Singapore has been touted as a dream destination among Chinese travellers, even though the costs of holidaying here can be a bugbear.

But that has not stopped those from China from making trips to experience it for themselves, according to the South China Morning Post on Nov. 9.

The Hong Kong English media outlet documented some of the experiences Chinese travellers had in Singapore, and what they liked, as well as what shocked them.

This topic about what Chinese tourists think of Singapore was also touched on by The Straits Times on Oct. 26, which reported that the sunny island set in the sea was “drawing some flak” as a “hot”, “boring” and “expensive” travel destination.

However, Singapore has its plus points too, as reported by SCMP.

Pricier for sure

One 32-year-old woman from Harbin in China’s northeast, told SCMP that she had spent three days in Singapore and used up her 5,000 yuan (S$914) travel budget.

She said she was “so shocked” that a 10-minute taxi ride cost more than 100 yuan (S$18.30) here, when a similar ride costs less than 20 yuan (S$3.65) in China

She told SCMP: “I knew that Singapore has a high cost of living, but it’s a different matter to experience it.”

GST & service charge not shown in menu prices

One practice, almost unheard of in China, is the tagging on of the 9 per cent goods and services tax and a 10 per cent service charge at the point of payment.

These costs are usually not reflected in the menu price or prices of goods in Singapore, and have become a culture shock to those from China.

In China, value-added tax is typically included in the prices customers see, including in menus.

Moreover, most restaurants there do not tag on a separate service charge.

Other areas that incur more spending

A list of what is perceived as pricier in Singapore was also reported.

For example, a “modest three-star hotel” costs more than 1,200 yuan (S$219) a night, according to a pair of sisters from China who visited Singapore.

However, it was not reported when they visited, as hotel prices are seasonal and can go up significantly during peak periods, such as during the F1 night race weekend.

Some other items that Chinese travellers noted are costly were the 15 yuan (S$2.74) bottle of water at a convenience store, 50 yuan (S$9.14) sandwich, as well as more than 3,000 yuan (S$548) for a meal for two at a seafood restaurant by the Singapore River.

One traveller claimed on social media to have lost 3kg in three days as a result of only eating one meal a day — the free hotel breakfast.

To keep costs manageable, some have opted to eat at hawker centres and take public transport while on holiday in Singapore

There is also a perception problem: Singapore’s neighbouring countries typically allow travellers to go on holiday at a relatively lower costs and appear more value for money.

Why the influx of Chinese tourists though?

Despite the costs, Chinese tourists are still visiting Singapore.

This was attributed to the mutual visa-waiver arrangement in February 2025 that promoted travel between Singapore and China.

Many young travellers, in their 20s and 30s, who are likely independent and seeking short getaways, are also likely drawn to Singapore for its proximity and convenience.

This group, it was noted, might be younger, budget-conscious, and first-time visitors.

More than 3 million mainland Chinese visited Singapore in 2024, SCMP reported, citing the Singapore Tourism Board data, which was a 126 per cent year-on-year increase.

These travellers accounted for nearly one-fifth of all arrivals to Singapore that year.

Another 2.5 million went to Singapore in the first nine months of 2025 alone.

“Da ka” tourism

Besides the boost being also attributed to pent-up post-pandemic demand, there is now also the rise of “da ka” tourism.

This is a travel trend among young Chinese who seek photogenic, social media-ready experiences, SCMP reported.

Singapore features heavily on Xiaohongshu social media platform, and has developed a reputation for being safe, modern and clean, with many pretty sights.

Spending still stable

But the cost of visiting has also drawn widespread discussion.

The apparently costlier experience Singapore offers has been attributed to the currency’s appreciation against the yuan by 6 to 7 per cent since the start of 2023, as well as those arriving here not having the spending power like their predecessors.

Older cohorts of Chinese travellers previously likely had greater disposable incomes and travelled in tour groups, making them a vastly different kind of traveller.

But spending appears to be stable after experiencing a drop.

According to the Singapore Tourism Board, per capita tourism receipts from Chinese visitors fell from S$2,270 in 2023 to S$1,490 in 2024.

But in the first half of this year, average spend per visitor rose slightly to S$1,520.

Safe Singapore a draw

And then there are also some things that money cannot buy — or are simply worth paying for.

One unique selling point about Singapore is that it is considered relatively safer, with news of kidnappings of foreign nationals making headlines in other countries.

Singapore also has numerous urban locations for photo opportunities.

This sort of density plays to Singapore’s strengths as travellers can come here to enjoy the sights and sounds over a short period of time.

This gels with the rise of social media platform usage to inform travelling choices, where such attractions have garnered strong interests.

According to a survey by Dragon Trail International in 2024, it was reported that 52 per cent of respondents who are Chinese tourists said they had used RedNote to plan trips, while 43 per cent turned to Douyin.

Top photo via Google Maps