Renting in Singapore

Singapore is not short of flats right now: 6.4% of private homes stood empty in mid-2026 and rents have moved sideways for three years, just under their 2023 peak. The problem is price. A one-bed condo in the city fringe asks around S$3,500–4,000 a month, about what a median resident employee takes home, so most newcomers on normal pay rent a room or share a whole HDB flat instead. The other hurdles are your pass (and how long it has left), HDB's quota on foreigners renting whole flats, and landlords who still state preferences about who they will rent to.

Checked 1 October 2026Deposits, contracts and notice periods: Singapore rules

The towers of Singapore’s financial district on the Singapore River

The situation right now

Rents rose by about 41% between the end of 2021 and the third quarter of 2023, when border reopening, returning expats and delayed construction met. Since then the market has gone flat: URA's index for non-landed private homes was 162.5 in the second quarter of 2026, against 163.3 at the 2023 peak, after a dip of about 4% in 2024 and a rise of 1.9% for all private homes in 2025. SRX and 99.co put condo rents stable on the month in August 2026 and 2.5% higher than a year earlier (reported by Singapore Business Review, 18 September 2026). HDB's own median rents by town barely moved from 2023 to 2026: a 4-room flat in Tampines went from S$3,200 to S$3,500, in Woodlands from S$3,000 to S$3,100.

Supply is not the bottleneck. URA counted 6.4% of completed private homes vacant at the end of June 2026 (8.3% in the core central region, 6.1% in the city fringe, 5.6% in the suburbs), and about 60,600 more private homes are in the pipeline. New completions have been modest in 2026 (1,611 private units and 872 executive condominiums in the first half), but newly finished projects such as Grand Dunman on the East Coast still put dozens of identical one-bed units on the portals at once. Leasing is busy, not frantic: a record of about 9,627 condo leases in July 2026, falling to 8,318 in August (SRX and 99.co).

Renters choose between three markets. A room in an HDB flat or condo (roughly S$700–1,800 a month in our small sample of listings) is what most students, S Pass and Work Permit holders and new arrivals take. A whole HDB flat (medians from about S$2,500 for a 3-room flat in the suburbs to S$4,600 for a 4-room in the central area) suits families and sharers, but only if the owner is a citizen allowed to let it and, for most non-citizens, if the block and neighbourhood are under the quota. A private condominium unit gives pools, gyms and security; one-beds start around S$2,900 in the suburbs and pass S$4,500 in the centre.

Most listings are posted by agents registered with the Council for Estate Agencies, on PropertyGuru, EdgeProp and other portals, with Facebook groups and room sites for rooms. Landlords and agents look closely at your pass, its remaining validity, your employer and, too often, your nationality. Portals ban discriminatory wording, but the Ministry of National Development's position is that landlords may choose whom to rent to, and adverts asking for 'no cooking' or a particular nationality still appear.

On a normal budget, plan on a room or a shared HDB flat, or on a one-bed outside the centre near an MRT line. With documents ready, two to four weeks from first viewing to keys is realistic outside the mid-year peak.

Behind the scores

DifficultyManageable

A newcomer with a job and a valid pass has what landlords ask for: passport, pass, employment letter and a letter of intent with a good-faith deposit; no credit check or guarantor. Stock is ample (6.4% vacancy, URA Q2 2026). What narrows choice: HDB's non-citizen quota on whole flats (8% per neighbourhood, 11% per block), six months' pass validity for HDB, minimum stays of three months (private) and six (HDB), and adverts preferring a nationality or race (MND says landlords may choose; AsiaOne, 2025-05). As of September 2026.

CostOut of reach

One-bed condo (about 45 m²) in the city fringe: asking S$3,500–4,000, median S$3,800 (our sample of 63 EdgeProp listings, 2026-09-30); signed S$3,200–3,300 (URA, Q2 2026). The landlord pays the maintenance fee. Full-time employed residents' median pay S$5,000 gross excluding employer CPF (MOM, June 2025): about S$3,910 net after employee CPF and income tax (our calculation): 89–102%, median 97%. Work-pass holders pay no CPF, so this is a resident's share. Median household income S$12,446 (SingStat, 2025): 31%. As of September 2026.

CompetitionSome

Private-home vacancy 6.4% islandwide and 6.1% in the city fringe (URA, Q2 2026); 1,686 one-bed condos listed on PropertyGuru on 1 October 2026. Condo rents were stable on the month and 2.5% up on the year in August 2026, with 8,318 leases after a record 9,627 in July (SRX and 99.co, reported by Singapore Business Review, 2026-09). No figure exists for days on market or applicants per listing. Busiest mid-year; whole HDB flats are scarcer for non-citizens where the quota is full. As of September 2026.

Scam riskCommon

Police operations announced on 13 February and 10 July 2026 investigated hundreds of suspects over scams that included rental scams, with no separate rental figures (SPF); the police's 2025 and mid-2026 scam briefs give none either. CEA keeps a standing rental-scam page on fake listings and impersonated agents (updated 2026-06). The latest rental-specific police figures are older: over 430 reports and at least S$2.7 million lost to fake-agent rental scams in January–October 2024 (SPF, 2024-11-21). As of September 2026.

Public housing blocks among trees with the city skyline behind
Public housing blocks among trees with the city skyline behind

What it costs

TypeTypical asking rentSource
Room in an HDB flat or condoOur own small sample of listings on EdgeProp, 30 September 2026, so a rough guide only: 20 of about 2,600 HDB room ads asked S$650–1,800 (median S$965), mostly in the suburbs; 20 of about 1,640 condo room ads asked S$1,000–2,200 (median S$1,350). Many ads include utilities and Wi-Fi in the rent, but check each one: some say 'no cooking' or 'light cooking only'. A common room shares a bathroom; a master room has its own and costs more.S$700–1,800 a month(€490–1,250 a month)EdgeProp, HDB and condo room rentals (our sample), September 2026
One-bed condo, city fringe (asking)Middle 80% of 63 one-bed condo listings (380–750 sq ft, median 484 sq ft or 45 m²) in Queenstown, Bukit Merah, Toa Payoh and Geylang on EdgeProp, 30 September 2026; median S$3,800, middle half S$3,500–4,000. Signed rents run somewhat lower: URA's median for whole projects such as Park Colonial (S$7.13 per sq ft) or Commonwealth Towers (S$7.32) puts a 450 sq ft unit at about S$3,200–3,300 (Q2 2026). Suburban one-beds ask S$2,900–3,200 (Parc Rosewood, Coco Palms), central ones S$4,500 and up.S$3,200–4,200 a month(€2,250–2,950 a month)EdgeProp listings (our sample); URA rentals of non-landed residential buildings, Q2 2026, September 2026
Whole HDB 3-room flat (two bedrooms)HDB's median rent for a 3-room flat by town in April–June 2026: S$2,500 in Choa Chu Kang, S$2,600 in Woodlands and Bukit Panjang, S$2,800 in Tampines, Bedok and Ang Mo Kio, S$3,000 in Bukit Merah, Clementi and Kallang/Whampoa, S$3,100 in Queenstown and S$3,300 in the central area. Usually furnished or partly furnished; utilities extra. Rents are self-declared by owners in their applications.S$2,500–3,300 a month(€1,750–2,300 a month)HDB, median rent by town and flat type (data.gov.sg), Q2 2026, June 2026
Whole HDB 4-room flat (three bedrooms)HDB's median 4-room rents in April–June 2026: S$3,000 in Bukit Panjang and Choa Chu Kang, S$3,100 in Woodlands and Yishun, S$3,200 in Sengkang and Hougang, S$3,300 in Punggol, S$3,400 in Bedok and Jurong East, S$3,500 in Tampines and Ang Mo Kio, S$3,800 in Toa Payoh and Geylang, S$4,000 in Bukit Merah, S$4,130 in Queenstown and S$4,600 in the central area. The usual choice for families and groups of sharers; up to eight people may live in one until 31 December 2028.S$3,000–4,600 a month(€2,100–3,200 a month)HDB, median rent by town and flat type (data.gov.sg), Q2 2026, June 2026

Asking rents on the portals; what people actually pay is often lower for older contracts and higher for furnished short lets. Deposits and what can legally be charged on top are on the Singapore page. The euro values are there to compare cities: rounded, a month, at the exchange rates of 23 October 2026 (how we convert).

Shophouses on a street corner in Singapore
Shophouses on a street corner in Singapore

Local tips

Gathered from local forums, city subreddits and expat groups, rewritten in our own words. They are what people who have done this say helped; none of it is a guarantee.

  1. Decide early which of the three markets you are in

    A room (roughly S$700–1,800), a whole HDB flat (S$2,500–4,600 by town and size) and a condo (one-beds from about S$2,900 in the suburbs) have different rules and different agents. If you are a non-Malaysian foreigner or PR, a whole HDB flat also depends on the quota and on the owner being a citizen allowed to let it. Fix your budget and your market first, then search.

    Source: HDB median rents Q2 2026; EdgeProp listings, September 2026; HDB regulations

  2. Check the HDB quota before you fall for a flat

    Whole HDB flats in many popular blocks are closed to non-citizens other than Malaysians because the block or neighbourhood quota is full. Put the block number into HDB's quota checker before you book a viewing, and ask the agent to confirm. Renting a room in an HDB flat is not affected.

    Source: HDB, regulations for renting from the open market (updated May 2026)

  3. Look at what similar units actually leased for

    Asking rents on the portals run above signed rents. URA's free rental-contracts search shows what units of the same size in the same condo leased for in recent months, and HDB publishes medians by town and flat type. Bring those figures to the negotiation, especially in a newly finished project where many identical units compete.

    Source: URA property market information e-services; HDB rental statistics

  4. Use new completions to negotiate

    When a big condo is finished, investors put dozens of identical units up for rent at once: on 30 September 2026 a third of EdgeProp's one-bed listings around Geylang and the East Coast were in the newly completed Grand Dunman. That is the time to ask for a lower rent, extra furniture or a longer problem-free period.

    Source: EdgeProp listings, September 2026; URA Q2 2026 release

  5. Avoid July if you can

    Leasing peaks in the middle of the year with job moves, school terms and student arrivals: condo leases hit a record of about 9,627 in July 2026 before falling 14% in August. Outside the mid-year months fewer tenants compete for the same units. Start looking four to eight weeks before your move.

    Source: SRX and 99.co data reported by Singapore Business Review (18 September 2026); NTU Office of Campus Housing

  6. Ask about cooking, guests and who you are sharing with

    Room adverts often set house rules: no cooking or light cooking only, no visitors, women only, owner staying or not. Some still state preferred nationalities or races, although the portals ban it. Ask before viewing rather than after paying, and use PropertyGuru's 'Everyone Welcome' tag to find landlords who state they accept everyone.

    Source: AsiaOne, landlords' preferences and the portals' rules (28 May 2025); Roomies.sg listings, 2026

  7. Know when you pay an agent

    CEA sets no commission rates. By common practice, a tenant who deals only with the landlord's agent pays nothing. If you appoint your own agent, the usual practice is that you pay them only when the rent is under about S$3,500 a month: half a month for a one-year lease, one month for two years (PropertyGuru guide). These are conventions, not rules. Agree any fee in writing with the agency before viewings.

    Source: PropertyGuru, property agent commission guide (updated April 2025); CEA

  8. Read the letter of intent before you hand over the good-faith deposit

    The letter of intent fixes the rent, term, deposit, diplomatic clause and anything you have asked for (repainting, a new mattress, air-conditioning serviced before move-in). By custom it is signed with a good-faith deposit, typically one month's rent per year of lease. Make sure the deposit goes to the owner, not the agent, and that the letter says what happens if HDB or the owner does not approve.

    Source: CEA rental scams page (June 2026); HDB tenancy matters

  9. Budget for utilities and choose your electricity retailer

    Rent for a whole flat normally excludes electricity, water and gas, which you pay through an SP Services utilities account opened in your name (with a security deposit), plus internet and air-conditioning servicing every three months. The condo maintenance fee is the landlord's. Electricity can be bought from SP or from a retailer on the Open Electricity Market.

    Source: SP Group; CEA tenancy agreement template

Neighbourhoods

  • Orchard, River Valley, Tanglin and Newton (D09–D11) higher rents

    The core central region of condos around Orchard Road, the Singapore River and Holland Road, popular with expats and families near international schools. URA's median for leased projects was about S$5.20–5.90 per sq ft in Q2 2026, and one-beds ask S$4,500 and up; vacancy in the core region was 8.3%, so there is room to bargain.

  • Tanjong Pagar, the CBD and Marina Bay (D01, D02) higher rents

    Towers in the business district: Marina One Residences and The Sail were among the most-leased projects in Q2 2026, at about S$6.70–6.90 per sq ft (URA). Walk to work, but small units at high prices and few supermarkets; the HDB blocks around Tanjong Pagar and Chinatown are the cheaper way to live here.

  • Queenstown, Tiong Bahru and Bukit Merah (D03) higher rents

    City-fringe estates on the East-West and Circle lines, with old HDB neighbourhoods around Tiong Bahru and new condos along Commonwealth and Alexandra. One-beds ask S$3,500–4,200; HDB 4-room medians are S$4,000 in Bukit Merah and S$4,130 in Queenstown, among the highest outside the centre (HDB, Q2 2026).

  • Novena, Toa Payoh and Balestier (D11–D13) mid-range

    Central but residential, on the North-South line, with Tan Tock Seng Hospital and many older condos. One-beds in projects such as Park Colonial, The Poiz and Gem Residences asked S$2,900–3,900 in September 2026; a 4-room HDB flat in Toa Payoh had a median of S$3,800 (HDB, Q2 2026).

  • Kallang, Geylang, Paya Lebar and the East Coast (D14, D15) mid-range

    East of the centre on the Circle, East-West and Thomson-East Coast lines: Paya Lebar's offices, Katong and Joo Chiat's shophouses, and the East Coast's condos. One-beds asked S$2,900–4,500 in September 2026, many in newly completed projects; HDB 4-room medians S$3,800 in Geylang and Kallang/Whampoa (HDB, Q2 2026).

  • Clementi and Jurong East (west) mid-range

    Near the National University of Singapore and the Jurong Lake District, on the East-West line, so popular with students and researchers: a 4-room HDB flat in Clementi had a median of S$3,900, in Jurong East S$3,400 (HDB, Q2 2026). J Gateway and Lake Grande are among the busiest condos for leases.

  • Tampines, Bedok and Pasir Ris (east) lower rents

    Large heartland towns with their own malls, near Changi Airport and the business parks, on the East-West and Downtown lines. HDB 4-room medians S$3,400–3,500 and 3-room S$2,800 (HDB, Q2 2026). Mostly HDB estates, so a good place to look for a whole flat or a room if the block is under the quota.

  • Woodlands, Sengkang, Punggol and Ang Mo Kio (north and north-east) lower rents

    The cheapest whole flats: 4-room medians of S$3,100 in Woodlands, S$3,200 in Sengkang and S$3,300 in Punggol, S$3,500 in Ang Mo Kio (HDB, Q2 2026). Woodlands and Admiralty condo one-beds asked S$2,900–3,200 in September 2026.

The Pinnacle@Duxton public housing towers
The Pinnacle@Duxton public housing towers

What landlords ask for

Have these ready as PDFs before the first viewing; in Singapore the flat often goes to whoever sends a complete file first.

  • Passport and pass (Employment Pass, S Pass, Student's Pass, Dependant's Pass, Long-Term Visit Pass and so on), shown in original: landlords must check them against each other and verify the pass with MOM or ICA, and agents keep copies.
  • Enough remaining pass validity: for an HDB flat or room every non-citizen tenant's pass must be valid for at least six months when the owner applies, and condo landlords and agents will look at the expiry date too. If your pass is new or about to be renewed, bring the in-principle approval and say so.
  • An employment letter or contract showing your employer, position and salary; students bring their offer letter and proof of funds.
  • A signed letter of intent with a good-faith deposit (by custom, typically one month's rent per year of lease), which becomes the security deposit when the tenancy agreement is signed, plus the first month's rent.
  • Stamp duty, paid by you unless the agreement says otherwise, on myTax Portal within 14 days of signing: 0.4% of the total rent for a lease of up to four years (S$144 on one year at S$3,000 a month).
  • For a whole HDB flat: the owner's HDB approval, and confirmation that you are listed as an authorised tenant. If your employer rents the flat for you, the company must make sure you meet HDB's conditions.

Scams typical of Singapore

Scam risk here is rated 3 of 5. Police operations announced on 13 February and 10 July 2026 investigated hundreds of suspects over scams that included rental scams, with no separate rental figures (SPF); the police's 2025 and mid-2026 scam briefs give none either. CEA keeps a standing rental-scam page on fake listings and impersonated agents (updated 2026-06). The latest rental-specific police figures are older: over 430 reports and at least S$2.7 million lost to fake-agent rental scams in January–October 2024 (SPF, 2024-11-21). The general patterns, and what to do if you have already paid, are in the scam guide.

  • Fake agents using real agents' names

    The most reported pattern: a listing on Facebook, Carousell or a rental site (the platforms police named in November 2024), a WhatsApp chat with someone sending a real agent's CEA card, business card and videos of the unit, then a request for a deposit and first month's rent by bank transfer or PayNow. The phone number does not match the one on the CEA register, and sometimes the scammer spoofs the real agent's number. Police counted over 430 reports and S$2.7 million lost in January–October 2024 alone.

  • Pay to 'secure a viewing'

    You are asked for a refundable deposit, often one month's rent, before you can see the flat, sometimes by someone claiming to be abroad or using a foreign mobile number. CEA is clear that no payment is needed to view or reserve a home: walk away.

  • Stand-ins at the viewing

    A 'colleague' or 'assistant' shows you a real flat because the agent is 'held up', then you are told to send your details and payment for the tenancy agreement. Ask to meet the registered agent in person, check the owner's proof of ownership and pay only the owner, by traceable transfer, after signing.

  • Rooms or flats the owner cannot rent out

    Some sellers take advance rent and deposits for an HDB flat that is already let or has no HDB approval, then avoid handing over keys; one HDB owner was jailed in 2024 for cheating 14 would-be tenants of over S$63,000. Ask for HDB's approval letter, make the contract conditional on approval, and check online that you are an authorised tenant.

  • Room-rental ads that vanish after payment

    In June 2025 police arrested a man suspected of six room-rental scams in which victims paid by bank transfer after answering online adverts and the 'landlord' then went silent. If the rent is far below what similar rooms ask (around S$1,000 for an HDB room in our small sample, September 2026), or the person will not show the room, treat it as fake.

How long it takes

Allow two to four weeks for a room or a condo outside the mid-year peak, and up to six to eight weeks for a whole HDB flat or in June to August. Before you start, settle your market and budget, check that your pass will be valid long enough, and get an employment letter. If you arrive without a home, a co-living room or a serviced apartment (from seven days) bridges the first weeks. Set alerts on PropertyGuru and EdgeProp, check every agent's phone number on the CEA register and, for a whole HDB flat, the block on HDB's quota checker before viewing. View in person, compare the asking rent with URA's contract data or HDB's medians, then negotiate through the letter of intent and pay the good-faith deposit to the owner. Sign the tenancy agreement, pay the stamp duty within 14 days, open your SP Services utilities account and update your address with MOM or ICA after you move.

Where to get help

  • Council for Estate Agencies (CEA): rental scams and complaintsHow fake-agent scams work, with case examples, the Public Register for checking agents by phone number, and how to complain about a registered agent's conduct. Its tenancy agreement templates and checklists are on the same site.
  • ScamShieldThe government's anti-scam site and app; call the 24-hour ScamShield Helpline on 1799 if you are unsure whether a listing, agent or payment request is genuine.
  • Singapore Police Force: report a crime onlineIf you have paid a scammer, call your bank at once to stop the transfer, then report it to the police through their e-services or i-Witness (Police Hotline 1800-255-0000). Keep the listing, chat history and payment records.
  • Community Mediation CentreFree mediation by the Ministry of Law for landlords, tenants and flatmates over living arrangements, noise, damage and small money matters under S$5,000; useful when you share a flat with the owner.
  • Small Claims TribunalsFor an unreturned deposit or other claim under a tenancy of up to two years, up to S$20,000; filed online without a lawyer. See the Singapore law page for fees and limits.

Questions people ask about renting in Singapore

How much does a one-bedroom flat cost to rent in Singapore?

A one-bed condo in the city fringe asked S$3,200–4,200 a month in September 2026 (median S$3,800 for about 45 m², EdgeProp), less in the suburbs (about S$2,900–3,200 around Woodlands) and S$4,500 or more in the centre. HDB flats are not let by bedroom count: a whole 3-room (two-bed) HDB flat had median rents of S$2,500–3,300 by town in Q2 2026 (HDB).

Are rents in Singapore still going up?

Only slightly. URA's index for non-landed private homes was 162.5 in Q2 2026, just under its 2023 peak of 163.3, after a dip in 2024 and a 1.9% rise for all private homes in 2025. SRX and 99.co put condo rents stable on the month in August 2026 and 2.5% higher than a year earlier (Singapore Business Review, September 2026), with vacancy at 6.4% (URA, Q2 2026).

As a foreigner, can I rent a whole HDB flat?

Yes, with a valid pass of at least six months, if the owner is a citizen allowed to let the whole flat and the block and neighbourhood are under the non-citizen quota (11% and 8%), which applies to all non-Malaysian non-citizens including PRs. Check the block on HDB's quota checker before viewing; renting a room is not affected (HDB, as of 2026-10).

Do I have to pay the agent's commission as a tenant?

Not if you deal only with the landlord's agent. If you appoint your own agent, the common practice is that you pay them only when the rent is below about S$3,500 a month: half a month for a one-year lease, one month for two years. These are conventions, not rules; CEA sets no rates, and one agent cannot take commission from both sides (PropertyGuru guide, April 2025; CEA).

What is included in the rent?

For a whole flat or condo, usually the furniture listed and the condo's maintenance fee and facilities, but not electricity, water, gas or internet, and you pay for air-conditioning servicing every three months under most agreements. Room rents usually include utilities and Wi-Fi; check whether cooking and visitors are allowed (CEA tenancy agreement template; listings, 2026).

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