Struggling to find an affordable meal in Singapore? Bookmark this list of budget-friendly restaurants!
Singapore is one of the most expensive cities in the world, no doubt. But if you take a closer look at our nooks and crannies, we’re actually pretty affordable. From exploring the city on a budget to free and fun things to do, there’s something for everyone. To help you make the most of your hard-earned money and expand your horizons beyond fast food and hawker grub, we’ve rounded up a list of affordable restaurants in Singapore. Check out these vegetarian-friendly bites, great burgers and other top-notch meals under $15 (disclaimer: we’re basing this on one meal per person).
Best affordable restaurants in Singapore
1. Bamboo Bowls
A healthy meal under $15? We like a good challenge. After a little snooping, we found Bamboo Bowls. This spot offers Asian bowls crafted by renowned regional chefs such as Artichoke’s Bjorn Shen and Damian D’Silva of Rempapa. Choose from eight sugar-free creations inspired by cities like Phuket, Seoul, and Bombay. You can stick with the basic selection or customise it to your liking, so long as you keep it to $15 or below.
Bamboo Bowls, multiple locations including Amoy Street and Marina Boulevard
2. Sukiya
If you’re hankering for Japanese rice bowls, pop by this popular gyudon chain. You can enjoy thinly sliced beef with hot, fluffy rice or topped with melted cheese, half-boiled egg, or okra with dashi sauce. There’s no service charge, so the money you save can be used to upsize your bowl or include add-ons like yakitori or chicken miso soup.
Sukiya, multiple locations including Suntec City and Hillion Mall
3. Typhoon Cafe
We love Taiwanese food, so to get dishes under $15 is a dream come true for us. Typhoon Cafe brings the taste of Taiwan to our shores with its casual and unpretentious dishes. You can get bowls of lu rou rice, lu rou mian, mee sua, and dumpling la mian at deliciously affordable prices. Or go for the black sesame kinako mochi cake, if you’re not feeling too hungry.
Typhoon Cafe, multiple locations including Dhoby Ghaut and Kallang
4. Tipo Pasta Bar
For fresh handmade pasta, head to Tipo Pasta Bar. This popular halal concept makes its pasta daily from scratch – so say goodbye to dry spaghetti and bottled pasta sauce. The house specials go for just above $15, but if you want to keep below it, you can build your own pasta starting from $9.90. Choose from a combination of tasty toppings like caramelised sundried tomatoes and Swiss brown mushrooms!
Tipo Pasta Bar, multiple locations including Aliwal Street and Waterloo Street
5. Ordinary Burgers
Don’t give up on your love for burgers just ‘cos you’re on a budget. Ordinary Burgers is here to save the day (and your bank account). This burger joint grills up mouthwatering goodies at modest prices. You can find burger options that range from chicken, beef, fish, shrimp, and even vegetarian options like portobello mushroom and Impossible meat patties.
Ordinary Burgers, multiple locations including City Square Mall and Sun Plaza
6. Blu Jaz Cafe
A place that needs zero introduction, Blu Jaz Cafe has established itself as the go-to amongst jazz connoisseurs and hip bar-hoppers looking for great live music and drinks. But what you may not know is that it serves an array of cuisines at affordable prices. Yes, you can get seafood mee goreng, salami pizza slice and focaccia for just under $15.
Blu Jaz Cafe, 11 Bali Lane, Singapore 189848
7. Guzman y Gomez
Looking for delicious Mexican food on a budget? Guzman y Gomez is the way to go, with prices that are likely to be cheaper than making your own meal at home. You can choose your style of dining between burritos, bowls, nachos, tacos, and even enchiladas. Pick from proteins like chicken, pork, beef, and even tofu. You’ll get hearty portions for under $15 for most dishes, which we think is such a steal.
Guzman y Gomez, multiple locations including One Holland Village and Northpoint City
8. Kim Dae Mun Korean Food
Thanks to Kim Dae Mun, we can satisfy our K-drama-induced cravings without breaking the bank. This isn’t a showy Korean restaurant with fancy creations and pretentious-sounding menu items. Expect only simple, authentic Korean dishes like kimchi soup, bean paste soup, grilled pork and bibimbap. A good chunk of menu items costs about $10 on average.
Kim Dae Mun Korean Food, #01-03D, Concorde Shopping Mall, 100 Orchard Road, Singapore 238840
9. TingKat PeraMakan
Peranakan food isn’t necessarily cheap but you can satisfy your cravings without busting your budget here. This affordable restaurant in Singapore offers individual set meals with a choice of main, two sides, drink and dessert. Some of the sets can go a little over $15, but considering the number of dishes you’re getting, we think it’s worth it.
TingKat PeraMakan, multiple locations including Owen Road and Paya Lebar Road
10. Poke Theory
A healthy meal doesn’t have to cost a lot and this poke joint proves that. Fully customise your bowl with a vast selection of fresh veggies that’ll fill you right up. It’s a great way to eat your colours! Top it off with your choice of salmon, tuna, chicken or tempeh in various flavours. And instead of Japanese sushi rice or crunchy romaine lettuce, you can even switch your base to nutty lemon herb quinoa. All this will set you back $13 for the light bowl, but we don’t mind going a little over budget for the regular bowl with extra toppings.
Poke Theory, multiple locations including Telok Ayer and Kovan
11. VeganBurg
Vegans can join in the frugal fun at the world’s first 100% plant-based burger joint. Since it dishes out delish burgs in classic and local flavours like the shrooms burg, chicken buffalo and cracked mayo, you’ll be doing your wallet and the planet a favour by dining here.
VeganBurg, 44 Jalan Eunos, Singapore 419502
12. The Rebel Gurl
If sammies are your go-to lunch, hit up Rebel. Inspired by Vietnamese banh mi, the budget-friendly eatery puts out creations that put a twist on this classic sandwich concept. The bread has a crispy exterior but is pillowy in the middle, stuffed with delicious toppings that’ll satiate your appetite. And the best part is you’ll find that most of the sandwiches hit well below the $15 mark.
Rebel, 47 Neil Road, Singapore 088827
13. Two Men Bagel House
Breakfast aficionados, skip the bougie weekend brunches for something equally decadent but affordable. The outlets can get pretty crowded on weekends, but the wait is totally worth it. Plain bagels go for $4, and you can top up to get additional toppings and spreads to spice it up. Or you can do what we do and get the cult classics, some of which cost slightly less than $15.
Two Men Bagel House, multiple locations including Tanjong Pagar and Novena
14. Jai Thai
What if we said you could enjoy a full Thai meal under $15? Enter the affordable restaurant Jai Thai. There are plenty of authentic classics to choose from. Think tom yum and green curry rice sets, or go for pad Thai and beef noodle sets. These meals include a choice of homemade drinks as well, so you can cool off your tongues without forking out extra on a drink.
Jai Thai, multiple locations including Purvis Street and Eunos Road
15. Refuel
If you’ve been to enough cafes, you’ll know that a meal at such hangouts can easily go above $20. But at this heartland spot, you can easily get a stack of fluffy banana pancakes for $14.90 and a pulled pork sandwich for $14.50. Almost all the brunch items on the menu don’t go above $15, so eat to your heart’s content.
Refuel, multiple locations including Bedok Reservoir and Yishun
16. PocoLoco
This affordable restaurant serves Italian cuisine at pocket-friendly prices, with the majority of its ingredients imported from Italy. We honestly can’t believe how good the food is. The pasta is so silky and springy that you almost forget this is just a small, humble restaurant in the heartlands. Give the pesto pasta ($11.90) a try, or sink your teeth into bites of handmade gnocchi ($14.90). Absolutely delish!
PocoLoco, 215 Upper Thomson Road, Singapore 574349
17. Ayam Penyet Ria
Ask anyone in Singapore about ayam penyet, and they’ll most likely suggest this dining spot. One of the pioneers in Singapore, the joint dishes out authentic ayam penyet plates at wallet-friendly prices. The classic ayam penyet set will set you back $9.90. And you can get variations with different proteins like duck, beef, and even prawn.
Ayam Penyet Ria, multiple locations including Lucky Plaza and Rivervale Mall
The next time you’re dining out on a budget, these affordable restaurants in Singapore have your back.
[This article was originally published in 2021 and updated in 2024 by Sufyan Saad.]
