Singapore property prices on the rise in 2025
According to the Resale Price Index (RPI) released by the Housing & Development Board (HDB), the RPI has risen from 180.4 in Q4 2023 to 197.9 in Q4 2024, marking an increase of 9.7% in HDB resale flat prices over the past year. This notable price surge occurred despite cooling measures, such as the 15 to 30-month wait-out period for private property owners wishing to purchase a resale HDB flat after selling their private property, as well as tighter housing loan regulations aimed at slowing the rise in resale prices. While these measures have helped moderate the rate of increase, the upward trend in prices continues.
The rising resale prices and the extended wait-out period have led many prospective buyers to temporarily opt for short-term accommodation. Additionally, those in need of more space, such as new parents or newlyweds, often turn to short-term rentals while awaiting the construction and delivery of new Built-to-Order (BTO) flats. Similarly, individuals with work-from-home (WFH) arrangements have been increasingly moving out, driven by rising tensions between family members who are spending more time at home together than ever before.
As a result, the demand for both long-term and short-term rental accommodations, whether public or private, is expected to continue rising in 2025, driven by factors such as those mentioned above and the ongoing influx of new foreign expats and workers. While rental prices have surged significantly over the past three years, it is believed that the price hike has reached its peak and will either stabilise or decline in 2025. For example, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) real estate statistics indicate that the rental index dropped by 1.9% in 2024, marking the first full-year decline since 2020.
In this article, we provide a list of short-term rental accommodation options, ranging from one month to one year, for those urgently in need of temporary housing in Singapore.
Where to find short term accommodation and short term rental options in Singapore
- Extended stay or long stay at hotels
Minimum 30-day stay - Serviced apartments & co-living apartments
Minimum 1-month or 3-month stay - Residential properties like HDB flats, HDB Executive Condominiums (EC), private condominiums and landed homes
Minimum 3-month or 6-month stay
Extended stay or long stay hotels in Singapore
“Extended stays” or “long stays” are terms commonly used in the hotel industry to refer to bookings that receive significant discounts for longer durations. While the exact definition of what constitutes an “extended” or “long” stay may vary between hotels, the typical minimum duration is between 5 to 7 days.
Similar to short-term hotel guests, there are no local residency requirements for those booking extended stays. As such, this option can be ideal for foreign travelers stranded in Singapore who do not have a residency pass, making them ineligible to rent residential properties.
List of monthly hotel stays in Singapore
While many hotels offer extended stay rates, few provide a fixed monthly rate. To make comparison easier and help our readers find the best deals, we’ve curated a list of hotels that either publish their monthly rates upfront or offer a search function displaying the final rate for a 30-night stay. Below is the updated list (as of 17 March 2025):
- YMCA @ One Orchard – From SGD 2,998 per month
- Victoria Hotel – From SGD 3,403 per month
- The Sultan Hotel – From SGD 3,920 per month [Details]
- Hotel Nuve Urbane – From SGD 4,022 per month
- lyf One-North – From SGD 4,447 per month
- lyf Farrer Park – From SGD 4,583 per month
- Grand Mercure Singapore Roxy – From SGD 6,196 per month
- Louis Kienne Residences – From SGD 7,075 per month
- York Hotel – From SGD 7,796 per month
- Orchard Grand Court – From SGD 8,131 per month
- Hotel Jen OrchardGateway by Shangri-la – From SGD 9,049 per month
- Grand Park City Hall – From SGD 9,360 per month
- Carlton Hotel – From SGD 9,964 per month
- Novetel Living Singapore Orchard – From SGD 10,456 pre month
- InterContinental Singapore – From SGD 11,649 per month
- Amara Singapore – From SGD 12,572 per month
- Swissôtel The Stamford Singapore – From SGD 12,652 per month
- Fairmont Singapore – From SGD 15,584 per month
Serviced apartments & co-living apartments in Singapore
A serviced apartment or co-living apartment offers more than just a place to sleep. It provides a spacious living area for socialising, a fully equipped kitchen for home-cooked meals, and sometimes even a balcony to enjoy the sunset with loved ones.
These properties often come with a range of shared amenities, including swimming pools, gyms, BBQ pits, saunas, tennis courts, and sports and community halls. Additional services such as concierge, property maintenance and regular housekeeping may also be included. In essence, these apartments are fully managed, much like a hotel.
The key distinction between a serviced apartment and a co-living space is that, in a co-living space, you share the apartment with other residents. Depending on the operator, the minimum stay typically ranges from one to three months.
List of short-term serviced apartments & co-living apartments
Serviced Apartments
- Yo:Ha Residence – From SGD 2,500 per month
- International Service Apartments – From SGD 3,000 per month
- Heritage Collection – From SGD 4,350 per month
- Wilby Residences – From SGD 5,700 per month
- Lanson Place Winsland – From SGD 5,723 per month
- ST Residences Novena – From SGD 6,500 per month
- Far East Hospitality Serviced Residences (Oasia Residence Singapore) – From SGD 9,694 per month
Co-living Apartments
- Casa Mia – From SGD 850 per month
- Dash Living – From SGD 900 per month
- Homey – From SGD 950 per month
- Cove – From SGD 1,200 per month
- Habyt (formerly Hmlet) – From SGD 1,381 per month
- Figment – From SGD 1,750 per month
- Weave Living – From SGD 2,225 per month
Renting residential properties in Singapore
Renting a room or an entire apartment on the residential property market is the most common rental option for those seeking accommodation for three months or longer.
This option is generally more affordable than long stays in hotels, serviced apartments, or co-living spaces. However, it’s important to note that such rentals, especially for an entire apartment, typically exclude utilities (water and electricity), internet connectivity, concierge services, housekeeping, and property maintenance. Additionally, you will need to pay Stamp Duty on the lease.
Here are the three main types of residential properties available for rent in Singapore:
- Housing Development Board (HDB) flats – public housing that more than 80% of the population lives in.
- Housing Development Board (HDB) Executive Condominiums – limited supply of housing option with features similar to that of condominiums like gated entrance, swimming pools, gyms, etc., but built and managed by the HDB for the first 10 years.
- Private condominiums – privately owned and run condominiums usually with gated entrance, swimming pools, gyms, BBQ pits, sports halls, community halls, etc.
- Landed homes – privately owned low rise building (terrace, semi-detached house, bungalows, etc.) typically less than 4 floors and without the facilities of a condominium.
The following are the estimated starting rent for the various types of properties:
- 1 room in a HDB flat – From SGD 500 a month
- Entire 2-Room HDB apartment (1 bedroom, 1 living room, 1 kitchen, 1 bomb shelter/storage room & 1 bathroom) – From SGD 1,900 a month
- 1 room in a HDB Executive Condominium (EC) – From SGD 750 a month
- Entire studio unit in a HDB Executive Condominium (EC) (1 room with bedroom, living room and kitchen without partition, and 1 bathroom) – From SGD 1,900 a month
- 1 room in a private condominium – From SGD 600 a month
- Entire studio unit in a private condominium (1 room with bedroom, living room and kitchen without partition, and 1 bathroom) – From SGD 1,800 a month
- 1 room in a landed house – From SGD 600 a month
- Studio room in a landed house (1 bedroom with ensuite bathroom) – From SGD 1,200 a month
Who is eligible to rent residential properties in Singapore?
- Singapore Citizens
- Singapore Permanent Residents
- Non-citizens legally residing in Singapore who are holders of Employment Passes (EP), S Passes, Work Permits, Student Passes, Dependant Passes (DP), or Long-Term Social Visit Passes (LTSVP). These passes must have a validity period of at least 6 months as of the date of rental application
- Work Permit holders from the construction, manufacturing, marine, and process sectors must be Malaysians
- Tourists are not allowed as tenants of HDB flats
For renting HDB flats and executive condominiums (EC), details on the eligibility of the owner to let out their rooms or apartment, the number of tenants allowed in the unit, and the foreigner quota (non-Malaysian and non-citizen) imposed on a block and neighbourhood can be found here.
For private condominiums and landed homes, the occupancy cap and other details can be found here.
What is the minimum rental period for residential properties in Singapore?
- HDB flats and HDB Executive Condominiums: 6 months
- Private condominiums and landed homes: 3 months
List of residential properties
There are several ways to rent a residential property, including referrals from friends and family, reaching out to real estate agencies, or responding to direct advertisements from property owners. However, the most common method in Singapore is through the major property portals listed below:
These portals feature thousands of listings, the majority of which are posted by property agents, while a few are directly listed by property owners.
Property agents typically charge a fee of up to one month’s rent (though they usually don’t charge tenants who respond to posts made by agents representing the owner). Despite the fee, many property seekers in Singapore prefer working with agents because they are thoroughly tested on Singapore’s property laws, rules, and regulations before being licensed by the authorities. Licensed agents are trusted by both property owners and tenants.
Best of luck with your search!
