This Little Red Dot is a vibrant and colourful place to be on your expat relocation journey. Our Expat Rental Guide provides you with some food for thought before you make the move over. Singapore is a great city to meet new people as the expatriate social scene is super friendly, and is also a lovely place to grow a family because of the high standard of living/healthcare/education, affordable domestic help. As an expat relocating to Singapore, there will be many factors to consider; read our Expat Rental Guide the team has prepared.
1. Condo or Landed?
Renting in Singapore has many options. There is a wide variety of condominiums to choose from, with different facilities, sizes and styles all at a different price point. Each condo is known to have its own vibe and community, read Expat Livings (the Meridius Inventories team favourite for all our clients moving here) to know a little bit more about Living in Singapore. The condo lifestyle is often dubbed as “resort-style living” , but for some, after a while space becomes an issue and exploring the island outside of your condo community is desired. Landed houses offer more space and privacy, which some families may prefer but there is no ready made community, and a little more maintenance that comes with the space. There are landed houses situated in neighbourhoods filled with expatriates and children and even little enclaves with restaurants and bakeries nearby, which only goes to show that landed house living is not so isolating after all. Choosing Condo vs Landed can be tricky decision for a first time Expat relocating to Singapore, our Rental Guide will give you a clearer idea on what to expect and consider during the search.
2. Monthly Budget for your Rental Home
Singapore is one of the worlds most expensive countries to live in, and this includes rental prices. The cost of living here is an important factor to consider when making the move, or negotiating your relocation package. Rental costs, Transport, School Fees, Groceries, Utilities, Helper etc, they all add up. Rental prices start from 3000 SGD for a studio apartment not centrally located and can go all the way to 30,000 SGD for a penthouse. Each location, known as a district, comes with a price range and the further you are from central, the cheaper it gets, but also the older projects are generally cheaper too. If landed houses are your choice, there is a wider price range dependant on the location too. For Example, a 4 bedroom centrally located with a pool could be SGD$10k and above, whereas in the east you could get one for SGD$6k. Luckily, the small island we live on has many options to offer and the team at Meridius Inventories believes that there is always a home for every price range when you work with our Expat Agent Team.
3. Amenities and Facilities in your Condo/Neighbourhood
Landed houses are situated in different neighbourhoods within each district throughout Singapore, and every neighbourhood has something different to offer. Many landed houses here have swimming pools and have a playground nearby for kids to play. There are also houses in Singapore, known as Conservation houses, such as Black and Whites and Peranakan Shophouses. These are coveted and desired by many expats moving to Asia.
Living in a condo comes with the standard facilities of a pool, gym and security, even though Singapore is very safe. Here in Singapore, we are spoilt for choice with the facilities that each condo has to offer; some with an olympic sized pool or even private pools, some have hair salons and mini marts inside! There are also no frill condos which are low density with minimal facilities. Having a good property agent who knows the hidden gems around Singapore will make the house hunt easier.
4. Travel Distance and Route
Is it important for your home to be near the MRT line or a Bus Route? Will you be leasing a car or travelling mostly by Grab? Do you mind walking out a little bit to the nearest MRT station? Do you want to live near the kids school or near your work? Transport in Singapore is a breeze, with an extremely efficient public transport system you get around without much hassle. Everything is convenient and within reach here, and the MRT lines are pretty much everywhere, similar to the bus routes. Grab is extremely affordable here and most people do heavy shopping online. There are also premium buses that take you from your condo to work in CBD.