If you’ve been following along, you know I recently shared our Singapore to Malaysia 8-Day Travel Guide & Itinerary. But if there’s one question I get asked non-stop whenever I post a travel guide, it’s always: “Vanessa, how much did the whole trip actually cost?!” 😅
Planning a multi-country trip sounds super exciting, but let’s be honest—budgeting for two completely different countries can feel like a major headache. Singapore has a reputation for being one of the most expensive cities in the world, while Malaysia is famous for being incredibly gentle on our wallets.
So, how do they balance out when combined into an 8-day cross-border journey?
Whether you’re traveling with your favorite group of friends or just trying to plan your next budget-friendly DIY getaway, here is a clear, itemized breakdown of every single SGD, MYR, and PHP we spent on accommodation, transport, food, and cross-border travel!
📊 Quick Overview: Total Cost Per Person
To keep things completely transparent, these calculations reflect our 3-person group split for shared expenses (like our hotel rooms and Grab rides), alongside individual costs for entrance tickets, transit passes, and food.
(Note: Rates are based on exchange rates during our trip: 1 SGD ≈ ₱47.6 PHP | 1 MYR ≈ ₱15.17 PHP [it was different each day so I just chose the highest we had during our trip, but the calculation for PHP was reflected on the exact amount we paid]).
| Category | Singapore (3 Days) | Malaysia (5 Days) | [Estimated] Total (PHP) |
| Flight Ticket | SGD 82.3 | MYR 358.7 (includes 10kg check-in baggage) | ₱9,765 |
| Accommodation | SGD 78.5 | MYR 156.8 | ₱6,115.58 |
| Transportation | SGD 27.6 | MYR 128.6 | ₱3,267.23 |
| Cross-Border Coach | SGD 35.8 | — | ₱1,705.5 |
| Food & Dining | ~SGD 60–90 | ~MYR 180–200 | ~₱2,730.6 – ₱4,284 |
| Tours & sim card | SGD 7.5 | MYR 120 (simcard was not included since the SG simcard also works in Malaysia) | ₱2,177.08 |
| ESTIMATED TOTAL | ~SGD 291.7–321.7 | ~MYR 841.5–861.5 | ~₱25,760.99 – ₱27,314.3 |
(Note: Excludes PH travel tax, personal shopping/souvenirs and transportation before departure and after arrival in the Philippines!)
🏨 1. Where We Stayed & Accommodations
Singapore: Fragrance Hotel – Balestier
- Cost: SGD 78.5 per person (for 2 nights)
- Our Take: Finding budget-friendly accommodation in Singapore that allows 3 adults in 1 room without costing an arm and a leg is a real challenge! We ended up booking Fragrance Hotel – Balestier. While it wasn’t right next to an MRT station, it was just a 2 to 3-minute walk to the nearest bus stop with plenty of convenience stores nearby. Total win for us!
Malaysia: Sky Hotel – Pudu
- Cost: MYR 156.8 per person (for 4 nights)
- Our Take: Your budget goes so much further in Malaysia! You can easily get spacious 3-star hotel rooms or aesthetic Airbnb suites near KL Sentral or Bukit Bintang for a fraction of Singapore prices.
🚌 2. Transportation & Crossing the Border
Getting Around Singapore
- MRT & Buses: ~SGD 28–33 total.
- Vanessa’s Pro-Tip: We didn’t even buy a physical EZ-Link card! We used Singapore’s SimplyGo system by tapping our foreign credit/debit cards (or Apple/Google Pay) directly at the MRT and bus gantries. It saves you from worrying about card deposits or leftover balance!
Cross-Border Express Bus (Singapore ➔ Malaysia)
- Direct Express Bus: SGD 35.8 (₱1,705.5) for a direct coach straight from Singapore to LaLaport Bukit Bintang.
Getting Around Malaysia
- LRT, Monorail & Grab: MYR 128.6 per person. Since there were three of us, splitting Grab rides around KL was super affordable and convenient!
🍜 3. Food & Dining Breakdown
Eating in Singapore (~SGD 20–30 / day)
- Hawker Meals: SGD 4.50 – SGD 7.00 per dish (Hainanese Chicken Rice, Laksa, etc.).
- Drinks & Snacks: SGD 1.80 – SGD 3.50 (Kopi-O, Teh Tarik).
- Budget Tip: Stick to traditional hawker centers like Maxwell or Lau Pa Sat for delicious, budget-friendly meals.
Eating in Malaysia (~MYR 36–40 / day)
- Street Food & Kopitiams: MYR 8 – 15 per meal.
- Cafe / Sit-down Meal: MYR 25 – 40 per meal.
- Budget Tip: Malaysia is a foodie paradise! You can eat like royalty at night markets like Jalan Alor without spending much at all.
💡 Our Tips to Save Extra Cash
- Avoid Weekend Border Traffic: The Causeway between Singapore and Johor Bahru gets crazy jammed on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings. Travel mid-morning on a weekday to clear immigration fast!
- Book Express Coaches Early: Seats on popular cross-border buses (like KKKL Express) sell out quickly online.
- Bring a Card for Transit: Skip the hassle of transport cards in Singapore—just tap your regular contactless bank card!
What do you think? Does this budget fit your travel expectations for Singapore and Malaysia? If you have any questions about specific costs or where to snag the best travel deals, drop a comment below or send me a message! Tune in for more travel updates and don’t be a stranger 😉 ☕
