SINGAPORE: When a local Reddit user sat down and actually tracked how much money they were spending on food, they were shocked that the amount tallied up to S$726 for a whole month, or around S$24 a day.
Perhaps wishing to see how they compare with others in Singapore, u/Western-Leg-36 asked, “How much are you ACTUALLY spending on food per day now? I tracked mine for a month, and the number shocked me.”
The post author explained that they always thought they only spent about S$10 to S$15 a day on food on meals at hawker centres, cai png, and an occasional beverage at Luckin when they have a voucher.
However, when they added everything up, it turned out that their calculations were off.
The post author further explained that it wasn’t the hawker meals, which ranged from S$4.50 to S$6, that wrecked their budget, it was “the careless stuff in between,” such as a kopi and kaya toast combo at Toast Box, GrabFood meals on nights they worked late, lunches with colleagues, and even occasional fast food meals, which they noted cost S$8 now for even the most basic sets.
“None of these felt like big decisions in the moment. Each one was maybe $5 to $8 more than the “default” option. But they added up to almost $300 extra over the month compared to what I thought I was spending,” the post author wrote, reiterating how shocked they were to realise that the actual amount was so different from what they thought.
Commenters said what they spent on food went from S$600 to over S$1000 a month. What several noted, however, is that life in Singapore, including food, is expensive.
As one wrote, “Singapore is expensive if you want to eat healthy and don’t want to cook, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!”
Others pointed out that the least expensive option is to prepare meals yourself, though they admitted that this is certainly time-consuming.
One commenter, however, reminded everyone else that the post author’s main point is that we don’t always have a clear picture of what we spend on, rather than how expensive food is in Singapore.
Another wrote that no one should feel bad about treating themselves to a nice meal every so often.
“IMO, if it is just additional cost for a Toast Box set or an occasional meal with colleagues or even a treat at a nice restaurant once in a while, those are small treats or experiences that you enjoy from time to time. Rather than really trying to keep to $x budget if you can afford it, why not? Like, instead of an instant noodle dinner, you get a proper meal from Grab when you work late. These are the little things that make your life better.” /TISG
Read also: ‘Why do daily essentials and hawker food feel cheaper in Singapore than in Malaysia?’: Malaysian who spends more time in SG for work asks
