Singapore has always been known as a clean, safe and ultra-efficient city — but for some Chinese tourists, it also comes with a side effect: rapid weight loss.
SCMP recently reported on the experiences of Chinese tourists in Singapore — including one woman who said she shed 3kg in three days after cutting herself down to just one meal a day.
Brought 5,000 yuan, left with only trauma
A 32-year-old tourist from Harbin said she blew through 5,000 yuan (S$914 / RM3,292) in just three days.
Her “welcome to Singapore” moment came when she took a short taxi ride and got slapped with a 100 yuan (S$18.30 / RM66) fare.
Back home?
A similar 10-minute ride costs under 20 yuan (S$3.65 / RM13).
She said she knew Singapore was expensive, but experiencing it in real life “felt completely different”.
GST + service charge = confusion combo
Another thing that startled many Chinese travellers was Singapore’s billing system.
Menu prices often don’t include:
- 9% GST, and
- 10% service charge
So the bill at the counter usually ends up higher than expected.
In China:
- the VAT is already baked into the listed price, and
- most restaurants don’t charge a service fee
which explains why some tourists genuinely thought the cashier “made a mistake”.
Hotels, water and even sandwiches felt pricey
Chinese tourists also highlighted how everyday costs stacked up quickly:
- A modest three-star hotel: 1,200 yuan (S$219 / RM788) per night
- Convenience-store bottled water: 15 yuan (S$2.74 / RM9.87)
- Basic sandwich: 50 yuan (S$9.14 / RM33)
- Seafood dinner for two at Singapore River: 3,000+ yuan (S$548 / RM1,973)
One tourist said she only ate the free hotel breakfast each day to cut costs, and claimed she lost 3kg in just three days from surviving on that single meal.
Hawker centres = survival mode
To avoid going bankrupt mid-trip, many visitors said they turned to:
- hawker centres
- public transport
- neighbourhood food spots
Some also admitted they were shocked because holidays in places like Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia usually cost far less — making Singapore feel “premium” but not exactly “value-for-money”.
Still, Singapore’s appeal holds strong
Despite the grumbling about prices, tourists said they genuinely enjoy:
- Singapore’s cleanliness
- reliable trains and buses
- how safe it feels even at night
And for many, Singapore remains a bucket-list destination — just one that requires a slightly “fatter wallet”.
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