How to Sleep in Singapore for Free in 2024

I bet you’ve heard that Singapore is expensive, right? It’s true, and some of the prices may come as a shock after you’ve toured the rest of Southeast Asia. While you won’t find US$5 beds or US$1 beers, there are ways to keep your spending down. If you’re willing to rough it out, you can enjoy some things in Singapore for free. You don’t have to do that, though, to spend less than US$50 over two days.

This post is going to lay out a cunning plan for a cheap-and-rough overnight stay; if you want to spend more time in Singapore, you may want to look at my two-week itinerary for ideas.

Last updated: Dec 2, 2023 @ 10:15 AM

Roughing it out in Singapore for free (or slightly more)

Getting in and out of Singapore

There are several ways one might visit for a short time. For instance, you may want to have a look around Singapore on a layover without staying overnight, in which case I hope you’re reading this before you book your flights. Changi Airport offers transiting passengers free city tours if they have at least six hours to spare. If you want to do this, check the tour schedule on the website and book your flights accordingly.

If you can’t join the tour and have at least four hours, take a ride on the public bus. Take No. 36 from Terminal 2 or Terminal 4 and sit on the left-hand side. It will take you through the Marine Parade neighbourhood, the city and Orchard Road before looping back to Terminals 3 and 1. Note that it runs only from 6 a.m. to 10.50 p.m. I’ve added more information about this sightseeing tour on a public bus in this post.

Exploring Singapore for free on your own or staying overnight? Or taking a one-way flight and a coach to/from Malaysia? Read on.

Sleeping in Singapore for free – is it worthwhile?

Given that a dorm bed is available from as little as S$12 a night in Singapore (yes, I know it’s still more than wherever you stayed on Khao San Road), you have to be desperate to resort to sleeping rough. You won’t even have to read the next section on public shower facilities.

If you don’t want to pay for a bed, your options are limited to naps in 24-hour laundromats, McDonald’s and Starbucks outlets, and you won’t be lying flat in these places. Order a drink, and the staff will be unlikely to make a fuss. You can try Couchsurfing but, in Singapore, your chances of crashing at a stranger’s place are slim.

Willing to take your chances with the weather? While camping on Sentosa is not permitted, if there’s a beach party on a Saturday, it’s not uncommon for people to sleep on the sand until public transport starts running again in the morning. You can try blending in but remember to use insect repellent.

That said, if you have no baggage to claim or check-in, and your flight arrives after 11 p.m. or departs before 8 a.m., you can sleep there. The transit side is preferable, and there are plenty of rest areas. You can also rest on the land side in Singapore for free, but you’re more likely to be woken up by security officers on their rounds. They will ask to see a boarding pass too, but they’ll be polite about it.

Read more: Things worth spending more on when you travel

Where to shower in Singapore for free

Unlike in Europe, the public toilets in our malls and MRT stations are mostly free, and even the paid ones in some markets ask for only 20 cents at most. I’m not aware of any hostels or hotels that let non-guests use a shower for a fee; however, there is one place close to the city where you can freshen up for nothing.

You can visit the Singapore Sports Hub (nearest MRT station: Stadium) which has changing rooms that are free, even if you’re not using the facilities. It would be a shame to not go for a swim in the Aquatic Centre (from S$2.60) or float on the lazy river on the roof of Kallang Wave Mall (S$2) after making the journey, though. While you’ll need only your towel and toiletries, here’s the catch: the shower stalls are too small to take your bags in without getting wet, and there’s nothing to dry your wet stuff.

There are free changing rooms and shower stalls on the beaches of Sentosa and East Coast Park too. Just prepare lots of baby powder to get rid of the wet sand.

Another place where you can shower in Singapore for free is the Funan Mall. The catch is that you have to download the CapitaStar app and fill in your personal details.

Cheap luggage storage in Singapore

There is luggage storage at Changi Airport. Prices are on a 24-hour basis and depend on the size and quantity of your bags. You will find them at Terminal 3 and the Jewel, and these remain open around the clock. There is also one in Terminal 1 but it closes from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day.

Other free things to do in Singapore

Free food and drinks?

Did you think I would advise you to buy something before sleeping in Starbucks, then tell you where to eat for free? Meals from hawker stalls are cheap (a couple even have been awarded Michelin stars and are still as little as S$3). Some temples (look them up) serve a free vegetarian lunch, but they are not in the city centre. The return bus fare would negate any savings. The one thing I’ll endorse is drinking the tap water – it’s safe and it’s more environmentally friendly than buying bottled water.

If you feel like eating better and don’t mind having your meals later than usual, download the Treatsure App and buy leftover restaurant buffet food. You’ll help reduce wastage too.

One thing is certain: Alcohol, craft booze or otherwise, is expensive (even though we’re not in a Muslim country), so stay dry to save some money. The cheapest alcoholic drinks are in the convenience stores and supermarkets, but sales end at 10.30 p.m. daily – the same time that drinking in public places that aren’t pubs becomes illegal. It’s worth remembering if you choose to sleep rough. If you arrive via the airport (and your flight didn’t originate from Malaysia), the duty-free alcohol is even cheaper. There is no such allowance for tobacco, however.

Free sights and getting around

Public transport in Singapore gets you from the airport to downtown in as little as 35 minutes, but you will need a fare card or your contactless credit card*. For the former, you can get either a standard ticket from any MRT station (pay-as-you-use and good for six trips) or a Singapore Tourist Pass from some of them (check the link for locations; unlimited rides for one to three days).

*Foreign credit cards attract a 60-cent fee per day of use and your bank may impose additional charges that you should check first.

If you arrive via coach, you will probably alight at Golden Mile Tower. Check out this Google Map for walking directions to Nicoll Highway MRT station (five minutes) and Kampung Glam (a further ten minutes). Walks around that neighbourhood, the city, Marina Bay, Chinatown and Little India are free, and there are plenty of air-conditioned shops and malls to cool off. Thinking of that roof-top pool at the Marina Bay Sands? You can’t swim in it without being a guest, though you can share the view by splurging at Spago. Otherwise, if you’re miserly, there’s the Lazy River on the Sports Hub roof.

If none of the fixed attractions is to your liking, check out the SingapoRewards website for free activities in Singapore that you can book. As long as you are not a citizen, resident or long-term visa holder, you are eligible.

Accessing the Internet

To access the Internet through a free Wireless@SG hotspot, read this page. Make sure you have roaming activated so that you can receive the password via text message. You may even want to download the Wireless@SG app before you arrive.

What’s the damage?

• One night in the cheapest dorm: S$12
• Six hawker centre meals: S$20
• Unlimited public transport rides for two days: S$16 (plus a refundable S$10 deposit)
• Access to the web: Free
• Total: S$48 (US$36)

There, that’s how you take US$50 to Singapore for two days and have change left over! It’s not free but pretty close to what you spent in the rest of Southeast Asia.