As inflation reaches unprecedented levels, it’s crucial to be mindful of your spending, especially when it comes to meals. Fortunately, Singapore offers a plethora of delicious yet affordable dining options that won’t break the bank.

Discover the vibrant hawker centres, where you can enjoy a variety of local delights for just a few dollars. Savour dishes like Hainanese chicken rice, char kway teow, and laksa, each bursting with authentic flavours.

Singapore Cheap Eats Guide: Budget-Friendly Food Adventures

Budget Overview

Target Budget: SGD 10 per person per meal Reality Check: You can often eat for even less – locals suggest you’d be “hard pushed to spend SGD 10 for both people” at many hawker centres!

Real Traveller’s Experience

This guide is based on an actual forum discussion from July to August 2024, during which Tony D from Sydney planned a surprise birthday trip to Singapore with his 16-year-old daughter. Faced with SGD 25 per person hotel breakfast costs, he asked locals for advice on cheap eats around the M Hotel Singapore City Centre.

His Smart Decision: “So far they haven’t had any breakfast deals, so I think I’ll just assume we’ll sort our own out. And try the local food!”

His Logic: If the hotel breakfast were complimentary, he might use it occasionally while exploring local options. But paying extra would create pressure to eat there every day, and he would miss out on authentic Singapore food experiences.

Essential Food Locations Near M Hotel Singapore City Centre

🏆 Top Hawker Centres & Food Courts

Maxwell Food Centre ⭐ Must-Visit

Distance: 900m from M Hotel
Why Go: A very famous food court with authentic local dishes
Best For: Lunch and dinner variety

Tanjong Pagar Plaza Market and Food Centre

Distance: Walking distance from the hotel
Best For: Local breakfast and lunch options

Lau Pa Sat

Distance: Short walk from the M Hotel
Special: Historic Victorian-era market building
Hours: Opens early for breakfast

Amoy Food Centre

Distance: Walking distance
Best For: Less touristy, authentic local experience

Everton Park

Distance: Short distance from the hotel area
Description: “Nice little hawker/food court” with local atmosphere

🍞 Breakfast Specialists

Ya Kun Kaya Toast

Location: 100AM mall (connected to Tanjong Pagar MRT)
Signature: Traditional kaya toast with soft-boiled eggs
Budget: Well under $10 SGD per person

Annalaxmi Cafe

Location: Level 3, OUE Downtown Gallery (600m from M Hotel)
Speciality: Indian breakfast -idlis, thosaidosasa, vadaisai
Hours: 8:00 AM Mon-Sat, 11:00 AM Sunday
Note: Not a food court, but it fits the SGD 10 budget

🍽️ Must-Try Breakfast Options

Traditional Singaporean

Kaya Toast Set – Sweet coconut jam on toast with soft-boiled eggs
Roti Prata – Flaky Indian flatbread (highly recommended for teenagers!)
Bak Chor Mee – Minced pork noodles

Asian Varieties

Cantonese Porridge/Congee – Comforting rice porridge with toppings
Indian Breakfast – Idli (steamed rice cakes), thosai (crepes), vadai (fritters)
Wonton Noodles – Light soup with dumplings

☕ Coffee Culture Guide

Local Coffee Terms (Essential!)

Kopi-O Kosong =Coffee coffee, no sugar
Kopi-O KCoffeePeng = Iced black coffee, no sugar
Kopi-O = Black coffee sugar
Kopi = Coffee with condensed milk
Kopi-C = Coffee with evaporated milk and sugar

Coffee Reality Check

Australian coffee lovers should manage their expectations. Local kopi is very different from Australian café culture but offers its own unique experience.

💡 Money-Saving Tips

Skip Hotel Breakfast

Hotel Cost: SGD 25 per person per day
Alternative: $5-8 SGD per person at hawker centres
Savings: $15-20 SGD per person daily
Bonus: More variety and an authentic experience

Daily Food Budget Breakdown

Breakfast: $3-6 SGD per person
Lunch: $4-8 SGD per person
Dinner: $5-10 SGD per person
Total Daily: $12-24 SGD per person (vs. $75+ with hotel breakfast)

🚇 Getting Around

Transportation from the M Hotel

Most recommended food centres are within walking distance or one MRT stop away:

Tanjong Pagar MRT – Connected to the hotel area
Maxwell Food Centre – 10-minute walk
Chinatown – One MRT stop for more food options

🎯 Strategic Eating Plan

Day 1: Orientation

Morning: Ya Kun Kaya Toast (easy introduction)
Lunch: Maxwell Food Centre (famous dishes)
Dinner: Lau Pa Sat (atmospheric evening meal)

Day 2: Adventure Mode

Morning: Roti Prata at local coffee shop
Lunch: Amoy Food Centre (less touristy)
Dinner: Splurge night at a proper restaurant

Day 3: Cultural Exploration

Morning: Indian breakfast at Annalaxmi Cafe
Lunch: Everton Park hawker centre
Dinner: Tanjong Pagar Plaza

Days 4-5: Mix and Match

Revisit favourites and try new dishes at the exact locations

🍜 Essential Dishes to Try (With Recipes!)

UndSGD 5GD

Wonton Noodles

What it is: Thin egg noodles with pork dumplings in clear broth
Recipe: • Make wontons: Mix minced pork, prawns, soy sauce, sesame oil • Wrap in wonton skins, seal edges with water • Boil wontons 5-6 minutes until they float • Cook fresh egg noodles separately (2-3 minutes) • Serve noodles with wontons in hot chicken broth • Garnish with bok choy and spring onions

Chicken Rice (Hainanese)

What it is: Poached chicken with fragrant rice cooked in chicken stock
Recipe: • Rub whole chicken with salt, stuff with ginger and pandan • Poach in water with ginger, garlic, spring onions (45 minutes) • Reserve chicken stock for rice • Fry jasmine rice with chicken fat, garlic, ginger • Add chicken stock gradually, cook like risotto • Serve sliced chicken over rice with chili sauce and ginger paste

Laksa

What it is: Spicy coconut curry noodle soup with prawns and cockles
Recipe: • Blend laksa paste: dried chilies, shallots, lemongrass, galangal, candlenuts • Fry paste until fragrant (10 minutes) • Add coconut milk, fish stock, tamarind water • Simmer with prawns, fish cake, bean sprouts • Serve over thick rice noodles • Garnish with hard-boiled egg, cucumber, laksa leaves

Char Kway Teow

What it is: Stir-fried flat rice noodles with dark soy sauce
Recipe: • Heat wok until smoking hot • Stir-fry Chinese sausage and prawns first • Add soaked flat rice noodles • Season with dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, sugar • Add bean sprouts, chives, beaten eggs • Toss everything together over high heat (2-3 minutes) • Create “wok hei” (breath of wok) smoky flavor

$5-8 SGD

Hokkien Mee

What it is: Thick yellow noodles braised in rich prawn stock
Recipe: • Make stock: Fry prawn heads and shells until red • Add water, simmer 30 minutes, strain • Stir-fry yellow noodles and bee hoon together • Add prawns, squid, pork belly • Pour in prawn stock gradually • Braise until noodles absorb liquid (8-10 minutes) • Garnish with lime, sambal chili

Satay

What it is: Grilled skewered meat with peanut sauce
Recipe: • Marinate chicken/beef: turmeric, lemongrass, galangal, sugar • Thread onto bamboo skewers • Grill over charcoal, basting with oil • Make peanut sauce: blend roasted peanuts, chillies, shallots • Cook with coconut milk, palm sugar, tamarind • Serve with cucumber, ketupat rice cakes

Curry Rice Sets

What it is: Rice with various curries and vegetables
Recipe: • Make curry base: blend onions, garlic, ginger, chilies • Fry spices: coriander, cumin, fennel, star anise • Add curry paste, cook until oil separates • Add coconut milk, meat/vegetables of choice • Simmer until tender (30-45 minutes) • Serve with steamed rice and pickled vegetables

$8-10 SGD

Chili Crab

What it is: Mud crabs in sweet asavourytomato-chillichili sauce
Recipe: • Clean and chop crabs into pieces • Deep fry crab pieces until shells turn red • Make sauce: blend chilies, garlic, ginger • Fry sauce base with tomato sauce, rice vinegar • Add palm sugar, egg ribbons for thickness • Toss fried crabs in sauce • Garnish with spring onions and cilantro

Fish Head Curry

What it is: Large fish head cooked in spicy curry with vegetables
Recipe: • Marinate fish head with turmeric, salt • Fry lightly until golden • Make curry: fry curry powder with onions, tomatoes • Add coconut milk, tamarind water • Add fish head, okra, eggplant, tomatoes • Simmer until vegetables are tender (20 minutes) • Finish with curry leaves and cilantro

⚠️ Important Notes

Food Safety

Stick to busy stalls with high turnover
Look for long local queues (good sign!)
Hot, freshly cooked food is the safest

Cultural Tips

Don’t expect table service at hawker centres
“Chope” (reserve) tables with tissue packets
Try pointing at food if language is a barrier
Small notes/are coins are helpful for hawker payments

Timing

Breakfast: 7:00-10:00 AM
Lunch: 11:30 AM-2:30 PM
Dinner: 6:00-9:00 PM
Some stalls close between lunch and dinner

🎁 Bonus: Surprise Trip Success

Since this is a birthday surprise for your daughter, the food adventure will be a highlight! Teenagers especially love:

Roti prata with different curries
Sweet drinks like teh tarik
Interactive satay grilling
Trying exotic fruits at markets

Total Estimated Food Budget for 5 Days: $60-120 SGD per person (vs. $125 just for hotel breakfasts!)

Final Tips

Download food apps like HungryGoWhere for reviews
Bring small denominations of cash
Don’t be afraid to try new things – worst case, it’s only a few dollars!
Take photos of dishes you like to reorder easily.

Real Traveller’ss Decision

Based on the original forum discussion, Tony D from Sydney ultimately decided: “So far they haven’t had any breakfast ddeallso think I’ll just assume we’ll sort our own out. And try the local food!”

His logic was perfect: if the hotel breakfast was complimentary, he might use it occasionally while still exploring local options. But paying an extra SGD 25 per person daily would mean feeling obligated to eat there every day, missing out on the authentic Singapore food experience.

Pro Tip: The variety and authenticity of hawker centre breakfasts will give you a much richer Singapore experience than any hotel buffet, while saving significant money for other activities!

Delivery Considerations for Food

Whyq Specialised Service: Whyq specifically focuses on hawker food delivery and may have better coverage for specific centres

Delivery Fees: Typically range from $3-8 SGD, depending on distance and platform
Food Quality Concerns: Some hawker dishes don’t transport well (soup noodles, crispy items)
Bundle Orders: Some platforms allow ordering from multiple stalls in the same hawker centre
Delivery Timing: Peak meal hours may see longer delivery times from popular hawker centres
Minimum Order Requirements: Some hawker stalls have minimum order amounts for delivery
In-Person Experience: Many food enthusiasts believe the authentic hawker experience requires dining in person

Maxthon

In an age where the digital world is in constant flux and our interactions online are ever-evolving, the importance of prioritising individuals as they navigate the expansive internet cannot be overstated. The myriad of elements that shape our online experiences calls for a thoughtful approach to selecting web browsers—one that places a premium on security and user privacy. Amidst the multitude of browsers vying for users’ loyalty, Maxthon emerges as a standout choice, providing a trustworthy solution to these pressing concerns, all without any cost to the user.

Maxthon, with its advanced features, boasts a comprehensive suite of built-in tools designed to enhance your online privacy. Among these tools are a highly effective ad blocker and a range of anti-tracking mechanisms, each meticulously crafted to fortify your digital sanctuary. This browser has carved out a niche for itself, particularly with its seamless compatibility with Windows 11, further solidifying its reputation in an increasingly competitive market.

In a crowded landscape of web browsers, Maxthon has forged a distinct identity through its unwavering dedication to offering a secure and private browsing experience. Fully aware of the myriad threats lurking in the vast expanse of cyberspace, Maxthon works tirelessly to safeguard your personal information. Utilising state-of-the-art encryption technology, it ensures that your sensitive data remains protected and confidential throughout your online adventures.

What truly sets Maxthon apart is its commitment to enhancing user privacy during every moment spent online. Each feature of this browser has been meticulously designed with the user’s privacy in mind. Its powerful ad-blocking capabilities work diligently to eliminate unwanted advertisements, while its comprehensive anti-tracking measures effectively reduce the presence of invasive scripts that could disrupt your browsing enjoyment. As a result, users can traverse the web with newfound confidence and safety.

Moreover, Maxthon’s incognito mode provides an extra layer of security, granting users enhanced anonymity while engaging in their online pursuits. This specialised mode not only conceals your browsing habits but also ensures that your digital footprint remains minimal, allowing for an unobtrusive and liberating internet experience. With Maxthon as your ally in the digital realm, you can explore the vastness of the internet with peace of mind, knowing that your privacy is being prioritised every step of the way.

Budget friendly eats in Singapore