10 Best Yummy Food In Singapore For Under $1.50!

10 Yummy Cheap Food in Singapore for under $1.50!

Do you like food? You nodded? Great. How about cheap and yummy food? You got to read on to find out where to find cheap food in Singapore!

Tip: be sure to check out the best places to stay in Singapore if you are visiting!

And did you know Singapore is pretty much synonymous with good food? You’re in luck, cos in this post, you’re gonna see 10 yummy dishes that we Singaporeans love too!

Not only are you getting delicious food, they barely put a dent into your meal kitty as they are less than US$1.50 each! I’ll bet you a dollar fifty that you won’t find this in places like Europe or the States.

Although we are a small country, we punch well above our weight in terms of the variety of food available here, due to the fact we have built a strong, harmonious and multi racial society.

Walk past the neighbourhoods dotted across the island and you can definitely smell waft of fragrant cooking from the plentiful supply of eateries.

Did you know, us Singaporeans spend a large amount of time looking for the best places to eat, joining long queues to wait for the most scrumptious dishes on this island. Maybe you will pick up this habit on your stay here too.

Check out our other blog posts for more travel inspiration!

10 delightful cheap food in Singapore you must not miss out

1. Otah, US$0.37-$0.74 per piece

This is one of my favourite snacks. A fish cake that’s wrapped in banana leaves and grilled. You can usually get it in spicy or non spicy versions.

Extremely flavourful with its mix of spices, this is a perfect accompaniment to rice or even on its own.

Confession: I normally have 6-8 pieces on my own, so it’s not exactly below US$1.50 if your appetite is like mine!

Shop name: Nam San Mackerel Otah
Where: 267 Joo Chiat Road, Singapore 427 521

old chang kee — Photo from oldchangkee.com

2. Curry puff, US$0.74-$1.18

On umpteen occasions, a single piece of this pastry filled with curry potatoes, chicken, and egg has served as my breakfast.

The fillings are packed into a dough and deep fried to golden brown perfection.

One of the most prominent brands in Singapore, Old Chang Kee, started off as a roadside hawker peddling curry puffs.

It is now listed on the stock index! Can be found in London too. Talk about success.

Shop name: Old Chang Kee
Where : Locations here

3. Yam cake, US$0.74-$1.48

We super love this too, especially when it comes right out of the steamer freshly cooked.

Yam cake is a simple dish made of yam/taro mixed with rice flour.

It is then steamed and usually topped with sweet sauce and fried shallots.

I hope the uncles and aunties selling this delicious snack don’t give up making this humble dish.

Shop name: Ah Lo Cooked Food
Where: Chinatown Complex Food Centre – Blk 335 Smith Street, #02-003, Singapore 050 335

4. Satay, US$0.31-$0.52

Ok I cheated a bit here, as you usually have to buy this in bunches of 10 and above.

But if you’re in Singapore, you have to give this a try.

Pork, beef, chicken or mutton skewers spiced with local flavors, grilled over flaming hot charcoal fire.

Served with thick peanut sauce and cooling cucumbers, it’s sure to make you come back for more.

This one is mentioned in the 2018 Michelin Guide.

Shop name: Chomp Chomp Satay
Where : Chomp Chomp Food Centre – 20 Kensington Park Road, #01-34, Singapore 557 269

5. Fried Carrot Cake, US$1.48

This is a funny one. There’s no carrot in this cake and it’s not the same as those found at dessert shops.

Think radish pan fried with eggs, flour and sauces. It comes in 2 versions. If you prefer sweeter tasting, go for the black. If savoury suits you better, go for the white version. Best of both worlds!

Try them out and tell us which you prefer!

Shop name: Fu Ming
Where: Redhill Food Centre – 85 Redhill Lane, #01-49, Singapore 150 085

6. Fried Mock Goose, US$0.74

I think this will be another head scratcher for most of you.

You are probably not used to eating goose, and throw in ‘mock’ and I can see a blank expression and scratching your cheek.

Don’t worry lah, no real goose was harmed in making this.

It’s simply deep fried soya bean curd skin and usually sold as a compliment to fried bee hoon (Rice vermicelli) at vegetarian food stalls, but you can ask uncle to sell it to you on its own too.

Shop name: Various
Where : Most vegetarian stalls at hawker centres and foodcourts

7. Chendol, US1.11

You have had your fair share of Apple strudels, orange meringue, artisan macarons, but have you had chendol yet?

In our weather, this dessert is a great respite.

Ice shavings packed into a ball, and topped with coconut milk, gula melaka (smoky palm sugar used as sweetener), and jelly worms, how funky can it get!?

Shop name: Nonya Chendol
Where: Bukit Timah Food Centre – 51 Upper Bukit Timah Road, #02-147, Singapore 588 215

sesame ah balling — Photo from 75ahballing.com

8. Ah Balling, 3 for US$0.90

Something balling and can be eaten, I hear you ask?

No this isn’t something from Andrew Zimmern show.

It is a glutinous rice ball usually stuffed with red bean, sesame or peanut paste.

Served with a bowl of peanut soup or ginger soup, it tastes sweet, multilayered and wholesome at the same time.

Shop name: 75 Ah Balling
Where: Golden Mile Food Centre – 505 Beach Road, #01-75, Singapore 199 583. Check here for all locations

9. Kueh Tu Tu, US$0.52 per piece

No, Tutu is not just an African name/surname, but also a delightful local snack loved by many.

Taking the shape of a petal, it is made with humble ingredients such as rice flour with peanuts or coconut flakes.

The texture might feel a little powdery at times, but when combined with the fillings, it makes a great match.

Shop name: Queensway Lan Tan Tutu Kueh
Where: Queensway Shopping Centre – 1 Queensway, #02-47, Singapore 149 071.

10. Soon Kueh, US$0.74 per piece

This popular Teochew snack seems to be disappearing from our markets these days, and it would be a real shame if it is gone one day.

Made of rice-tapioca flour, it is filled with shredded bamboo shoots, carrots, turnips and dried shrimps.

According to an elder, this was a popular dish sold by hawkers on road sides and sure to stir up some nostalgia.

Shop name: Fatt Soon Kueh
Where: Bedok Interchange Hawker Centre – 208B New Upper Changi Road, #01-18, Singapore 460 208

There you go, 10 incredibly delicious cheap food in Singapore to feast on. They are found across the island and you may need to travel a bit to get to them.

But are these dishes worth travelling for? We think so, what about you? Which one did you try out?

Logistics before visiting Singapore

Find cheap flights.
Air tickets are usually the bulk of your expenses. Set up an alert and snag cheap fares with Skyscanner.

Find the best accommodation.
Book a place ahead of time to get good rates. Booking.com has transparent fees and excellent rates.

Handy travel guide.
For the old school kid in you, get a travel guide book and get lost exploring the city.

Photos.
Your mobile phone can do a pretty good job, but if you need an upgrade, we recommend the Sony A6000 (US) (International)

Travel insurance.
You don’t need us to teach you to be a responsible adult, do you? Get a quote here.

Planned for you activities in Singapore.
Need a guide to show you and your group around? Lots of operators here to choose from here. You know who they are and how they are reviewed.

More resources to help you.
What other useful travel resources we use when we book our trips.