Hong Kong vs Singapore: Two Asian City-States, Two Different Experiences
They're both small, dense, former British colonies with world-class food, efficient transit systems, and skylines that look like someone photoshopped reality. But Hong Kong and Singapore are fundamentally different places that attract different types of travelers. Let me break it down.
The Vibe
is vertical, intense, and slightly chaotic. The buildings are stacked like Tetris blocks. The streets are narrow. The pace is fast. There's a rawness to it — cha chaan tengs with peeling walls next to designer boutiques, wet markets under luxury apartments. The contrast is the feature, not the bug.
Hong Kong
Singapore is horizontal, planned, and pristine. Everything works. The streets are spotless. The green spaces are designed. The hawker centers are organized. It's one of the most efficiently managed places on Earth, and it shows.
If Hong Kong is jazz — improvisational, sometimes discordant, always interesting — Singapore is an orchestra. Both are impressive. Jazz is more exciting.
Food
Category
Hong Kong
Singapore
Signature dish
Dim sum (30-60 HKD/person, ~$3.80-7.70)
Chicken rice (5-7 SGD, ~$3.70-5.20)
Cheap Michelin
Tim Ho Wan (60-100 HKD)
Hawker Chan (5-8 SGD)
Street food avg
30-60 HKD per item
3-8 SGD per item
Food culture
Cantonese dominance + international
Malay + Chinese + Indian fusion
Best for
Dim sum, roast goose, egg waffles
Laksa, chili crab, roti prata
Hong Kong wins on dim sum and Cantonese cuisine. Singapore wins on multicultural variety — the hawker centers serve Malay, Chinese, Indian, and Peranakan food under one roof.
Both cities have Michelin-starred meals under $10. Both have food that'll change your standards permanently. It's a tie, decided by your personal preferences.
Outdoors & Nature
Hong Kong wins here. Surprisingly.
Hong Kong has mountains, hiking trails (Dragon's Back, Lion Rock, Lantau Peak), beach islands (Lamma, Cheung Chau), and 70% green coverage. You can be on a mountain trail with ocean views within 30 minutes of Central.
Singapore has Gardens by the Bay (impressive), the Botanic Gardens (UNESCO World Heritage), and Sentosa Island. But it's flat. The highest point is Bukit Timah Hill at 163 meters. The outdoor experiences are designed rather than wild.
For hikers and nature lovers: Hong Kong, no contest.
Shopping
Both cities are shopping capitals, but:
Hong Kong — Better for electronics (Sham Shui Po), designer outlets (Harbour City, IFC Mall), and bargain hunting at markets (Temple Street, Ladies Market). No sales tax.
Singapore — Better for luxury brands (Orchard Road), Southeast Asian crafts (Kampong Glam, Little India), and organized mall experiences. 9% GST but tourist refund scheme available.
Hong Kong is slightly cheaper for electronics and designer goods due to lower taxes.
Transit
Both have world-class systems:
Hong Kong MTR — Covers most areas, fast, clean, runs 6AM-1AM. Octopus card works on everything (MTR, buses, ferries, trams, some restaurants). Airport Express to Central: 115 HKD, 24 minutes.
Singapore MRT — Similar coverage, similar quality, slightly newer stations. EZ-Link card. Airport to city: 2-3 SGD by MRT, 30 minutes.
Both are excellent. Singapore's MRT is slightly cheaper per ride.
Cost
Category
Hong Kong (HKD)
Singapore (SGD)
Budget hotel/night
400-800 HKD ($51-102)
60-120 SGD ($44-89)
Local meal
40-80 HKD ($5-10)
4-10 SGD ($3-7.40)
Transit/day
30-60 HKD ($3.80-7.70)
5-15 SGD ($3.70-11)
Beer
40-80 HKD ($5-10)
10-18 SGD ($7.40-13.30)
Singapore is slightly cheaper for food and accommodation. Hong Kong is cheaper for alcohol (though neither is cheap). Both are expensive by Southeast Asian standards but reasonable by global city standards.
Culture
Hong Kong — Cantonese culture meets British colonial heritage meets modern Chinese identity. The temples (Man Mo, Wong Tai Sin), the harbour, the dim sum tradition, the ding ding trams. Complex, layered, sometimes contradictory.
Singapore — A deliberate multicultural experiment. Little India, Chinatown, Kampong Glam (Malay Quarter), and the Peranakan heritage exist side by side by government design. It's harmonious, organized, and genuinely diverse.
Hong Kong's culture feels more organic. Singapore's feels more curated. Both are authentic — just different approaches to the same project.
Safety
Both are among the safest cities in the world. Walking alone at night is fine in either city. Hong Kong has occasional pickpocketing in tourist areas. Singapore has... basically nothing. Singapore is probably the safest city on Earth for travelers.
Weather
Hong Kong — Four seasons. Best October-December (cool, dry, clear). Summer is hot and humid with typhoon risk June-October.
Singapore — Hot and humid year-round (27-33°C). Afternoon thunderstorms. No bad season because every season is the same.
The Verdict
Choose Hong Kong if:
You want hiking and outdoor adventures
Dim sum is your priority
You prefer raw, energetic cities with contrast
You want a walkable city with layers to discover
You're connecting to/from mainland China
Choose Singapore if:
Multicultural food diversity matters most
You prefer clean, organized, predictable cities
Tropical gardens and designed green spaces appeal
You're traveling with kids (Singapore is very family-oriented)
You want a Southeast Asia hub for onward travel
Both if you can: They're a 4-hour flight apart. Read our complete Hong Kong guide and budget tips for planning. A week split between both is one of Asia's great urban double-headers.
My personal preference? Hong Kong. The mountains, the ferries, the chaos, the dim sum, the ding ding tram, and the way the skyline looks from the Star Ferry at dusk. For another great Asian city comparison, see our Osaka vs Tokyo breakdown. But I've met equally passionate Singapore advocates who think I'm wrong, and they might be right.
