If you are thinking of alcoholic drinks most of you will have to prepare for a shock. No; the locals are not trying to rip you off, it is rather expensive. Singapore imposes high duties in alcoholic beverages and tobacco.
Depending where you buy, both in the supermarket or during a night out, prices will vary but S$ 15 for a mug is normal in some of the more upscale bars such as Bar None, a bare minimum is about S$ 5 at the hawker. There are lots of ‘happy hours’ and promotions though so just keep your eyes and ears open. There are some microbreweries such as Brewerkz which sell home-made brew at reasonable prices
Going out for a drink at night? read more about that here on a night out in Singapore
For some places to chill after work check-out our food and beverage ratings.
If you want to enjoy a scotch at home it is good to know that when you are flying into Singapore there is a duty free at the baggage claim area which will save you at least half of what you have to pay in Singapore proper. Note however that you are not allowed to bring in anything if you have been out of Singapore less than 48 hours or come from Malaysia (and exiting with just a carry-on and a duty-free bag is a dead giveaway for the customs officers we noticed)
Another type of drink is of course Coffee; you will find a number of the larger coffee chains and the ‘independents’. Which chain you prefer depends on your own taste but you are welcome to give us your opinion. At your local coffee chop you´ll be able to start the day with traditional Kopi-O, black with sugar, and a half-boiled egg with toast.
Somewhat more traditional is Tea. There is the Indian Te Tarik which is very strong and sweet with lots of condensed milk and made to froth by pouring the mixture from one pot into another from a great (arms length) distance. There are also many Chinese teas available and you can indulge in a leisurely ‘tea ceremony’ at several of the shops. Be warned that the ‘heavier’ black teas are nothing like what you normally find in a bag.
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