Singapore Dinner Cost Guide

Dinner is usually one of the more expensive meals of the day in Singapore, especially if you choose a sit-down restaurant. However, you can still have a filling dinner for SGD 5–10 at a hawker centre, while a comfortable restaurant dinner may cost around SGD 35–70 per person. Fine dining can go well beyond SGD 100 per person.

For most Indian tourists, a practical dinner budget is around SGD 10–30 per person, depending on whether you prefer local food, Indian restaurants or casual dining.

Singapore Dinner Prices at a Glance

These are general planning ranges. Actual prices vary according to location, restaurant, menu and additional charges.

How Much Does Dinner Cost in Singapore?

A budget traveller can have dinner for approximately:

SGD 5–10

at a hawker centre.

For a comfortable sit-down restaurant, budget approximately:

SGD 35–70 per person.

At premium restaurants, hotel restaurants and fine-dining establishments, dinner can easily reach:

SGD 80–300+ per person.

Singapore Hawker Dinner Cost

Hawker centres are one of the best ways to keep dinner costs low.

Typical dinner choices include:

1. Chicken rice
2. Nasi lemak
3. Laksa
4. Fried rice
5. Noodles
6. Briyani
7. Roti prata
8. Vegetarian rice
9. Vegetarian noodles
10. Satay

A typical hawker dinner costs approximately SGD 5–10 per person, with a main dish and drink often staying below SGD 15.

Example

Main dish: SGD 6

Drink: SGD 2

Dessert: SGD 3

Total: SGD 11

This makes hawker centres particularly useful for families and budget-conscious travellers.

Singapore Food Court Dinner Cost

Food courts in shopping malls generally cost a little more than traditional hawker centres.

A typical dinner can cost:

SGD 7–15 per person.

Food courts are particularly convenient for families because everyone can choose different cuisines while eating in an air-conditioned environment.

Singapore Indian Dinner Cost

Indian tourists have plenty of choices for dinner, particularly in Little India.

A general budget is:

Budget Indian restaurant: SGD 8–15

Casual Indian restaurant: SGD 15–30

Premium Indian restaurant: SGD 30–60+

Popular choices include:

1. Thali
2. Biryani
3. Dosa
4. Paneer
5. Dal
6. Naan
7. North Indian curries
8. South Indian meals

For vegetarian travellers, Indian restaurants can be one of the easiest ways to find a familiar and filling dinner.

Singapore Vegetarian Dinner Cost

Vegetarian travellers can keep their dinner budget relatively reasonable.

Typical options include:

Vegetarian rice/noodles: SGD 5–9

Dosa/Indian meal: SGD 6–12

Vegetarian thali: SGD 8–15

Casual vegetarian restaurant: SGD 15–30+

For Indian families, combining vegetarian Indian restaurants with local vegetarian options can provide plenty of variety without making food one of the biggest expenses.

Singapore Dinner Cost for Couples

For two adults, you can plan approximately:

Budget Dinner

SGD 10–20

Comfortable Dinner

SGD 40–70

Mid-Range Restaurant

SGD 70–140

Premium Dinner

SGD 120–260+

Fine Dining

SGD 200–600+

For couples, dinner is often the meal where spending a little extra can make the holiday more memorable.

Singapore Dinner Cost for Families

For a family of four:

Sharing curries, rice, breads and larger dishes can help families control restaurant costs.

Singapore Dinner Cost for Indian Families

For a family of four eating at an affordable Indian restaurant, a reasonable budget is:

SGD 50–90

A more premium restaurant could cost:

SGD 100–200+

depending on the dishes and drinks ordered.

For larger families, shared meals can often provide better value than ordering a complete individual meal for everyone.

Singapore Seafood Dinner Cost

Singapore is famous for seafood, but seafood dinners can be significantly more expensive than a regular hawker meal.

Popular choices include:

1. Chilli crab
2. Black pepper crab
3. Seafood noodles
4. Prawns
5. Fish
6. Lobster
7. Seafood platters

A special seafood dinner can easily cost SGD 60–150+ per person, depending on the seafood selected and restaurant.

For premium crab or lobster, the final bill can be substantially higher.

Singapore Chilli Crab Dinner Cost

Chilli crab is one of the Singapore dishes many first-time visitors want to try.

It is usually ordered by weight rather than as a simple fixed-price dish, so the final cost depends on:

1. Crab size
2. Weight
3. Restaurant
4. Preparation
5. Number of people
6. Side dishes

A chilli crab dinner can therefore be much more expensive than a standard hawker dinner.

If you're travelling on a budget, consider making chilli crab a one-time special dinner rather than part of your everyday food budget.

Singapore Dinner Near Tourist Attractions

Dinner prices can increase significantly around major tourist areas.

Expect higher prices around:

1. Marina Bay
2. Marina Bay Sands
3. Sentosa
4. Orchard Road
5. Clarke Quay
6. Luxury hotels
7. Major tourist attractions

For example, a casual restaurant away from a major tourist zone may cost considerably less than a restaurant with a waterfront or landmark view.

Singapore Dinner at Marina Bay

Marina Bay is one of the city's best areas for special-occasion dining.

A typical restaurant dinner may start around:

SGD 35–70+ per person

while premium restaurants can reach:

SGD 80–150+ per person.

Fine-dining establishments can go significantly higher.

If you're travelling on a budget, consider visiting Marina Bay for sightseeing and choosing dinner in a nearby neighbourhood.

Singapore Dinner at Sentosa

Sentosa offers everything from casual food outlets to luxury restaurants.

A practical dinner budget is:

SGD 15–30: casual meal

SGD 30–70: comfortable restaurant

SGD 70+: premium dining

If you're spending the whole day at Sentosa, paying a little extra for convenience may be worthwhile, particularly for families with children.

Singapore Dinner Service Charge and GST

This is important when calculating restaurant costs.

Many sit-down restaurants add:

10% service charge + 9% GST

to the listed price.

Because GST is applied after the service charge, the combined increase is approximately 19.9% over the original menu price.

For example:

Menu price: SGD 30

After 10% service charge + 9% GST: approximately SGD 35.97

Many menus indicate this with “++”.

Always check the final pricing before ordering.

Do You Need to Tip at Dinner?

Tipping is generally not expected in Singapore.

If a restaurant has already included a service charge, you normally don't need to add another tip.

Singapore Dinner Budget Per Day

A useful planning guide is:

For most Indian tourists, SGD 15–30 per person is a sensible dinner budget if you mix Indian restaurants, food courts and occasional casual dining.

Singapore Dinner Cost for 5 Days

If you eat dinner in Singapore for five nights:

For a typical tourist, SGD 75–175 per person for five dinners is a useful planning range.

Sample Dinner Budget for an Indian Tourist

Option 1 – Budget

Indian vegetarian meal: SGD 8

Drink: SGD 2

Total: SGD 10

Option 2 – Comfortable

Indian restaurant main: SGD 18

Bread/rice: SGD 5

Drink: SGD 3

Total: SGD 26

Option 3 – Premium

Starter: SGD 20

Main: SGD 35

Dessert: SGD 15

Subtotal: SGD 70

After applicable service charge and GST, the final bill would be higher.

How to Save Money on Dinner in Singapore

Eat at Hawker Centres

A full dinner can often stay below SGD 10.

Eat Indian Food in Little India

There are options for different budgets, including vegetarian meals.

Choose Food Courts

Food courts offer convenient meals at moderate prices.

Have Your Special Dinner Once

Instead of eating at premium restaurants every night, choose one special dinner during your trip.

Check “++” Pricing

A SGD 30 menu price may not be your final bill.

Avoid Tourist Hotspots Every Night

Eating a few streets away from major attractions can help reduce costs.

Singapore Dinner vs Lunch Cost

Dinner generally costs more when eating at restaurants.

The difference becomes particularly noticeable at sit-down restaurants, where dinner menus are often more expensive than lunch set menus.

Best Strategy for a Singapore Food Budget

A simple daily strategy is:

Breakfast: Hotel breakfast

Lunch: Hawker centre

Dinner: Indian/casual restaurant

For example:

Breakfast: Included

Lunch: SGD 8

Dinner: SGD 25

Drinks/snacks: SGD 7

Total food spending: approximately SGD 40 per person per day.

This provides a comfortable balance between convenience, local food and restaurant dining.

Final Thoughts

The Singapore dinner cost can range from around SGD 5–10 at a hawker centre to SGD 100–300+ for fine dining.

For most Indian travellers, budgeting SGD 15–30 per person for dinner is a practical starting point. Families can keep costs under control by using hawker centres and Indian restaurants, while couples can reserve one evening for a premium dining experience.

The best formula for most Singapore holidays is:

Affordable Local Dinner + Indian Restaurant + One Special Dining Experience

That way, you get to experience Singapore's food culture without letting dinner become one of the biggest parts of your holiday budget.