Should you visit Hong Kong or Singapore?
If you're trying to decide where to visit between Hong Kong or Singapore, this travel cost comparison can help. The overall cost of travel is usually a consideration when deciding where to go next, and the cost comparison below can help you decide based on the average prices from other travelers along with your own travel budget.
Hong Kong
In Hong Kong you will find a predominantly Cantonese population that has long been influenced by British occupation. Most residents speak English and you can see the obvious effects of years of capitalism. Shopping malls are everywhere and most are thriving. Along the waterfront every night the buildings light up in a dramatic and festive light show that highlights such businesses as Sony and Canon, which are fixtures in the city. The city is a major financial hub, and is very international in nature. The city itself is very densely packed and there are narrow high rises that look vulnerable due to their height. There are two main areas to the city, Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. Hong Kong Island is the location of the original British settlement. Today it is where you will find the highest skyscrapers, the most modern buildings, and the most popular shopping areas. Kowloon is located on a peninsula that is to the north of Hong Kong Island. The tip of the peninsula is a popular destination for backpackers as it has many of the city's hostels. This area is referred to as Tsim Sha Tsui. There are also a few high end hotels in the area. It is possible to head outside of the city so that you can escape into some rural regions where you can take a break from the crowds.
Singapore
Singapore is a city-state that was originally founded in 1819 as a British trading colony. Today it is a very international country that is incredibly modern and cosmopolitan. There is a strong financial industry in this country, and a correspondingly strong work ethic. It is one of the most prosperous cities in the world, and has one of the world's busiest ports.
Which city is cheaper, Singapore or Hong Kong?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations.
The average daily cost (per person) in Hong Kong is $128, while the average daily cost in Singapore is $116. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each city. Below is a breakdown of travel costs for Hong Kong and Singapore in more detail.
Accommodation
The prices for places to stay in Hong Kong can vary by date, location, and type. Generally, the average cost for accommodation per person is $60, while a typical double-occupancy hotel room for two people will cost around $120.
If you're traveling alone, you may be able to find a budget hotel or hostel for around $74. But for two people in a standard two-person hotel room in Singapore the cost is $148 on average.
Food
In Hong Kong travelers spend around $26 a day on food. You can save money by choosing casual restaurants or food stalls, or you can spend plenty more by dining in nicer restaurants at every meal.
Singapore food costs typically run travelers around $22 per day. Eating every meal in a nicer restaurant will drive the cost up, and grabbing fast food or casual meals will help you save money.
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Food
Meals for one day
Hong Kong $26
Singapore $22
Typical Food prices in Hong Kong
For Hong Kong, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Hong Kong
For Hong Kong, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
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Exclusive: Noah's Ark Hotel & Resort Seaside Staycation with Buddies Builder Workshop + Dinner at Harvest Restaurant and Seaview Breakfast:
$16
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Noah's Ark Tickets in Hong Kong (Optional Afternoon Tea, Beverage Voucher, or Dinner):
$16
-
Foodcation@Lamma Island (Private Food Tour):
$28
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Ms Lo Soup Family - Soup Mix Cooking Pack (Delivery Charge Inclusive):
$36
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The Butchers Club Ultimate Burger Cooking Pack Grab & Go:
$42
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E-Ticket: Symphony of Lights Dinner Cruise and Free Transfer:
$64
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Fever Food Steak Home Cooking Pack (Delivery Charge Inclusive):
$81
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2-Hour Dinner & Shows on Victoria Harbour Night Cruise:
$81
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Klook Exclusive: Fresh go Seafood Home Cooking Pack (Delivery Charge Inclusive):
$87
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Kowloon Mong Kok Food Tour:
$89
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Hong Kong Island North Point Food Tour:
$89
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Central and Sheung Wan Food Tour:
$95
Typical Food prices in Singapore
Some typical examples of dining costs in Singapore are as follows:
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Breakfast
$4.44
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Sugarcane Juice
$1.46
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Singapore
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Singapore.
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Half-Day Walking and Food Tour in Singapur:
$28
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Dinner Only at Singapore Flyer:
$28
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Authentic Chinese Dim Sum Virtual Cooking Class Live from Singapore:
$35
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Israeli Breakfast Virtual Cooking Class Live from Singapore:
$35
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UNESCO Hawker Culture Food Tour: "Boiled and Braised" in Singapore:
$37
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Kampong Glam Heritage Tour and Mediterranean Dinner:
$37
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The Southern Islands: Discovery Sunset Sail with Dinner:
$45
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Lonely Planet Experience: Hawker Centre Food Tour:
$46
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Singapore Southern Straits Sunset Dinner Cruise:
$47
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Cooking Class & Culinary Exchange Singapore:
$51
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One Day Southern Island Exploration via Harbourfront with Seafood Dinner:
$52
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Singapore Flyer Ticket + Dinner:
$53
Local Transportation
Public transportation tends to be much less expensive in Hong Kong than paying for a taxi or private car service, as is expected. Typically, people spend $7.00 on transportation in Hong Kong on average per day.
While taxis and private drivers typically cost much more than public transportation, people usually spend around $8.11 per day to get around in Singapore.
Typical Local Transportation prices in Hong Kong
Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Hong Kong:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Hong Kong
Also for Hong Kong, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
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Shared Coach Transfers between Hong Kong and Shenzhen Bay Port (Trans-Island):
$6.45
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Hong Kong Disneyland Transfers for Hong Kong International Airport (HKG), Tung Chung, and West Kowloon:
$6.85
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Shared Coach Transfers Between Hong Kong and Shenzhen by EE Bus:
$7.75
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Shared Coach Transfers between Hong Kong and Zhongshan:
$8.75
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Shared Coach Transfers from HKG Airport to Hong Kong Hotels:
$8.75
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Hong Kong Shared Bus Transfers (Macau Departure by Chinalink/Eternal East/One Bus):
$10
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Shared Coach Transfers between Hong Kong and Panyu by Eternal East Bus:
$11
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Shared Coach Transfers Between Hong Kong and Zhaoqing by EE Bus:
$12
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Shared Coach Transfers between Hong Kong and Shenzhen Airport (Trans-Island):
$12
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Shared Coach Transfers between Hong Kong and Foshan by Eternal East Bus:
$13
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Shared Coach Transfers between Huadu and Hong Kong by Eternal East Bus:
$13
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Shared Coach Transfers Between Hong Kong and Heyuan by EE Bus:
$15
Typical Local Transportation prices in Singapore
Here are some examples of typical transportation prices from actual travelers in Singapore:
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Singapore
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Singapore:
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Universal Studios And Trick Eye Museum Combo Ticket With Return Transfer:
$125
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Transfer from Marina Bay Cruise Centre to Singapore Changi Airport:
$74
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Transfer Singapore Cruise Centre To Changi Airport (Pvt):
$53
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Transfer Marina Bay Cruise Centre To City Hotel (Pvt):
$28
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Transfer Marina Bay Cruise Centre To Changi Airport ( Pvt ):
$28
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Transfer City Hotel To Marina Bay Cruise Centre ( Pvt ):
$28
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Transfer City Hotel To Changi Airport (Private):
$54
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The Creepy Tales of Singapore Ghost and WWII Tour with Point to Point Transfer:
$78
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Super Luxury Limousine Service (Rolls Royce) - Airport Transfer:
$334
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Skip the Line: VIP Tour of Universal Studios Singapore with Private Transfer:
$329
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Private Changqi Airport (SIN) Transfer to Singapore City:
$35
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Private Airport(SIN) Transfer from Singapore City to Changqi Airport:
$33
Is it cheaper to fly into Hong Kong or Singapore?
Prices for flights to both Singapore and Hong Kong change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Entertainment
Sightseeing expenses in Hong Kong, including the cost of admission tickets for day tours, museums, and attractions, usually cost an average of $76 per day, per person.
Activities, things to do, and other forms of entertainment usually cost around $25 per person, per day in Singapore. This cost includes the price of admission tickets to attractions and museums as well as daily tours.
Typical Entertainment prices in Hong Kong
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for Hong Kong's activities, tours, and tickets:
Tours and Activities in Hong Kong
For Hong Kong, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
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A Food Adventure in Hong Kong with a Local Foodie:
$2.64
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18 Challenge Karting Experience in Hong Kong:
$4.89
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MTR Tourist Day Pass:
$8.25
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Starferry Sunset Cruise :
$11
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Peak Tram Sky Pass: Tram Ticket, Hong Kong Sky Tour and Sky Terrace 428 Entry:
$13
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Hidden Side of Hong Kong Adventure Walking Tour:
$14
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Hong Kong Historic Adventure Walking Tour:
$14
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Sense Beauty & Spa Experience in Hong Kong (4 Locations for Selection):
$16
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E-Ticket: Peak Tram Round Trip and Sky Terrace:
$17
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Hong Kong Secret Garden and Coastline Discovery Eco Tour:
$18
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VAR LIVE: D2 Place VR Experience in Lai Chi Kok:
$18
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[Exclusive Lane] Ngong Ping 360 Cable Car Ticket (Advance Roundtrip Standard with FREE snack or Discovery Centre admission):
$19
Tours and Activities in Singapore
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Singapore are as follows:
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Dale Chihuly: Glass in Bloom Guided Tour:
$22
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Deluxe Peranakan Tour with/without Full Course Peranakan Meal (Senior-Friendly):
$41
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Durians, Seafood and Fish Farm Tour :
$74
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Edible Farm Tour + Workshop & DIY Planting Kits:
$21
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Fort Canning Walking Tour and River Cruise Experience with Haidilao Hot Pot Set Meal:
$74
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FunVee Night Sightseeing:
$16
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Graffiti Therapy Experience in Singapore:
$33
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New World Carnival VR Experience in Singapore:
$28
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Singapore Island Cruise: Ferry Tickets between St. John's Island, Lazarus Island, and Kusu Island, Sister's Island:
$10
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Singapore Jurong Lake Garden and Tuas Light House Tour with Seafood Buffet:
$74
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Singapore One Day Tour with Madame Tussauds or SEA Aquarium:
$74
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Singapore River Cruise with Seafood or Vegetarian Lunch and Chinatown Murals Tour:
$74
Alcohol
Typically, people visiting Hong Kong spend on average $17 on alcoholic beverages per person, per day.
The average person spends about $21 on alcoholic beverages in Singapore per day. The more you spend on alcohol, the more fun you might be having despite your higher budget.
Sample the Local Flavors in Hong Kong
Also in Hong Kong, these are the prices for nightlife and alcohol related activities from various tour providers:
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Amber Coffee Brewery in Central:
$8.10
Sample the Local Flavors in Singapore
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Singapore:
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Tiger Brewery Tour in Singapore:
$13
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Tour of Tiger Brewery in Singapore:
$14
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Tiger Brewery Tour:
$14
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Singapore Pub Crawl:
$24
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★The Singapore Halloween Pub Crawl 2019★:
$40
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Guided Gin Tasting by Brass Lion Distillery:
$48
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Gin Distillery Tour with Tasting Flight and Singapore Sling Masterclass:
$58
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Monster Guns. Brilliant Brews (Brewery Tour) by Xperience DMC Private Limited:
$60
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Explore Brewery Culture and Tasting Tour:
$74
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Private Tour - Singapore Tiger Brewery Tour:
$83
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Singapore's First Distillery & Brewery Tour:
$123
When comparing the travel costs between Hong Kong and Singapore, we can see that Hong Kong is more expensive. However, the two cities are actually relatively comparable in price, as the difference is somewhat minimal. Generally, this means that you could travel with generally the same travel style and level of luxury in each place. Since both cities are in Asia, it's no surprise that their costs are relatively close, as many destinations here have somewhat similar travel prices overall.
Related Articles for Hong Kong
Related Articles for Singapore
