How much would you budget for a day trip in Singapore — including accommodation — if you had to offer a suggestion as a Singaporean?

Well, for a pair of full-time Canadian travellers, they budgeted US$100 per day for their trip here, and were pleasantly surprised at how much they were able to experience on their day out.

Their video, posted on YouTube under the "Nicole and Mico" channel on Aug. 12, also drew some comments about cheaper alternatives to see the sights in Singapore.

Hoped to create ultimate one-day S'pore itinerary

The pair, Nicole and Mico, identified themselves as seasoned travellers who have spent the last two years on the road.

Their video started out with Mico acknowledging that "Singapore is often regarded as one of the most expensive cities in the world".

They also hoped to create the ultimate one-day itinerary of Singapore for under US$100 (S$135).

Here's what they did:

Stayed at a pod hotel

Nicole and Mico stated that they found lodging at a capsule hotel, which factored into their budget for the day.

It was a snug space with just enough sleeping room for two.

And it also came with breakfast:

Total damage: US$22 (S$29.90) per person

Visited Kampong Glam and Haji Lane

After that, they headed off to the Kampong Glam area, to do some sightseeing in the morning.

During their foray in the area, they came across landmarks like the iconic Sultan Mosque.

Then it was off to Haji Lane, which Mico described as a "trendy shopping street", to browse the shops there.

They stopped at a coffee joint called Selfie Coffee, where customers can snap a selfie, and the coffee will have their picture reflected in the foam.

Like this:

They were quite amused by the gimmick, and said the coffee (US$3 or S$4.10) was "delicious".

After that, it was off to lunch.

The pair lunched at the nearby Singapore Zam Zam restaurant, where they ordered Indian Muslim staples -- murtabak and chicken biryani --  for US$5 (S$6.80) per person.

Nicole was particularly impressed by the briyani.

"That is heaven, so rich and spicy," she said.

"Rice brings me right back to old Delhi, [it's] really filling."

Total damage: US$8 (S$10.90) per person

Went up to Marina Bay Sands observation deck

To get to their next destination, Marina Bay Sands (MBS), they took the train two stops to Bayfront MRT station.

They used ez-link cards that they had purchased the earlier day for a transport fee of US$0.75 (about S$1).

At the Shoppes at MBS, the pair stopped to admire the canal, and said it was "like a Venice but indoors".

Mico marvelled at the architecture of the hotel -- he said one of his dreams to see the Marina Bay Sands up close -- but noted that if they had stayed at MBS itself, they would have blown the budget by about six or seven times.

They settled for the next best thing, buying tickets to go up to the Skypark observation deck (US$17 or S$23.10) per person.

From there, they checked out the skyline of the Marina Bay and CBD area, pointing out landmarks like the Helix Bridge, and Artscience Museum.

Total damage: US$17.75 (S$24.10) per person.

Spent the afternoon at Gardens by the Bay

The travellers spent the rest of their day trip at the nearby Gardens by the Bay.

They planned to visit the two domed exhibits, Cloud Forest and Flower Dome, as they had read in online reviews that it was one of the things that tourists "had" to do in Singapore.

Along the way, they also stopped for a drink at Starbucks (US$6 or S$8.15 per person).

Mico noted that the tickets to the two domes cost them pretty much the rest of their budget for the day, at US$39 (S$53 per person).

So did the Flower Dome and Cloud Forest live up to the hype for them?

The pair said the large variety of plants in the Cloud Forest reminded them of "a little zoo, or a botanical garden", and loved the peaceful ambience and "soothing music" in the Flower Dome.

However, they concluded that it was "not worth the S$53 they spent" as they completed the domes in two hours.

And unless one was a huge fan of plants and flowers, it was a "skippable" part of the trip, Mico added, noting that this might be an unpopular opinion among potential tourists.

For their dinner, the two opted for a quick meal at McDonald's (US$6.50 or S$8.80 per person).

Although they felt "a bit embarrassed to be eating Macs in Singapore", the couple admitted that they were in a rush, and felt it was the cheapest and most convenient place at Gardens by the Bay to grab a bite.

After dinner, they rushed off to catch a free lightshow at the nearby Supertree Grove exhibit.

Surrounded by crowds, the two rounded off their day wowed bt the colourful light displays.

Had a 'pretty wicked day'

The pair ended the video by noting that they had a "pretty wicked day" for about US$100.

They also hoped that viewers would find it useful for planning their trip to Singapore, and noted that it would not be their "last adventure" in the country.

Here's a breakdown of what they spent, per person:

• Pod Hostel w/breakfast (US$22)
• Selfie Coffee at Haji Lane (US$3)
• Lunch at Zam Zam (US$5)
• MRT ride (US$0.75)
• Skypark Observation Deck (US$17)
• Starbucks (US$6)
• Cloud Forest and Flower Dome (US$39)
• Dinner at McDonald's (US$6.50)

Total: US$99.25

However, since they included their lodging in the equation, and also visited two ticketed attractions, it's not hard to see why the pair spent close to US$100 per person.

Online users suggest cheaper alternatives

In the video's comments, some online users responded to the pair's travel log by suggesting alternatives to see Singapore on a leaner budget.

For example, visiting the free Botanic Gardens and the award-winning National Orchid Garden (S$10 per ticket), instead of Gardens by the Bay.

Other tips suggested were to purchase meals and coffee from hawker centres, instead of McDonald's and Starbucks.

What else can be done in Singapore on a budget?

Earlier in June, in fact, a UK tourist and his partner took on a challenge to have a day out in Singapore with just S$50 between the two of them.

For a budget version of the MBS Observation Deck, they visited the SkyBridge at the Pinnacle@Duxton (S$6 per ticket).

They also had meals at hawker centres not too far from the CBD (Tiong Bahru Food Centre and Golden Mile Food Centre) and did some shopping at Bugis Street, ending the day with S$38 spent in total.

Based on other travel videos shared on YouTube, budget-conscious travellers to Singapore have also shared tips like:

• Visiting culturally rich areas like Little India and Chinatown (free)
• Checking out the Spectra Light Water Show at MBS (free)
• Taking photos at the Merlion or Old Singapore Police Station (free)
• Going for hikes at places like Mount Faber or Bukit Timah (free)
• Renting a bicycle to go night cycling
• Eating at food outlets in the heartlands rather than in the city area

All images from Nicole and Mico on YouTube.