Credit: Ngrh Mei on Pexels
Looking for cheap date ideas in Singapore? Here are 12 dates that cost under $20 per person, from kite flying and hawker feasts to an island day trip, with what each one costs and how to make it feel special.
Dating in Singapore adds up quickly. A dinner and a movie for two can easily come to $80 or more, and that’s before drinks. The good news is that some of the best dates here cost very little, as long as you know where to go.
We’ve split these cheap date ideas into dates under $10, dates under $20 and dates at home. Prices are per person and were checked in October 2026, so treat them as a guide. If you want to spend nothing at all, we also have a list of free date ideas in Singapore.
Explore This Page
- At a glance
- Dateideas’ top 3 picks
- Cheap date ideas under $10 per person
- Cheap date ideas under $20 per person
- Cheap date ideas at home
- Worth a mention
- Frequently Asked Questions
At a glance
| Date idea | Cost/pax | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Kite flying at Marina Barrage | Free to $8 | Sunset dates |
| $10 challenge at Mustafa Centre | $10 | Rainy days and late nights |
| Kampong Glam walk | Under $10 | First dates |
| Singapore Botanic Gardens | Free to $5 | Slow mornings |
| Stargazing at the Science Centre | About $17 | Something different |
| Hawker centre feast | $10 to $15 | Foodies |
| Satay at Lau Pa Sat | $15 to $20 | Date night on a budget |
| Dim sum at Swee Choon | $15 to $20 | Night owls |
| Cycling at East Coast Park | $10 to $15 | Active couples |
| Lazarus Island day trip | $15 | A mini getaway |
| $20 cook-off at home | $10 | Homebodies |
| Movie night at home | Under $10 | Tired weeknights |
Dateideas’ top 3 picks
If you only try three, make it kite flying at Marina Barrage for sunset, satay at Lau Pa Sat for dinner under the lights, and the ferry to Lazarus Island when you have a free Saturday.
Cheap date ideas under $10 per person
These cost about the same as a cup of bubble tea each, and some are free if you bring your own snacks.
1. Fly a kite at Marina Barrage
The green roof at Marina Barrage is one of the best free views in Singapore. You get the whole skyline, the Singapore Flyer and Gardens by the Bay, with a steady breeze that’s perfect for kites.
Bring your own kite to share (the on-site shop is pricier and shuts by 6.30pm on weekdays), then lay out a mat and watch the sun go down. It’s simple and a bit silly, and it’s far more fun than sitting across a table. For food ideas and what to pack, see our guide to hosting a picnic for two.
Date tip: Get there by 6pm for a good spot, and stay after dark when the city lights come on. Weekday evenings are much quieter than weekends.
- Address: 8 Marina Gardens Drive, Singapore 018951
- Getting there: Gardens by the Bay MRT, then a 10-minute walk
- Hours: Open 24 hours
- Budget: Free entry. A kite to share costs from about $16 at Decathlon, so $8 each. Kites at the on-site shop start at about $22
2. Do the $10 challenge at Mustafa Centre
Here’s a date that costs exactly $10 each. Go to Mustafa Centre in Little India, split up for 30 minutes and buy the best gift you can find for your partner with $10. Then meet up and swap.
Mustafa is ideal because it sells everything, from snacks and perfume to gadgets and gold. You’ll get lost at least once, and you’ll learn a lot about how well you know each other. Don Don Donki works just as well if you’d rather play in town.
Date tip: Add a theme to make it harder, like “something you’d never buy yourself” or “the strangest snack in the building”.
- Address: 145 Syed Alwi Road, Singapore 207704
- Getting there: Farrer Park MRT
- Hours: Open daily till late
- Budget: $10/pax
3. Wander Kampong Glam and share a teh tarik
Kampong Glam is one of the prettiest neighbourhoods to walk around, and it costs nothing to explore. Start at Sultan Mosque, browse the shops on Arab Street, then wander down Haji Lane to look at the murals and tiny boutiques.
When you need a break, sit down at one of the coffee shops for a teh tarik and a plate of murtabak to share. Two drinks and a snack should come to well under $20 for both of you. It’s an easy, low-pressure plan, which is why we like it for a first date.
Date tip: Go at about 5pm. It’s cooler, the light is good for photos and the lane gets lively as the bars open.
- Where: Haji Lane, Arab Street and Bussorah Street
- Getting there: Bugis MRT
- Budget: About $5 to $10/pax for drinks and a snack
4. Stroll the Singapore Botanic Gardens
The Singapore Botanic Gardens is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and it’s free to enter. Walk around Swan Lake, find the bandstand and settle on the lawn at Palm Valley with a couple of takeaway coffees.
If you’d like to add something, the National Orchid Garden inside is $5 for Singapore residents and has more than 1,000 orchid species on display. It’s also much cooler up in the Cool House, which helps on a hot day.
Date tip: Come before 9am, when it’s cool and quiet, and grab breakfast nearby after. Our list of morning date ideas has more early starts.
- Address: 1 Cluny Road, Singapore 259569
- Getting there: Botanic Gardens or Napier MRT
- Hours: 5am to midnight daily
- Budget: Free. National Orchid Garden is $5 for residents
Cheap date ideas under $20 per person
With $20 each, you can eat very well or get out of the city for a day.
5. Go stargazing at the Science Centre Observatory
On most Friday nights, the Science Centre Observatory in Jurong East opens its telescopes for ticketed stargazing sessions, paired with a live planetarium show. Depending on the season, you might see the Moon’s craters, Jupiter’s moons or Saturn’s rings.
It’s a rare kind of date in a city this bright, and the staff are happy to explain what you’re looking at. Sessions run from 7.30pm to 10pm and tickets are sold online only, so book ahead and check the weather on the day.
Date tip: Have dinner at Jurong East first, since JEM and Westgate are next to the MRT, then walk over for the session.
- Address: 15 Science Centre Road, Singapore 609081
- Getting there: Jurong East MRT
- Hours: 1st, 2nd and 4th Fridays of the month, 7.30pm to 10pm, weather permitting
- Budget: About $17/pax, booked online
6. Eat your way around a hawker centre
Skip the restaurant and plan a hawker feast. Pick a good food centre, such as Maxwell Food Centre in Chinatown, and order four or five dishes from different stalls to share. Most plates cost $5 to $8, so you can try a lot for $15 each.
The fun is in choosing together. Each of you picks two stalls, one you love and one you’ve never tried, and you rate everything at the end. Add a sugarcane juice or a kopi and you’re done.
Date tip: Avoid the lunch peak from 12pm to 1.30pm. Go at 11am or after 2pm and you’ll get a table easily.
- Where: Maxwell Food Centre, 1 Kadayanallur Street, Singapore 069184
- Getting there: Maxwell MRT
- Budget: About $10 to $15/pax
7. Share satay at Lau Pa Sat
Every evening, Boon Tat Street next to Lau Pa Sat closes to traffic and turns into Satay Street. Tables fill the road, smoke rises from the grills and the office towers light up all around you. It feels like a night out, at hawker prices.
Order a mixed set of chicken, mutton and prawn satay to share, and add a cold drink each. A mixed set costs about $31, so you’ll spend about $15 to $20 per person, or closer to $12 if you skip the prawns. It’s one of our favourite late-night date ideas too.
Date tip: Satay Street opens at 7pm on weekdays. Sit near the middle of the street for the best atmosphere, and bring cash in case a stall doesn’t take cards.
- Address: 18 Raffles Quay, Singapore 048582
- Getting there: Telok Ayer, Downtown or Raffles Place MRT
- Hours: Satay Street opens from 7pm on weekdays and earlier on weekends
- Budget: About $15 to $20/pax
8. Have dim sum for supper at Swee Choon
Swee Choon on Jalan Besar has been feeding supper crowds for decades. It now opens daily from 7am and serves dim sum until 2am, or 4am on Fridays and Saturdays, so it’s perfect after a movie or a long walk.
Order the mee suah kueh, the salted egg custard buns and a basket or two of siew mai and har gow. Most items cost a few dollars each, so $15 to $20 per person is plenty for a full meal. Expect a queue on weekends, but it moves fast.
Date tip: Go on a weeknight after 9pm for the shortest wait. For more places like this, see our late night supper date spots.
- Address: 183 Jalan Besar, Singapore 208882
- Getting there: Jalan Besar or Rochor MRT
- Hours: 7am to 2am Sun to Thu, 7am to 4am Fri, Sat and eve of PH
- Budget: About $15 to $20/pax
9. Cycle along East Coast Park
East Coast Park has 15km of flat, breezy coastline, which makes it the easiest place in Singapore to cycle together. Rent two bikes, or a tandem if you’re feeling brave, and ride towards Bedok Jetty with the sea on one side.
Bike rental costs about $8 to $12 an hour (a tandem is about $20, so still $10 each), and two hours is enough for a relaxed ride with a few stops. Finish with coconuts or satay at East Coast Lagoon Food Village.
Date tip: Start at about 4.30pm. You’ll ride in the cooler part of the afternoon and reach the jetty in time for sunset.
- Where: East Coast Park, bike rental kiosks near the car parks
- Getting there: Marine Parade, Marine Terrace or Siglap MRT, then walk through the underpass
- Budget: About $10 to $15/pax for one to two hours
10. Take the ferry to Lazarus Island
Lazarus Island has the clearest water and softest sand you’ll find near Singapore, and getting there costs less than a cab ride. Take the ferry from Marina South Pier, which currently drops you at Lazarus Island’s own jetty while the St John’s jetty is under repair. From there it’s a short walk to the lagoon.
A return ferry ticket is $15 per person. Pack a mat, sunscreen, lots of water and a picnic lunch, because there’s very little to buy on the island. You’ll feel like you’ve left the country for the day.
Date tip: Take the first ferry out on a weekday and you may have the beach almost to yourselves. Check the last ferry time before you settle in.
- Where: Ferries leave from Marina South Pier, 31 Marina Coastal Drive, Singapore 018988
- Getting there: Marina South Pier MRT
- Budget: $15/pax for a return ferry ticket
Cheap date ideas at home
Some of the cheapest dates need no travel at all, just a little effort.
11. Hold a $20 cook-off
Go to the supermarket or wet market together with $20 and a rule: each of you cooks one dish for the other with $10. You can’t see what the other person is buying until you get home.
It turns grocery shopping into a game, and you end up with a two-course dinner for the price of one main at a café. Light a candle, put on a playlist and plate it up properly.
Date tip: Pick a theme before you shop, like “comfort food” or “a dish from your childhood”. It gives you something to talk about over dinner.
- Where: Your kitchen
- Budget: $10/pax
12. Plan a movie night with a snack run
A movie night at home is the classic cheap date, but it’s better with a plan. Each of you picks one film without telling the other, and you watch both back to back.
Before you start, do a snack run with a $10 cap each at the minimart. Then move the sofa cushions to the floor, turn off the lights and keep your phones in another room. That last part is what makes it feel like a date.
Date tip: Running low on ideas for what to do after? Try our deep questions for couples once the credits roll.
- Where: Your living room
- Budget: Under $10/pax for snacks
Worth a mention
Ready to spend a little more? Our guide to affordable romantic restaurants under $50 is the next step up, and our list of buffet deals below $50 is good for big appetites. For more things to do, see our fun date ideas in Singapore.
Final thoughts
A cheap date isn’t a lesser date. What people remember is the kite that wouldn’t fly, the stall you discovered together and the walk home after. Pick one idea from this list for the weekend and see for yourself.
Now go plan a date that’s easy on your wallet!
with Love,
The Dateideas Team
Follow us on Instagram, Telegram & TikTok for more unique dateideas!
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some free date ideas in Singapore?
Fly your own kite at Marina Barrage, stroll the Singapore Botanic Gardens or walk around Kampong Glam and Haji Lane. All three cost nothing unless you stop for food. For more, see our guide to free date ideas in Singapore.
What are cheap date ideas in Singapore at night?
Satay Street at Lau Pa Sat starts at 7pm on weekdays, Swee Choon serves dim sum until 2am (4am on Fridays and Saturdays) and Mustafa Centre is open late. Marina Barrage is open 24 hours, and the skyline looks best after dark. Bring cash or PayNow for the satay stalls.
What are cheap date ideas in Singapore for a rainy day?
Go for the $10 challenge at Mustafa Centre, dim sum at Swee Choon, a hawker feast at Maxwell Food Centre or a cook-off at home. Lau Pa Sat’s main hall is covered, but Satay Street is outdoors. Kite flying, cycling, Lazarus Island and stargazing all need dry weather.
Do we need to book any of these cheap dates in advance?
Only two. Stargazing tickets at the Science Centre Observatory are sold online only and can sell out, and it’s worth buying your Lazarus Island ferry ticket online for weekends. Everything else is walk-in.
How do we get to Lazarus Island, and how much is the ferry?
Take the ferry from Marina South Pier, next to Marina South Pier MRT. A return ticket is $15 per person. Plan for at least half a day, bring your own food and water as there’s very little to buy on the island, and check the last ferry time when you get your tickets.
