PropertyIsland

In a recent global survey released last month, Singapore has once again come out first as the most expensive city for expatriates to live in for the third consecutive year. While some of us might be quick to agree with this, it is worth considering that with the right budgeting, living in Singapore can actually be affordable.

We all have our preference with the kind of lifestyle we desire, but with monthly rental demanding a huge portion of our salaries, reality demands that we choose an apartment within our budget – unless of course, you have a really generous compensation package from your employer.

Nevertheless, there is always something for everyone. Listed below is our budget guide to renting in Singapore:

 Budget: $3,000 and below

 With the property market yet to recover, it is now a tenant’s market, and you will be surprised to find a list of fully furnished 4-room (3 bedrooms and 1 living room) HDB apartments going for as low as $2,000 per month. These are mainly located in suburban areas such as Punggol, Choa Chu Kang and Woodlands.

 Though most of these heartland HDB units are not in new estates and do not come with fancy amenities such as a swimming pool, function rooms or security, their affordable rental easily makes up for it. You can also find smaller units (3-room HDB) that are centrally located in places like Redhill, Ang Mo Kio and Bishan for less than $3,000 per month. If luck is on your side, you may even get to stay in a 2-storey HDB Executive Maisonette, with that same budget.

 If you are hoping to stay in a private estate, but within a budget, you can consider 2-bedroom or 1-bedroom condominiums located in District 19 (Hougang, Punggol and Sengkang areas), District 25 (Admiralty and Woodlands) and District 13 (MacPherson and Potong Pasir).

 Budget: $3,000 - $5,000

 Besides centrally located 4-room HDB units in the Tiong Bahru and Toa Payoh areas, you can also stay in a 3-bedroom suburban condominium located in District 14 (Paya Lebar, Geylang and Eunos) or District 19 with this budget.

 If you have kids and are looking for a bigger space, you might be pleasantly surprised that terrace houses up in the north (District 25 to 28) in estates like Yishun, Sembawang, Mandai, Seletar and Woodlands are available within this rental range as well.

 If you prefer to stay near your work place in the CBD area, the Downtown area - Raffles Place, City Hall and Marina Bay - will be your ideal choice. However, most units in these locations are likely to exceed your budget. But if you don’t mind staying in a 1-bedroom apartment, then you’re good to go.

Budget: $5,001 - $10,000

With this range, you can easily rent a centrally located, 3-bedroom or 4-bedroom condominium in areas such as River Valley, Orchard, Marina Bay and Raffles Place.

 Alternatively, you can also satisfy yourself with the highly sought after residential units in Sentosa Cove (i.e. The Residences at W, The Oceanfront, etc), or a 5-bedroom penthouse in a suburban condominium like Treasure Trove (District 19).

Landed properties in Changi, Tampines, Braddell, Macpherson and Potong Pasir are also within this range.

Budget: Above $10,000

Go ahead and indulge yourself with high-end condominiums and luxury serviced apartments such as The Club Residences by Capella Singapore, and St Regis Residences.

Besides centrally located landed properties, good class bungalows located in prime residential areas like District 10 (Bukit Timah, Tanglin and Holland Village), and District 11 (Newton and Novena) are also a good choice for those who value privacy and exclusivity.