to 140cm. Halal status: MUIS certified. Book Family Hakata free. Full menu and outlet differences are in our Family Mookata price guide.
Where to eat: Under $20 at a hawker centre is easy. Maxwell Food Centre at 1 Kadayanallur Street (Maxwell MRT) and Tiong Bahru Market at 30 Seng Poh Road (Tiong Bahru MRT) are two good places to start. Stall hours vary.
Good to know
· Bring your IC to the national museums. Free entry for Singaporeans and PRs is checked at the counter.
· Walk into Sentosa across the Boardwalk instead of taking the monorail in. It saves $4.
· The mookata deals do not run on public holidays, and each deal timing only takes 5 bookings.
FAQs
What can I do in Singapore for free?
Watch Garden Rhapsody at Gardens by the Bay (7.45pm and 8.45pm), walk the Singapore Botanic Gardens (5am to midnight), do the TreeTop Walk at MacRitchie, catch Spectra at Marina Bay Sands, or visit the national museums if you are a Singaporean or PR.
Is there a buffet under $20 in Singapore?
Yes. Family Mookata in AMK, Jurong West and Yishun is $19.90 nett per adult, with live baby lobster and crayfish on the counter. Family Hakata in Ang Mo Kio is the MUIS-certified halal version at the same price.
How much does it cost to get to Pulau Ubin?
The bumboat from Changi Point Ferry Terminal is $4 per person each way, plus $2 for a bicycle. Boats run on demand from 6am to 7pm and usually leave when about 12 people are on board.
Is it free to enter Sentosa?
Walking in across the Sentosa Boardwalk is free. The Sentosa Express monorail is $4 from VivoCity, and rides between stations on the island are free.
