‘My kopi O now S$1.90’: Foreigner asks if daily costs in Singapore are getting too high
Hawker Centre in Singapore
SINGAPORE: A cup of coffee and a plate of chicken rice are hardly luxury purchases, yet their prices have left one foreigner with a sobering reminder of how expensive daily life in Singapore has become.
In a post shared on the Complaint Singapore (Anonymous) Facebook group on Wednesday (Sep 14), the woman asked whether others felt the cost of living in Singapore was getting crazier.
“Do you all feel the cost of living in Singapore is getting out of control?” she wrote. “My kopi O now S$1.90, chicken rice S$5.50. What price [shocked] you the most recently?”
The woman’s complaint may seem relatively minor at first glance, but the numbers tell a rather different story. Those little everyday purchases can add up to a surprisingly hefty sum by the end of the month.
At S$1.90 a cup, buying a coffee on each of 22 working days would cost about S$42 a month.
A S$5.50 plate of chicken rice on those same days would add another S$121 to the bill.
That comes to roughly S$163 for just one daily coffee and one weekday lunch, before accounting for breakfast, dinner, groceries, or other necessities.
Of course, prices vary between hawker stalls, and not everyone pays the same amount for these everyday favourites. Still, the figures offer a timely reminder that even relatively inexpensive purchases can take a sizeable bite out of one's monthly budget.
In the comments on her post, several users said they were especially stunned by how expensive drinks have become lately.
One commenter said higher food prices were still somewhat “acceptable,” but drink prices were getting “crazy.” “Be it hot or cold,” they added. “I stopped buying drinks when having lunch.”
Another wrote, “Yes, the kopi shop pricing of kopi and tea is ridiculous! Good thing, in my estate, it is still at S$1. If you go to a private makan place like Sprouts, kopi-o is 60 cents.”
A third commented, “Copi, teh, and assorted soft drinks! These have gone up 2-3 times with no malice! The so-called cold drinks are mixed syrup in exotic naming: ice lemon tea, Bandung, etc.! The canned drinks, or rather hot canned drinks, including a cup of measly ice, are served with no refrigeration, thus saving energy costs and increasing profit margins. We are being robbed daily by these coffee shop tycoons!”
A few others added that people might be better off cooking at home, packing their own lunches, and bringing drinks to work to save a few dollars.
Newsletter
Get updates straight to your inbox
One user stated, “Let's face it. The days of eating at the hawker centre are over. It's time to cook at home. Or pack your sandwiches for lunch. Just like the Ang Moh... But for those who are paid millions, they can lah. Of course.”
Another commenter advised the post author to opt for a more affordable meal next time, noting that there are still stalls selling food at lower prices.
“Your chicken rice is S$5.50 because you chose the $5.50 chicken rice,” they said. “There are S$3.50, S$4.00, and even S$1.90 chicken rice in Singapore. Now go to NTUC; buying whole frozen spring chicken is S$2.50 till the end of the year. Most people around the world are actually forced to COOK at home because eating out is expensive.”
Read also: ‘What property? We’re already struggling to find jobs’: Singapore Gen Z debates investing