I honestly wasn’t looking forward to tallying up my expenses for my last trip, yet at the same time, I was eager to see just how much damage I did. And if I really spent enough to buy the 50mm f1.4 lens I wanted. I didn’t, but a couple more thousands and I could’ve bought the 35mm f1.8. I’m just consoling myself that at least I’ve finished my Christmas shopping in one go and bought some things I really wanted for myself.
Also, I realized how relatively cheap Malacca is for a daytrip from Singapore. The drive from the island to the heritage town is more than double the time it takes to drive down from Kuala Lumpur to Malacca, but it’s a better alternative to Johor Bahru, where most Filipinos go for a visa run. For about Php 2,000, you can do this day trip from Singapore. That already include the bus (public bus from Singapore to Johor Bahru, domestic bus from Larkin Terminal to Malacca), admission fees, meals and transport within Malacca. Melaka is compact enough that you can just walk to see the main attractions. I’m definitely heading back there when I go to Singapore.
Oh, I’ve omitted my personal shopping expenses from this travel budget. It’s certainly not for public consumption.
| Birthday Trip | |||
| November 24 – December 2 | |||
| S$1 = PHP33 | MYR1 = PHP13.48 | ||
| In local currency | In Peso | ||
| Air Transfers | |||
| Philippine Airlines | |||
| Manila – Singapore – Manila | PHP 7,216.00 | PHP 7,216.00 | 1 |
| Terminal Fee (NAIA) | PHP 750.00 | PHP 750.00 | |
| Taxi to and from Airport | PHP 720.00 | PHP 720.00 | |
| Land Transfers | |||
| Singapore to Malacca | SGD 22.00 | PHP 796.91 | 2 |
| Malacca to Singapore | MYR 22.00 | PHP 296.56 | 3 |
| Accommodation | |||
| Twenty Guesthouse | |||
| 2 nights, double room | MYR 200.00 | PHP 2,696.00 | 4 |
| Food Expense | |||
| Singapore | SGD 114.05 | PHP 3,763.65 | 5 |
| Malaysia | MYR 77.44 | PHP 1,043.89 | 6 |
| Transport Expense | |||
| Singapore | SGD 36.00 | PHP 1,188.00 | 7 |
| Malaysia | MYR 30.00 | PHP 404.40 | 8 |
| Miscellaneous | |||
| Travel Insurance | PHP 420.00 | PHP 420.00 | |
| Roaming | PHP 856.75 | PHP 856.75 | |
| Singapore Mobile Credit | SGD 15.00 | PHP 495.00 | |
| Admission Fees | MYR 25.00 | PHP 337.00 | 9 |
| Miscellaneous | SGD 29.80 | PHP 983.40 | 10 |
| Total | PHP 21,967.56 | ||
| 1 This was one of PAL’s promo, which in hindsight, is now their current Econolight. You get the (relatively) cheap fare, no-seat restrictions, full meals, but allowed only 15kl check-in baggage. | |||
| 2 Citi Express bus from the Kovan Hub. Ticket was purchased online, and amount in peso is based on my credit card bill. | |||
| 3 Same bus line, but I bought the ticket at Malacca Sentral. Good thing I did, because it’s more than 50% cheaper than the fare from Singapore. | |||
| 4 The guesthouse is right in the middle of Jonker Street. Pretty pricey, specially considering that it doesn’t have ensuite toilet and bath, but since it’s my birthday I decided to splurge. | |||
| 5 I didn’t eat out as much in Singapore, but the couple of times I was out, I decided to try out some restaurants. Pricey~~~~ | |||
| 6 This could definitely be cheaper, but I just had to do the touristy thing and try out those chicken rice restaurants. | |||
| 7 This includes two taxi rides and a $10 top up on my brother’s EZ-link card. I definitely used more than SG$10 on that card. About $5.00 of the total amount I used on his EZ-link card was the ride on SBS bus 170 from Johor to Sengkang. | |||
| 8 This was just two taxi rides: to and from Melaka Sentral. | |||
| 9 Malacca river cruise, Tortura 2 exhibit, and photography pass for the exhibit. You’re allowed to take photos of the exhibit using your camera phone, but take out a DSLR and you have to pay a fee. | |||
| 10 These are items which are neither food, transport or shopping/souvenir item. These are the things I used, like the travel adaptor I had to buy since I forgot to bring my adaptor. | |||
Posted on December 17, 2009
Filed under Malaysia, Post trip accounting, Singapore
Tags: singapore travel expense, trave expenses, travel budget
Visited 2322 times, 1 so far today
Oh, how I love to travel like you do.
Funny, SG-Malacca is SGD 22, while Malacca-SG is MYR 22 only. Super expensive nga sa SG!
Babsy: Try it, it’s fun
Chyng: It’s the same with the train, it’s the exact same figure, but in ringgit instead of dollars. I think that’s how it goes for public transport from MY to SG. My friend told me that I shouldn’t have used my EZ-link card on the public bus to SG and paid in ringgit instead because the exchange rate (on the buses at least) is SG$1 = MYR 1. So it’s really cheaper to travel from Malaysia to Singapore than the other way round
Your money goes a lot further in Malaysia.
hi! i’m planning a trip to singapore/kuala lumpur this march. i came across your blog while i was searching for hotel deals. can you recommend a decent hotel in singapore, malacca and malaysia that can be booked online? i actually don’t know what to do when i get there regarding the transportation to the places, etc. i will be backpacking so please help me!
thanks so much!!
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