Down Angle Symbol A symbol in the form of an angle pointing downwards. Eunice Mecija traveled to Singapore to see Taylor Swift's only concert in the region. Don Arnold/TAS24/Getty Images/Courtesy of Eunice Mecija
- Eunice Mecija, a Taylor Swift fan from the Philippines, shared how she budgeted for the Eras Tour in Singapore.
- Mecija's trip includes a flight to Malaysia and a subsequent bus ride to Singapore.
- She said the trip was worth it since she's been a Swiftie since she was in elementary school.
This narrated story is based on a conversation with Eunice Mecija, a 24-year-old graphic designer and Taylor Swift fan from the Philippines. It has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider reviewed Mecija's expenses.
I've been a Taylor Swift fan for as long as I can remember. When I was in elementary school, my dad and I bonded over Taylor's music on car rides. We often bought their burned bootleg copies at a local mall in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, where I live.
I had to follow Taylor from a distance. The last time she held a concert in the Philippines was in 2014 during her Red Tour. When it was announced that Taylor's only Eras tour stop in Southeast Asia was in Singapore, I knew missing out on my favorite artist was out of the question. Singapore was one of the five countries I traveled to last year, and knowing how safe the city-state is influenced my decision to secure tickets.
Taylor Swift's Red Tour in 2014 had several stops in Southeast Asia. Nicky Loh/TAS/Getty Images
Cost: concert ticket
How much it costs: $294
My friend's sister lives in Singapore and helped me get a ticket at the United Overseas Bank cardholder presale. Over a million people stood in the virtual queue to get tickets.
I managed to purchase a Category 3 ticket for $294.
Cost: International transport – flight and bus
How much it costs: $260
The next step was to book flights to Singapore. Direct flights from Manila on airlines such as Singapore Airlines and Scoot were already sold out. I decided to book a flight from Manila to Kuala Lumpur with AirAsia instead for 14,000 Philippine pesos, or around $250.
To get to Singapore, I booked a round-trip bus ticket from Kuala Lumpur to the city-state for 664 pesos, which is significantly cheaper than flying there.
Cost: Accommodation – nine nights
How much it costs: $1,110
I planned to be in Singapore from March 6th to 9th to see the concert. I also plan to spend three days before and after the concert in the Malaysian capital. I invited my parents to come with me to Kuala Lumpur in the days after the concert.
I booked six nights in a four-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur, which cost 335 Malaysian ringgit, or around $70 per night. That totaled around $420.
Mecija has been a fan of Taylor Swift since she was in elementary school. Courtesy of Eunice Mecija
In Singapore I booked a four-star hotel for 311 Singapore dollars, or around 230 dollars, per night. For three nights it cost me $690.
In total, I budgeted just over $1,600 for this trip. I avoid being strapped for cash on vacation as I enjoy some luxuries on my travels. After all, why settle for less when you can treat yourself?
I'm also preparing for another trip to Stockholm to stop Taylor's Eras Tour in May. I managed to snag the “We Never Go Out of Style” package, which cost 2,625 Swedish krona, or $250. This includes reserved standing room, early entry privileges and VIP privileges. Surprisingly, international tickets were cheaper than typical concert tickets in the Philippines, which can cost over $300 in the best categories.
Overall, I feel like it was definitely worth it to treat yourself on this trip. A lot of my friends are Swifties and they supported me and were happy that I could finally see Taylor in person. And I'm looking forward to diving back into Singapore's culinary scene. I've been craving the perfect fishball noodles for a year and can't wait to host a feast at a local food court.