The 11 best cheap hotels in Singapore

This gem in Little India is as close as you’ll get to a Wes Anderson movie set without leaving Singapore. From the Art Deco-style curved balconies to the kitsch wallpaper, pastel tiled bathrooms and quirky porthole windows, it’s a super playful base for your next stay in the city. Room options range from spacious suites to an affordable, mixed co-living space offering beds from $60 per night. Once you're done stocking up your content bank with artsy photos, you can cool off in the rooftop pool, then grab a bite to eat at the lobby café.

Time Out tip: Close by you have the likes of Bugis Street for the exotic food scene and Singapore Art Museum. 

Address: 28 Madras Street, Little India, Singapore 208422

Price per night: From approximately SGD$65

Closest transport link: Rochor MRT Station (Downtown Line) is about a 4-minute walk from the hotel.

Looking for an affordable stay in the intriguing, historic Chinatown? Heritage Collection on Chinatown, nestled in the beating heart of the neighbourhood, might just be what you’re looking for. Its address on 227 South Bridge Road puts you within walking distance of the district’s iconic attractions such as Masjid Chulia, Sri Mariamman Temple and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, and close to some of the area’s top dining destinations like Amoy Street and Maxwell Food Centres, as well as the restaurants and cocktail bars of Club Street and Ann Siang Road. 

There are several room categories here, from the spacious Premium Lofts and convenient Studio Premium rooms to the cosier Studio Single rooms for solo staycationers.

Time Out tip: Singapore City Gallery and Marina Bay Sands are both nearby. 

Address: 227 South Bridge Road, Singapore 058776

Price per night: From approximately SGD$125

Closest transport link: Chinatown MRT Station (North East Line & Downtown Line) is about a five-minute walk from the hotel

Exactly the kind of hotel you’d expect (and hope) to pop up in an arts and culture district, Hotel Gin Bugis Singapore is crammed full of eclectic little features and wonders. Mixing industrial, vintage and bohemian chic with top-end contemporary appliances and features, the Gin’s rooms are neatly assembled and finished with quirky details and amenities. It’s all pretty damn cool – and made even cooler by the fact that guests get dining credits to spend at either the trendy, affordable winery Ginett or American burger bar 25 Degrees. Sounds swish, eh?

Time Out tip: Get out and about and explore the local street food vendors and market stalls.

Address: 200 Middle Road, Singapore 188980

Price per night: From approximately SGD$129

Closest transport link: Bencoolen MRT Station (Downtown Line) is about a 3-minute walk from the hotel.
Lloyd's Inn

This Orchard Road address puts Lloyd's Inn just a little beyond the perimeters of the famous shopping district, and less than 100 metres from the infamous Oxley house (once home to the former PM Lee Kuan Yew). The concrete-clad structure looks avant-garde next to the surrounding older, conventional architecture, but step inside and you’ll find it lush and welcoming. The rooms have eight style varieties, bathed in soft natural light and with a Nordic minimalism, which make you feel like you're being whisked away to a cosy Airbnb in Europe. The facilities aren’t grand, but the roof terrace and foliage-lined dipping pool are idyllic enough to lull you into serenity – if you can stop Instagramming, that is.

Time Out tip: A four-minute stroll will take you to Killiney kopitiam, Singapore's oldest Hainanese coffee shop. 

Address: 2 Lloyd Road, Singapore 239091

Price per night: From SGD$157.98

Closest transport link: Somerset MRT Station is a 10-minute walk from the hotel

Set within six historical shophouses, this minimalist joint is not only a well-kept secret but effortlessly chic. The contemporary design is clean and almost futuristic, giving the rooms a spacious feel that cramped budget hotels sometimes lack. Besides this, there's an air of tranquillity thanks to the lack of clutter – allowing for total rest and recuperation after you've schlepped around the Singapore sights. Our only gripe is that several of the rooms' windows merely open into an air well, but at least you get some natural light (or switch on the sleek lightning bars to artificially amp up the brightness). If you're booking online keep an eye out for Hotel Mono's special promotions that run at various times throughout the year.

Time Out tip: This is a great base if you’re in the city to shop, with Orchard Road Shopping District close by.

Address: 18 Mosque Street, Chinatown, Singapore 059498

Price per night: From SGD $110

Closest transport link: Chinatown MRT Station (NE4/DT19) is a five-minute walk from the hotel.

One of the very best things about this hotel is that it's only a 12-minute walk from the beach. So if you're looking for an affordable base for lazy beach days, this is the place for you. The hotel features modern unique designs and rooms that, thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows, are flooded with natural light. It also boasts a rooftop infinity pool and an indulgent hot tub, all perfect for taking in views of the city’s eastern cultural belt.

Time Out tip: The hotel has a stash of board games available to borrow, so you can put away your phone and stay entertained the old-fashioned way.

Address: 171 East Coast Road, Singapore 428877

Price per night: From SGD $110

Closest transport link: Eunos MRT Station (EW7) is approximately a 23-minute walk from the hotel

The achingly cool M Social is all futuristic neon colours, steel and mirrored furnishings in the distinctive, flamboyant design style of Philippe Starck. The ceilings are all double-height, which means that even the smaller lead-in rooms (industry jargon for a hotel’s most affordable category) feel plush and not oppressive. The space is tight but well thought-out, and the bed’s are a little too comfy to leave. There’s a small pool and gym you can hit up, but the appeal of a stay around Robertson Quay is to bask in the breezy laidback charm of its riverside restaurants and Aussie-styled cafes.

Time Out tip: Splashing out? Book the Alcove Premier Queen room for the ultimate comfy stay.

Address: 90 Robertson Quay, Singapore 238259

Price per night: From SGD $189

Closest transport link: Havelock MRT Station (TE16) is approximately a nine-minute walk from the hotel

Situated amid the hustle and bustle of Funan Mall, lyf (not a typo) is the latest venture from the Ascott brand, offering four-star co-living in a super convenient location. So what exactly does that entail? Lovely apartments that sleep anywhere from one to six people, with all the mod cons, plus shared work 'n' play spaces, including a pastel ball pit.

Time Out tip: Raffles City Shopping Centre, Singapore Art Museum and St Andrews Cathedral are all nearby.

Address: 67 Hill Street, #04-01, Singapore 179370

Price per night: From SGD $168

Closest transport link: City Hall MRT Station (EW13/NS25/CC2) is approximately a five-minute walk from the hotel.

As far as budget stays go, Mercure Singapore Bugis ticks all the right boxes. It’s centrally located and close to three MRT stations: Bugis, Bencoolen and Bras Basah. The rooms are fairly spacious and even loft rooms are available here. As for facilities, there’s a small business centre and a good-sized infinity lap pool, jacuzzi and gym. What we particularly like is that there are numerous pockets of space – a breezy courtyard, a roof terrace and a lobby lounge. 

Time Out tip: As a fully-fledged business hotel, this is our pick for a work trip that doesn’t break the bank.

Address: 122 Middle Road, Singapore 188973

Price per night: From SGD $189.44

Closest transport link: Bugis MRT Station (EW12/DT14) is approximately a 5-minute walk from the hotel.

The Ramada’s Balestier suburb is rarely top of the list for travellers, much less for staycationers, but it makes perfect sense. It’s a bit of a heartland Singapore – flanked as it is by public housing and kopitiams (traditional coffee shops) – but still only a short drive to Orchard Road (take the complimentary hotel shuttle) and Little India. Balestier is also one of Singapore’s most cherished supper streets, teeming with big-name bak kut teh (pork rib soup) and chicken rice shops. The rooms are generously sized and the swimming pool terrace is spacious, inviting and really quite beautiful in the evenings. 

Time Out tip: At nearby Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall museum, you can learn about the upheaval of the Qing dynasty.

Address: 16 Ah Hood Road, Singapore 329983

Price per night: From SGD $157

Closest transport link: Novena MRT Station (NS20) is approximately a five-minute walk from the hotel

Hotel NuVe Urbane opened in 2018 in the bustling Lavender area and, unlike the chain's other branches, it boasts a roof terrace pool. Each of the 62 rooms here are beautifully finished and full of modern amenities, like a mini fridge with complimentary drinks.

Time Out tip: The complimentary Sentosa Discovery Pass – available to all guests at the hotel – will grant you access to some of the area’s top attractions for free.

Address: 3 King George’s Avenue, Singapore 208582

Price per night: From SGD $81

Closest transport link: Lavender MRT Station (EW11) is approximately a five-minute walk from the hotel.