The tiny island-state of Singapore in Southeast Asia not only hosted the historic meeting between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Tuesday, but the wealthy country also racked up a 20 million-Singapore-dollar ($15 million) bill, CNBC reported.

"It is a cost we are willing to pay," Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told local press on Sunday.

The summit would prove to be a positive for Singapore, Lee said, in terms of the country's reputation, standing and "how people look at us."

The money spent by the city-state went in part toward catering to the needs of over 2,500 journalists covering the event, who were set up in a building usually for the country's annual Formula 1 race. About 300 public officers staffed the center around the clock over three days.

Singaporean funds also went toward paying for the North Koreans' luxury hotel stay, according to a government official.

For a start, visitor arrivals for about five days spanning the summit were expected to have increased by thousands, as government delegates and security entourages also arrived alongside Trump, Kim and the throngs of journalists.

Every tourist to Singapore contributes about $1,500 in overall tourism receipts for an average of 3.5 days, Lim noted.