What You Should Know about the Area: Housing in Singapore as an issue
Most likely, during the planning of your stay in Singapore, one of your foremost concerns is your lodging. If you are coming for work, for studies, or for just leisure, where you stay usually defines your experience of the whole place. Singapore has earned the reputation of being among the m
Business, education, and tourism are the top three sectors in Singapore, And with a concentric population and a small area, it has to be costly. A recent report by Mercer, Singapore placed in the top ten list of the world’s most expensive cities for expatriate in housing costs. Thus, it is vital to comprehend the accommodation scenario even more so.
Now, let us explore the three types of accommodation that have gained much popularity with both foreign visitors and locals.
Hostels: For more budget and community appealing options.
If you are willing to share living space and enjoy being surrounded by locals or other travelers, hostels might be something you want to explore. Singapore has a range of hostels serving varying kinds of clientele from tourists to even long-stay individuals such as students or remote workers.
How Does a Hostel Operate?
A hostel, primarily used by individuals travelling on a budget, consists of communal rooms capable of integrating multiple bunks, usually shares kitchen facilities and common areas with others. The basic goal of any hostels is to provide cheap places for accommodations with all basic amenities and bring people together in a neighborhood type of environment.
Pricing and Space Availability
The average cost of accommodation in Singapore in a hostel does vary but is within 20sgd-60sgd depending on amount per area and what room you choose. Others can also have the option of a host family in return for rent and some even advertise long term stay at monthly rates allowing the individual to stay in hostels at cheap rates around 400-1000sgd a month depending on the type of room.
Most hostels can be located in key areas such as Little India, Chinatown and Bugis which have easy access to amenities and public transport. They’re usually in demand because they are located in prime areas and are relatively cheap by Singapore’s standards.
Who Can Hostel?
Hostels are great for people who:
Have limited cash
Love socialising and sharing spaces with people from all over the world
Only need to be in Singapore for a short term or are there on a visa
Don’t mind having common bathrooms and kitchens
Advantages of Staying in a Hostel
- Cheap: Hostels are the cheapest type of accommodation in Singapore and are recommended for people on tight budgets.
- Social: Hostel services include organizing events, activities and dining together, thus facilitating interaction and meeting new friends.
- Short stay: Since hostels cater for the free market, there is no need for long term commitments for those who are not sure how long they are going to be in Singapore.
Drawbacks of Hostels
Space limitations: Because most hostels accommodate several guests in dormitory style rooms, personal space is hard to come by.
Basic Amenities: Even though hostels more often than not include the basics such as internet and a laundrette, they tend to be lacking in more luxurious ones like in-house kitchens or gyms.
Transient nature: Due to the nature of hostels, bulk of its occupants will spend only less than a month in a particular unit and therefore these kinds of establishments feel less permanent and going through frequent changes.
Flats: Private and Independent Living
If you are someone who values their privacy and free will, look no further than renting a flat in Singapore. Such flats may come looking as small studio apartments or large multi bedroom units.
What Is a Flat?
In this context, a flat refers to an apartment in Singapore. Such flats may be owned by private developers or by the state under the Housing Development Board an organization known colloquially in Singapore as HDB. These flats are regular apartments coming with bedrooms, sitting rooms, kitchen and bathrooms.
Costs and Availability
Singapore has some of the most sought after real estate on the globe and therefore many who come to rent flats in Singapore are often shocked by the prices in places like Orchard, Marina Bay and Raffles Place. Encouragingly, these apartments are less in prices when compared to flats located in the more prime areas such as Jurong, Woodlands and Tampines.
- In general, a one-bedroom HDB flat would cost about $1,500 to $2,500 a month.
- A one-bedroom apartment in a condo is priced between $2,500 and $4,000 depending on the location and facilities.
Besides these costs, you will have to bear other expenses for utilities, internet and maintenance, which can be another SGD 200 to SGD 400 in a month.
Who Should Consider Flats?
Flats are best for:
- Having a sense of seclusion and independence
- People who plan to live in Singapore for more than a year
- Fatalists or couples who do not wish to live with other people
- Families or individuals who are in professional work and require comfort and facilities
Benefits of Flats
- Independence: You have your own accommodation which means common areas will not be shared with other unfamiliar people.
- Convenience: More amenities are usually included in flats such as AC, kitchen, and in some cases private condominium will even offer swimming pool or gym.
- Security: When you rent a flat, you have the assurance of a lease or a rental contract which would give you predictability especially in case you are planning to stay for a longer duration.
Disadvantages of Flats
- Cost: Typically, had it been a flat or flat share it wouldn’t be self contained or a rented apartment people would compromised living in a hostel that is in practical cheaper than a flat lease as the extra rent that’s charged can be annoying.
- Rent And Advance Payments: The greedy landlords usually force tenants to pay one or two months rent upfront, which can be frustrating at the best of times.
- Less Social Engagement: If you are new to Singapore and wish to explore the place then living in a flat can at times be quite boring as unlike hostels there are not many people around.
Shared Housing: Budget Plus Comfort.
Shared housing, also referred to as co-living, is an ideal solution for people who wish to have more privacy than the dorm bed, but do not require the entire apartment. In shared housing, tenants often have a single room in an apartment with some facilities like the living room, the kitchen, and sometimes bathrooms shared with other tenants.
What Is Shared Housing?
Shared housing is defined as a rental arrangement where an individual has his/her private bedroom in a larger house, flat and other similar units, and shares the common living area with other co-tenants. This may take the form of a flat, a mansion or an apartment designed for this purpose. Co-living has become very popular in Singapore among young professional level worker, students and Expatriate people.
Costs and Availability
Costs for shared accommodation differ based on the type of such a property and where it is located. To rent a room in a flat sharing arrangement, expect to pay about SGD 700 to SGD 2000 per month on average, with more expensive rates within the times set within the central areas such as Orchard or Tanjong Pagar.
However, the prices for co-living spaces, which usually include additional services like cleaning, laundry, and community events, are slightly higher, ranging from SGD 1,200 to SGD 2,500 monthly.
Who Should Consider Shared Housing?
Shared housing is worth consideration in the following circumstances:
- Young professionals who wish to have a good balance of cost and comfort
- People who use Singapore for the first time and who would prefer to be in a community
- People who wish to have more privacy than a dormitory affords but do not want to rent a whole apartment
- Long term tourists or immigrants
Benefits of Shared Housing.
- Affordability: People who don’t need a lot of space will find shared housing to provide better value for money because renting an entire flat costs more than sharing.
- Community: You interact with other people and you are never alone, which is a plus when trying to make new friends and find people who can be of help.
- Convenience: A lot of co-living spaces are furnished and the rent also covers utilities and WiFi so new tenants are able to settle down quite easily.
Drawbacks of Shared Housing.
- Shared Spaces: Though you will have a private room, some common spaces will be provided and these may sometimes cause frictional disputes with housemates.
- Varying Room Quality: Certain properties may be more compact than others or even windowless, therefore it is advised to inspect the property before renting.
- House Rules: Shared housing has difficulties too, as co-living arrangements may impose restrictions, such as quiet hours and visitor limits, which may lose your sense of freedom.
Making the Appropriate Choice for Yourself
In the case of hostels versus flats or even shared accommodation in Singapore, your final choice will most probably depend on your hospitality budget and the expected length of your stay, or even your lifestyle. So here’s a brief overview that can help:
- People who would like to stay in hostels are either new to the country, have a tight budget, or plan to stay for a couple of weeks at most, mostly find hostels to be the easiest option.
- Flats are ideal for people who fit into the category of the employed with an above-average salary or a family willing to remain in Singapore and willing to pay extra to feel comfortable.
- Shared Housing is a great option as it provides the best of both worlds, allowing for better privacy than a hostel along with a flexible financial commitment as compared to an entire flat.
Other Important Points to Address
- Budget: Financial capabilities have to be within range, looking at everything including accommodation fees, additional costs like utilities, etc.
- Location: Distance to a workplace, a school or a public transport station is very important especially if one decides to reside outside a city center as one would be paying for the rent but will suffer additional travel time.
- Privacy: Consider how much of privacy one would choose to have, if privacy is of a great concern, then it would be better to stay in a flat or have private accommodation over a hostel.
- Flexibility: In the event that one plans to stay for a longer period, then STD accommodation for a hostel or shared housing that has flexible leases would suffice.
Conclusion
As a student, or a career person or as a tourist, there is always an accommodation type that is available in Singapore. Every accommodation type such as hostels, flats and shared housing has its pros and cons. If a clear consideration of the type of budget to work with as well as the need for other factors such as privacy and time restrictions are made, a possible recommendation can be made as to what type of accommodation house to use while in Singapore.
Also, due to the high pace and the intensive nature of Singapore’s housing market, it does help for an individual to start the search for a s house early to avoid delays later on. When that option is indeed well considered, the rest is easy as the appropriate option in terms of accommodation will be well suited to one’s life and help them make the best there is to offer in the city.