Expat Housing Options in Singapore

Type of Rental Housing Options for Expats in Singapore

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Singapore is a small country but you would be surprise to find the range of comfortable rental housing for you to choose from. Approved Rental Housing in Singapore is usually for lease for at least 6 months up to 3 years. Rental Housing in Singapore can come in either
  1. Fully furnished,
  2. Partially furnished or
  3. Unfurnished.

​In Singapore landlord will request for a 1 month refundable security desposit for every year of lease. A one month rental deposit is payable upfront when tenant decides to rent the apartment. There is no need for a lawyer to prepare a Tenancy Agreement (TA). A qualified Real Estate Agency will usually have their own TA for the lease. Tenant will thereafter pay for the stamp duty for the TA. See Taxation.  Commission for the Real Estate Agency is chargeable at 1 month rental for every 2 years of lease. Commission in excess of S$3,500 is usually payable by landlord. However, Tenants are free to appoint their own Real Estate Agency to act on their behalf.  

​Type of Rental Housing Options for Expats in Singapore
  1. Approved HDB Housing
  2. Private Condominium
  3. Landed Property
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  • HDB Housing
This is the most common housing in Singapore. More than 80% of Singaporeans stay in a HDB Flat. This is also one of the most popular rental housing in Singapore because of its affordability and most flats are conveniently situated near to amenities. Typical rental for a flat with 2 bedrooms and a toilet starts from S$1500 per month up. A spacious 3 bedrooms flat with 2 toilet is from about S$2500 up. 

HDB flats located in a HDB town designed to be self-sustainable. Schools, education centers, hospitals, shops, shopping malls, parks, sports complexes, market are all taken care of in the town. There is no need to venture out of town to meet the most common needs of residences. Employment can also be found in industrial estates, business parks located near some of the towns.

Estimated Rental Price range from: 
  1. 3 room Type HDB, 75sqm 2 bedrooms 1 toilet from S$1,800 up
  2. 4 room Type HDB, 90sqm 3 bedrooms 2 toilet from S$2,500 up
  3. 5 room Type HDB, 100sqm 3 bedrooms 2 toilet from S$2,800 up
  4. Executive Type HDB, 130sqm 4 bedrooms 2 toilet from S$3,500 up

Advantages are: Accessibility and Convenience. Near amenities, schools. Some are near to business parks.   
Note: HDB flats are regulated by our Housing Development Board, there are some restrictions on rental. Rules and regulations to follow e.g keeping pets in the flat.
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  • Condominium
Condominiums and Apartments in Singapore are usually developed by private developers. These flats usually come with basic facilities like a swimming pool and a Gym. Most condos would have security and offers more privacy. There is no restriction in foreigners owning condo in Singapore. There are also very minimal restriction on expats renting a condo. This is the most popular type of rental properties among the expats. In recent time, the one bedroom or studio apartments has become popular with expats who are single. The rental for such an apartment will depend on first the location and then its facilities. 

The rental of an apartment of the same size can vary tremendously depending on the location you have chosen. For example the rental of a 600sqft 1 bedroom apartment on 20th floor in a new Condo with full facilities, near a train station in the Eastern suburban region will probably cost about S$2,500up. The rental of a similar one bedroom apartment found in the town city can cost from S$5,000 up. 

Some senior executives of multi-national companies would prefer a luxury penthouse in some of these condos. The size of these penthouses are usually 4000sqft and up and are usually found on the top floor of the building, offering a breathe taking view of the city in Singapore. The rental of a luxury penthouse can go as up as about S$20,000 or more in a prime district.

Estimate Rental Price Range: 
  1. Studio apartment from S$2,000 - S$3,500 up
  2. 1 Bedroom apartment from S$2,500 - S$4,000 up
  3. 2 Bedroom apartment from S$2,800 - S$5,000 up
  4. 3 Bedroom apartment from S$3,500 - S$15,000 up
  5. 4 Bedroom apartment from S$4,000 - S$20,000 up
  6. Penthouses from S$8,000 - S$25,000 up 
Advantages are: Privacy. Range of facilities like swimming pool, tennis court, gym, spa, sky garden. Limited restrictions. Luxury.  
Note: Rental prices may differ from the range quoted above.
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  • Landed Property
Landed housing are low-rise & low density residential development. There are only about 70,000 landed houses in Singapore. Scarcity of land is a major concern in Singapore hence, landed properties are significantly more expensive, especially those that are near the city centre. Foreigners are not allowed to own a landed property in Singapore, except for those found in Sentosa and some of the shop houses and it is subject to approval from the authorities in Singapore. However, there are little restrictions on rental of landed properties to expats.

The built up size of a landed property would start from about 1,500sqft of a Terrace House to about 20,000sqft or more of a Good Class Bungalow (GCB). GCBs are rare and the most expensive housing in Singapore. A prime GCB can cost S$30million and above, and the rental more than S$30,000 per month for some. They are only about 2500 units of GCBs in Singapore, and have a land size of no less than 15,000sqft. They are also only found in very exclusive GCBs designated housing areas mainly in District 9 & 10.

Estimated Rental Price Range: 
  1. Terrace House with land size of about 1500sqft from S$5,000 up
  2. Semi-Detached with land size of about 2500sqft from $7,000 up 
  3. Bungalow with land size of about 5,000sqft from S$9,000 up 
  4. Good Class Bungalow with land size of about 20,000sqft from S$25,000 up 
Advantages are: Can have own garden. More space. Prestige. Less restriction on having bigger pets.