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Foreigner new to Singapore wonders if spending S$2k on food each month is normal

SINGAPORE: A newcomer to the city-state recently took to Reddit to ask locals how much they typically spend on food each month, and whether his current expenses are unusually high. In his post on the r/askSingapore subreddit, the man shared that he had recently relocated to Singapore with his wife and was trying to get a better sense of the city's cost of living. 'As of right now, I have budgeted S$2,000 a month on food (for two people),' he wrote, explaining that the figure was based on about S$10 per meal per person, three times a day, which adds up to around S$60 a day. He noted that he rounded the amount slightly for budgeting purposes. He pointed out that this was nearly double what he used to spend back in his home country in Northern Europe. However, he also said that, unlike back home, he and his wife have been eating out for almost every meal, mainly at hawker centres. 'I suppose it's expensive, but as far as I know, cooking meals at home would cost more?' he said. 'My other foreign coworkers have told me that all food sold at hawker centres is being driven in from Malaysia daily, thus making it cheaper, and that supermarkets generally take a 'larger' premium on groceries. It also seemed reasonable to me, considering hawker food is quite cheap. It just adds up quite quickly when you're two people,' he added later in the thread. Keen to find out if his food expenses were the norm, he asked, 'Just how much are people spending on food here?' 'There's no harm in cooking some meals to save money.' In the comments, many locals agreed that while eating out can be convenient, cooking at home is definitely the more affordable and sustainable option in the long run. One individual commented, 'If you cook at home in Singapore, it is most probably cheaper than the S$2,000 budget. You should do your food shopping either in the mass market supermarkets (e.g., Sheng Shiong, NTUC, Giant) or the local wet market.' See also Mandopop star Stefanie Sun doubts her parenting skills Another suggested trying a short experiment: 'Do you have an NTUC near you? You can try cooking at home for two to three months and then compare after that. If you'll be here for a longer period of time.' A third wrote, 'Do explore the food around your new address first. Find out if there is cheap food or just restaurants around you. Look for the supermarkets as well; there's no harm in cooking some meals to save money.' Tips to reduce spending It's easy to fall into the habit of eating out, especially when tasty and affordable meals are just a short walk away. After all, who wants to spend time grocery shopping, prepping ingredients, and cooking after a long day? But if you're serious about budgeting and keeping track of your expenses, you'll realise that even hawker centre or food court meals, which usually cost between S$3 and S$6, can add up quickly. See also Samsung shares rise as Huawei struggles To cut costs, MSIG Singapore recommends having breakfast and dinner at home, buying lunch from hawker centres or food courts, and limiting restaurant meals to just once or twice a month. MSIG Singapore says that couples who follow this strategy could keep their monthly food spending to around S$1,000. Read also: 'What are you busy with?': Employee 'irked' after boss mocks her for not doing work during annual leave Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)