What a foreigner can buy in Singapore, the real cost of stamp duties (60% ABSD) and the state of the market in 2026 according to the URA.
Buying a home in Singapore as a foreigner is possible, but within a narrow and costly framework. You can buy a private condominium apartment without permission; a detached or semi-detached house, a plot of land or a house in Sentosa Cove, on the other hand, require approval from the Singapore Land Authority. Above all, a foreigner's purchase of residential property is subject to an additional stamp duty of 60% of the price, on top of ordinary stamp duty.
The market itself remains stable and tightly regulated. According to the flash estimate published by the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on 1 October 2026, the private housing price index rose 1.4% in the third quarter of 2026, after 0.5% in the second. Over the first three quarters, the average rise is 0.9% per quarter, the same as in 2025.
Before you start, here is what you can buy, what stamp duties cost and what the latest market figures say.
The Residential Property Act distinguishes two categories of property. The Singapore Land Authority (SLA) treats as a foreigner anyone who is neither a Singapore citizen nor a Singaporean company or entity within the meaning of the law: a permanent resident is therefore still subject to these rules.
Approval applications are made online with the SLA. Public HDB housing and executive condominiums fall under the eligibility rules of the Housing and Development Board, to be checked before any project. For a foreigner, the private condominium is therefore the simplest route.
Every buyer pays BSD, calculated in bands on the purchase price or the market value, whichever is higher. For a residential property acquired since 15 February 2023, the IRAS scale is as follows: 1% on the first 180,000 Singapore dollars (SGD), 2% on the next 180,000, 3% on the next 640,000, 4% on the next 500,000, 5% on the next 1,500,000, then 6% beyond that.
Since 27 April 2023, a foreigner pays an ABSD of 60% on any residential purchase, however many properties they already own. By comparison, a permanent resident buying a first home pays 5%, and a citizen pays none on a first property. Entities pay 65%.
The example given by IRAS is telling: for a property worth SGD 2 million bought by a foreigner, the ABSD comes to SGD 1.2 million. Applying the BSD scale to the same price, you must add SGD 69,600. The tax cost at purchase therefore exceeds 63% of the price.
Some nationalities receive special treatment under free trade agreements: IRAS indicates, for example, that a US national is treated as a Singapore citizen for ABSD. Check your situation with IRAS before making any offer.
For a property bought since 4 July 2025, a resale within four years triggers a stamp duty payable by the seller: 16% of the price in the first year, 12% in the second, 8% in the third and 4% in the fourth. Beyond that, no SSD is due. A purchase in Singapore should therefore be thought of for the long term.
In the second quarter of 2026, URA recorded a 0.5% rise in private home prices, bringing the first-half increase to 1.4%, against 1.8% a year earlier. Trends diverge by property type and area:
On the rental side, private rents rose 0.7% in the second quarter. The vacancy rate for completed private homes went from 6.2% to 6.4%, with 8.3% in the Core Central Region, 6.1% in the rest of the central region and 5.6% beyond. For a buyer who plans to let the property, higher vacancy in the central districts is a point to factor in.
The government is maintaining a high supply of building land to stabilise the market, and URA urges households to be cautious when buying and borrowing, reminding them that the economic outlook remains uncertain.
Expat rental demand is concentrated in a few areas, which also makes them the most closely watched by foreign buyers. According to our city page:
To put a property you later let in context, our city page indicates that a one- or two-bedroom condominium generally rents for between SGD 3,000 and 6,000 per month, and between SGD 6,000 and 10,000 in districts 9 to 11.
Preparing a purchase in Singapore from France means visiting, comparing condominiums and checking every cost before committing. A Remoters home finder based in Singapore can search according to your budget and your project, visit properties for you and help you prepare your decision. The first conversation and the quote are free.
Short answers to the questions our readers ask, written to stand on their own.
Sources cited in this article
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