You’re not alone if you’re getting sticker shock when browsing rental listings on property portals in Singapore. After all, the rental market is currently in its girl-bossing era, and landlords have the discretion to charge sky-high rents for a small bedroom. Thankfully, there are still a couple of neighbourhoods in Singapore where rent is still manageable, especially for common rooms.
To help you get started on your independent living journey, here are 8 of the cheapest estates to rent in Singapore, the 2023 edition.
Bedok – Rent a common room from $700/month
Bedok North Road.
Image credit: TheSmartLocal
Bedok is one of the most populous estates in Singapore with 8 subzones including Kembangan, Kaki Bukit, Bedok Reservoir, and Bayshore. This means that there are plenty of housing developments here, and rent in this estate is pretty affordable compared to others.
A search on property portals like PropertyGuru and 99.co shows that the average listing price is around $700-$800/month for common rooms.
Image credit: 99.co
Image credit: PropertyGuru
For those who want more privacy and an ensuite bathroom, the listings can double in price. Renting a master bedroom in an HDB flat can start from $1,400/month. Condo listings will undoubtedly cost more, with some listings asking for more than $2,000/month for a bedroom with an ensuite bathroom.
A condo listing in Bedok for a common room.
Image credit: 99.co
Bedok also has the advantage of having a good mix of HDB flats and condo developments, which means that there are plenty of whole units up for rent. The cheapest 3-room we found as of June 2023 is a $2,800/month listing along Bedok North Avenue 1.
Image credit: PropertyGuru
This unit comes partially furnished so you don’t have to spend money to buy a couch or dining table. For reference, the average 3-room HDB rental price in the first quarter of 2023 is $2,500; 4-room flats are $2,800; 5-room flats are $3,500.
Bukit Batok – Rent a common room from $500/month
Common rooms available in the Bukit Batok area.
Image credit: 99.co
Where Bedok has the sea, Bukit Batok has Little Guilin and other nature reserves for those who prefer greenery. It is also one of the more affordable estates to rent in, especially if you are just looking for a shared common room.
One listing we came across advertised a common room with no aircon and only light cooking allowed for only $500/month, and this rate includes utilities. It might look drab, but 
Image credit: PropertyGuru
It might look pretty barebones, but this is a steal given that the unit is a couple of minutes away from Bukit Gombak MRT by foot – and it’s nothing a little rental makeover won’t fix. Common rooms in condos, on the other hand, start from $900/month.
Image credit: 99.co
For slightly higher rent at $850/month, you can get a room that’s more spacious and looks more desirable to live in.
For an entire unit, HDB flats start from $2,800/month for a 3-room, $3,200/month for a 4-room, and $3,800/month for a 5-room flat. Condos, on the other hand, start at $4,200/month for a 2-room instead.
Bukit Panjang – Rent a common room from $700/month
Bukit Panjang is another affordable renting neighbourhood right next to Bukit Batok. Although its location within Singapore is not that advantageous compared to its neighbouring estate – only the Downtown Line runs through it – common rooms in Bukit Panjang are considerably more expensive starting from $700/month for a single room.
Image credit: PropertyGuru
For additional privacy and solitude, you can rent a studio HDB – also known as the 2-room Flexi configuration – from $2,400/month. A bigger space to share with friends can start from $2,800/month for a 3-room HDB flat, while 4-room flats can be higher at $3,500/month.
Choa Chu Kang – Rent a common room from $650/month
The Piet Mondrain-inspired HDB flats at Choa Chu Kang, specifically Teck Whye Avenue.
Image credit: TheSmartLocal
Westies have plenty of options when it comes to renting a cheap room in Singapore with Choa Chu Kang also having affordable rent in this economy.
A basic common room in this neighbourhood starts from $650/month, and that’s a fully-furnished room at that.
Image credit: PropertyGuru
If you’re willing to shell out a bit more money per month, you can get a room near Choa Chu Kang MRT for around $1,200-$1,400/month.
Common rooms near the MRT command higher prices.
Image credit: PropertyGuru
Although HDB has revealed that the average rent for 3-room and 4-room flats in Choa Chu Kang fall around $2,500-$2,900/month, we found that real listings tend to skew higher. A fully-furnished 3-room HDB flat is on the market to rent from $3,200/month.
Image credit: PropertyGuru
Meanwhile, 4-room HDB flats start from $3,350/month, more if the unit is furnished and comes with an air conditioning unit.
Geylang – Rent a common room from $600/month
Closer to the centre of Singapore is Geylang, where rent for common rooms can start from around $600/month. Rates might be cheaper here due to the grittiness of the estate, even as it is slowly gentrifying year after year.
A small common room will set you back only $600/month in Geylang.
Image credit: PropertyGuru
A glance at property portals indicates that while common rooms here can be affordable, there are only a couple of listings from $600-$900/month, with plenty of other common rooms asking for at least $1,000/month. So to stay in this area for cheap, you’ll have to act fast.
However, there are occasional master bedroom listings that are only going for $1,000/month.
A master bedroom on Pine Close is asking for only $1,000/month in rent.
Image credit: PropertyGuru
For an entire flat that has at least 2 bedrooms, you can expect to pay around $2,800/month in rent in Geylang, which is significantly higher than the average of $2,400/month according to HDB’s statistics. More listings are available from $3,000/month if you are willing to pay for total privacy and not have to worry about cooking rules and Wifi restrictions.
Hougang – Rent an entire 3-room HDB from $2,500/month
Something we realised as we put together this guide was that Hougang has pretty affordable HDB units on the rental market. Some 3-room flats that are partially furnished are asking for only $2,500/month, which is a lot cheaper than those in other estates listed in this article.
It might be a little messy, but some tender loving care will have this place spruced up for any tenant in no time.
Image credit: PropertyGuru
We also spotted an unfurnished 4-room flat that recently had new air conditioning units installed going for only $3,000/month. However, as it is unfurnished, you would have to get all the appliances like a refrigerator and a cooker and hood by yourself.
On the other hand, common rooms for rent in Hougang have landlords asking for at least $800/month, which is why we’ve decided to focus only on entire units for Hougang.
Sembawang – Rent a common room from $650/month
Image credit: PropertyGuru
Sembawang is a popular estate that has easy access to plenty of good food and amenities like Singapore’s only natural hot spring park. Renting here should be an affordable option for most, with rent starting from $650/month for a common room, with more options ranging from $700-$800/month.
An entire unit can also be rented out starting from $3,000/month for a 3-room HDB flat, and $3,400/month for a 4-room HDB flat.
This 4-room fully-furnished HDB flat has 3 bedrooms and an aircon in all of them for only $3,400/month.
Image credit: PropertyGuru
Woodlands – Rent a common room from $700/month
Woodlands is no longer the ulu estate it once was. With 5 MRT stations and plenty of amenities, it has become another popular yet affordable place to rent and live in. Its proximity to Johor Bahru and the Causeway has also made it a convenient location for those who have to cross the border regularly, and renting a home in Woodlands makes crossing that much easier.
A common room with a bed that isn’t single-sized? Yes please.
Image credit: PropertyGuru
Common rooms can be rented from $700-$750/month, including some that are furnished with double and queen beds.
Entire units are not as cheap here. Some listings we came across asked for a minimum of $2,700/month for a 3-room HDB flat, while others are asking for at least $2,800/month.
One way to save money is to rent a part of a jumbo flat in Woodlands. The estate has a high number of these large flats with dual entrances to make things feel a bit more cosy and private without requiring a hefty sum every month.
Cheapest estates to rent in Singapore in 2023
Rent in Singapore doesn’t come cheap. But if you know where to look, you can potentially find a room or an entire unit that fits within your budget. These 8 estates have some of the cheapest rents in Singapore, and we’re only looking at common rooms. You might be able to find even cheaper options if you are willing to share a space with a stranger or 2.
Read our articles on renting in Singapore:
- Is paying $3,000/month to rent a 4-room HDB flat worth it?
- Top rental tips from Singaporeans
- How to rent a 3-room flat for $400/month?
- Here’s how much 11 young adults in Singapore are paying in rent
- 5 horrible landlords and the stories their tenants shared
Drop us your email so you won't miss the latest news.
