27YO M’sian Shows How He Spends Just About $10 A Day Working in Singapore

According to Greek Philosopher Socrates, “The secret to happiness lies not in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.”

While it sounds hard to achieve something so minimalistic in a materialistic country like Singapore, a 27-year-old Malaysian has found a way to enjoy a day at work while spending around $10.

TikTok Video Shows How $10 Can Buy Someone Two Filling Meals and a Snack to Spare

Jonathan Lim, who goes by the handle @jonlzx on TikTok, posts vlogs about his daily life as a Malaysian working in Singapore.

In one such vlog, he shares a realistic but comfy way to enjoy a day on a budget of around $10.

With a soothing Studio Ghibli soundtrack and simple editing, Jonathan manages to romanticise what is usually a boring workday in Singapore into something that feels surprisingly cosy.

@jonlzx Part 6: Is spending 10dollars enough for a day working in SINGAPORE? #sgvlog #worklife #minivlog #fypシ #simplelife ♬ 千与千寻 口琴版 – 口琴伟宝

So, how did he do that?

Breakfast: $0

The video starts with Johnathan waking up and heading to work. Along the way, he fixes himself a peanut butter sandwich for breakfast, free of charge.

He has mentioned in his earlier video that his hostel provides free breakfast.

Lunch: $3.60

He quickly skips past his day at his 9-6 engineering job, only pausing during lunchtime to show us the Singaporean employee’s go-to meal: cai png. He ordered a plate with broccoli, sliced chicken and less rice. Even with less rice, the portions still look pretty generous.

His total damage thus far? Only $3.60, which is cheaper than lunch at a cafe or other eateries.

After another quick montage at his job, Jonathan clocks out at 6:30 p.m. He shows us a picturesque sunset at the nearby HDB estate, which we Singaporeans often take for granted after a tiring day at work.

Along the way to his daily jog, Jonathan decides to fuel up with a snack. He goes to the nearby bakery and grabs a Cranberry Cream Cheese bun, which only costs $1.50.

After building up enough energy, Jonathan heads to the Northeast Serangoon Stadium to start his jog. Instead of signing up for a costly membership at the gym, Jonathan states that he prefers going to the wide, open stadium for a jog rather than having to queue up for a treadmill.

Yes, you can stay fit even if you’re on a budget.

Dinner: $5.00

After jogging for 2.2km, Jonathan is tuckered out and ready to hit the neighbourhood NTUC FairPrice for dinner.

It is there where he shares a secret with his viewers. The secret in question is a generous helping of a grilled chicken for only $5.

He goes to the rotisserie section, opting to pick out two barbeque-flavoured drumsticks over a whole chicken. Do not be fooled by the word “drumsticks”, though. After opening the packet of drumsticks, viewers can see that these drumsticks are MASSIVE and can quickly fill up the stomach of an average person.

According to Jonathan’s review, the drumsticks are pretty flavourful. A good lobang for only $5.

Conclusion: Is it Possible to Live A Day with About $10?

After wrapping up for the day and travelling home, Jonathan concludes that a budget of around $10 is indeed feasible.

He spent an impressively simple amount of $10.10 on food alone, while travel costs were an additional $3.

To him, the amount he spent is more than enough for a normal day.

Jonathan ends his video with a heartwarming message, hoping that the video will help those planning to work in Singapore and give them a rough idea of how to budget their living expenses.

For those waiting on their next paycheck (like me, unfortunately) or saving up on something big, maybe you can try this budget out for yourself.

Oh, did you realise that it’s a healthy lifestyle, too?