Honestly speaking ah, why date in SG when going Geylang or Bangkok is 100x better? All also need to pay, no difference what.
I know I will get heavily downvoted, but I just need to get this off my chest.
Yesterday I was having drinks with my group of guys, and the topic of local dating came up. Two of my friends are currently on coffee dates every week via Tinder or Bumble, burning money like water. They complain non-stop about how dry the conversations are, how high the expectations are, and how expensive everything is in Singapore.
Then it hit me. Why are Singaporean guys putting themselves through this psychological torture?
Let’s be real for a second and do some simple math. You go out with a girl in SG. First date: café meal easily $60-$80. If it goes well, date two and three: mid-tier restaurant, drinks, maybe a movie or activity. Easily $300-$500 deep after a month, and you don’t even know if she actually likes you or if she’s just using you for free food/validation. Half the time, after 3 dates, you get the dreaded “Hey, I think you’re really nice, but I don’t feel a spark” text. Boom, money gone, time wasted, ego bruised.
Even if you actually manage to enter a relationship, what’s next? Monthly anniversary dinners, birthday gifts, Valentine’s Day markup prices, paying for holiday trips, and eventually the ultimate financial boss fight: BTO downpayment, wedding banquet ($40k-$60k loss), and renovation ($80k+). You are basically paying a continuous, lifetime subscription fee for companionship.
Compare that to Geylang or a short 2-hour flight to Bangkok.
In BKK or Geylang, the transaction is 100% honest and direct. There is zero passive-aggressive game playing, no breadcrumbing, no ghosting, and no high-handed expectation for you to own a car or earn 5-figure salary. You pay for a service, you get 100% polite treatment, zero attitude, and everyone leaves happy with no strings attached.
In Bangkok, for $200-$300 a night, you get VIP-level treatment, great food, amazing service, and someone who actually pretends to give a damn about you without judging your height, your hairline, or whether you live in a 3-room HDB or a condo in Newton.
At the end of the day, whether it’s traditional dating or paying directly, all also need to pay. One is paying upfront with zero BS and guaranteed satisfaction; the other is paying through installments with a 90% chance of getting rejected or emotionally drained.
Why waste time and money playing a game where the odds are stacked against you? Change my mind.