An emcee in Singapore usually costs SGD 800 to 3,500 per event. The price depends on the type of event, how long it runs, the languages and how much script work it needs. Corporate emcees for conferences, product launches and award ceremonies sit toward SGD 1,500 to 3,500. Wedding and birthday emcees usually cost SGD 800 to 2,000. These are rates for one emcee; a pair of emcees or a trilingual host costs more.
Emcee rates by type of event
| Event | Length | One emcee (SGD) |
|---|---|---|
| Conference or seminar | 3 to 4 hours | 1,500 to 3,500 |
| Product launch | 2 to 4 hours | 1,500 to 3,500 |
| Award ceremony or gala | 3 to 4 hours | 2,000 to 3,500 |
| Dinner and dance | 4 to 5 hours | 1,500 to 2,000 |
| Wedding | 3 to 5 hours | 800 to 2,000 |
| Birthday or private party | 2 to 3 hours | 800 to 1,500 |
| Chinese New Year or festive event | 2 to 3 hours | 800 to 2,000 |
Conferences cost more with bilingual hosting or panel moderation. Launches need a branded script and a full rehearsal. Award nights need formal pacing and name preparation. The D&D rate includes games and the lucky draw. Festive company events are often paired with a lion dance.
Wedding emcee prices
- Entry level, SGD 500 to 800. A newer emcee, English hosting, standard script. Suits a wedding under 100 guests or a weekday.
- Mid range, SGD 800 to 1,500. Several years of banquet experience, runs games and works with a band or DJ. The usual choice for ballroom weddings.
- High end or bilingual, SGD 1,500 to 3,000 or more. Seasoned, fluent in two or three languages, handles big guest lists and VIP tables.
- Solemnisation only, SGD 300 to 600. Extra hour, SGD 100 to 250.
A Malay wedding with one emcee costs about SGD 500 to 900 at a void deck and SGD 1,000 to 1,600 at a hotel ballroom. More on the wedding emcee and Malay wedding emcee pages.
Dinner and dance emcee prices
For a 3 to 4 hour company D&D: SGD 600 to 900 for a new emcee at a small dinner, SGD 1,000 to 1,600 for an established bilingual emcee at 100 to 400 guests, and SGD 1,500 to 2,200 for a senior corporate emcee at a large ballroom event. An emcee plus DJ package costs SGD 2,000 to 3,200. See the dinner and dance emcee page.
Government and trade show rates
Statutory board and ministry functions run from SGD 800 for a community event to SGD 2,200 to 3,500 or more for a national ceremony with a guest of honour. Trade show presenters are priced by the day, from SGD 400 for a half day English only booth emcee to SGD 1,800 for a full day main stage host. See government agency emcee and trade show emcee.
What moves the price
- Experience. A host who has done many corporate events needs less direction and recovers faster when the run sheet changes.
- Format and length. A tightly scripted 90 minute launch can cost more than a loose four hour party.
- Script work. Branded scripts, executive names and company references take preparation time.
- Language. English only is the baseline. Mandarin, Malay, Tamil or bilingual hosting costs more because fewer hosts do it well.
- Travel and setup. Sentosa venues, or a second rehearsal visit, can add a small surcharge.
- Season. Rates firm up in December and the weeks around Chinese New Year. Weekday weddings often cost 10 to 20 percent less than Friday or Saturday.
What a proper fee includes
A planning call, a written script or run sheet reviewed with your team, one rehearsal by phone or at the venue, arrival 30 to 60 minutes early for a sound check and a briefing with the AV or banquet staff, the hosting itself, and a change of outfit if your evening has a cocktail and a formal part. Rehearsal is the item most often cut to reach a low price. If a quote does not mention it, ask.
Most emcees quote a flat rate for a block of about three to four hours. Get the overtime rate in writing before the event, because a programme that runs long is where budgets break. The run sheet and script guide helps you keep to the booked hours.
For a price for your own event, send the date, venue, headcount and languages through the quote form.
