Average Rental Cost for Expats in Singapore 2024 - Solo Resident
Insights from a Survey Responses
Who is a solo resident?
An expat who lives alone in Singapore without a family.
All the amounts are in SGD. As of 17th March 2024, 1 USD = 1.34 SGD
TL;DR (Key points from the survey)
- The east and northeast regions are popular among solo expats.
- 84.4% of solo expats live in a room without sharing with anyone.
- Staying in a common room without sharing it with anyone is the most popular accommodation option among solo expats.
- On average, a common room costs 1005 dollars in an HDB and 1282 in a condo.
- The median range of a common room is 1001-1250
- A master room costs 1250 dollars in an HDB and 1844 in a condo on average.
- The median range of a master room is 1751-2000
- Nobody who lives alone in Singapore has a permanent residence (PR). 0️⃣
Introduction
I recently conducted a survey among foreigners in Singapore about rental costs. With the help of 225 survey respondents, I’ve studied how rental experiences differ based on factors like the type of accommodation and living situation of residence.
This article aims to provide valuable insights for those currently living in Singapore and individuals considering moving here.
The rental market in Singapore peaked in 2022 and 2023. However, when I wrote this article (March 2024), rental prices started to slow down. Hence, at the time you read this, prices may be lower than this. This guide will give you a rough idea of accommodation options and prices. When making decisions, I strongly suggest you do your research, too.
Who Responded to the Survey?
I shared the survey link in a WhatsApp group whose participants are Sri Lankan expats living in Singapore, with the majority working in Singapore and very few studying here. Some Indian friends who work in Singapore also responded to the survey. I don’t have exact numbers since I did not collect their nationality in the survey. However, based on the messages I received from the respondents after completing the survey, 96% are Sri Lankans living in Singapore.
Living Situations of Respondents
77 out of 225 (or 34.2%) respondents live alone in Singapore. The remaining 148 respondents live with the family, with or without kids.
This article focuses solely on the survey results of an individual living alone in Singapore. Individual lives with families will be examined in a separate article.
In other words, this analysis was conducted using 77 survey responses from solo expats.
Pass Types of Respondents
The survey received 77 responses from individuals who live alone in Singapore, and 65 (or 84.4%) are holders of employment pass (EP). This means that the majority of the respondents are professionals working in Singapore.
The following chart shows the work pass types of the respondents who live alone in Singapore.
Distribution Across Singapore's Regions
The following chart shows the distribution of respondents who live alone in Singapore across Singapore’s regions:
Most live in the northeast region (Hougang, Sengkang, Punggol area), and the fewest are in the north region (Yishun/Woodlands).
According to the above chart, the east and the northeast regions are popular among expats who live alone in Singapore.
Accommodation Types of Respondents
The following chart shows the accommodation types of respondents:
According to the chart above, most expats (around 50%) prefer an HDB flat, and the remaining 50% stay in a private property (i.e. condo, landed house or studio apartment)
What is the most popular accommodation option for expats who live alone in Singapore?
As shared, 77 people responded that they lived alone in Singapore. Around 84.4% of them live in a room without sharing it with anyone.
Around 11.7% stay in a whole unit without sharing it with anyone. All of them are EP holders.
Staying in a common room without sharing it with anyone is the most popular accommodation option among people who live alone in Singapore.
How much do expats who live alone in Singapore pay for their accommodation?
If Living in a Common Room
43 people responded that they live in a common room in an HDB flat or a condo. On average, a common room costs around 1100 per month. The majority of common room sizes are between 100-150 sq ft.
The chart below shows the responses of these 43 people.
How much does an average common room cost in an HDB?
According to the survey, a common room in an HDB flat for a person who stays alone in Singapore costs 1005 dollars.
How much does an average common room cost in a condo?
According to the survey, a common room in a condo for someone who stays alone in Singapore costs 1282 dollars.
What is the median range of a common room?
The median range of a common room is 1001-1250
- The median range of a common room in HDB is 751-1000
- The median range of a common room in a condo is 1251-1500
If Living in a Master Room
22 people responded that they live in a master room in an HDB flat, a condo, or a landed house. On average, a master room costs around 1546 per month. The majority of master room sizes are between 150-200 sq ft.
The chart below shows their responses.
How much does an average master room cost in an HDB?
According to the survey, a master room in an HDB flat for a person who stays alone in Singapore costs 1250 dollars.
How much does an average master room cost in a condo?
According to the survey, a master room in a condo for someone who stays alone in Singapore costs 1844 dollars.
How much does an average master room cost in a landed house?
According to the survey, a master room in a landed house for someone who stays alone in Singapore costs 1542 dollars.
What is the median range of a master room?
The median range of a master room is 1751-2000
- The median range of a master room in HDB is 1001-1250
- The median range of a master room in a condo is 1751-2000
If Living in an Entire Unit
9 people responded that they live alone in an entire unit in an HDB, condo or studio apartment.
Renting a studio apartment or a single-bedroom condo is the most popular way for someone who wants to stay alone in a whole unit in Singapore.
According to the survey results, on average, a single-bedroom condo or studio apartment costs 2470 for someone who lives alone. More precisely, studio apartments cost around 2000, and single-bedroom condos cost an average of 2938.
If sharing the studio or the room with someone
3 people said they share their studio apartment or the bedroom with someone.
- A person who shares the common room pays less than 500 monthly, including PUB.
- A person who shares the master room pays between 750 and 1000 monthly without PUB.
- A person who shares the studio apartment pays between 1000-1250 monthly with the PUB.
*PUB: electricity, piped gas, and water
Does Rental include PUB?
According to survey, 50% of persons living alone in Singapore negotiate rent, including PUB.
Some Interesting Findings:
Nobody who lives alone in Singapore has a permanent residence (PR). ❌
That’s it for today, guys. Thank You for Reading! I hope you found this article informative and useful.
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Thanks for writing this. Very informative.