University residence, shared flat in an HDB or condominium: the options for finding housing in Singapore during your studies, rents and rules to know.
As a student in Singapore, you have three options: a room in a university residence, a room rented with a host or in a shared flat, or an apartment for yourself. The residence is the simplest when you arrive from abroad. In the private market, a shared flat is by far the most common option: a room in a public HDB flat rents for between 600 and 1,500 Singapore dollars (SGD) a month, and between 1,000 and 2,700 SGD in a private condominium. A whole apartment starts at around 2,500 SGD, which reserves it for solid budgets.
Rents are holding firm. According to the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), private housing rents rose 0.7% in the second quarter of 2026, after 0.3% in the first. The vacancy rate for completed private homes was 6.4% at the end of June 2026: supply exists, but well-located properties go fast.
This guide compares the three options, explains the rules specific to HDB flats, gives pointers on neighbourhoods and lists the precautions to take before signing.
Public universities house some of their students on campus. The example of the National University of Singapore (NUS) shows how it works:
Apply as soon as your university's applications open and prepare a fallback on the private market: places are not guaranteed.
This is the most common solution for students who do not have a place on campus. You rent a room, often furnished, in an HDB flat or in a condominium. The condominium costs more but generally offers a pool, a gym and security. The HDB flat is cheaper and often better integrated into neighbourhood life, with strict rules to know (see below).
An entire three- or four-room HDB flat rents for between SGD 2,500 and 4,000 per month, and a one- or two-bedroom condominium for between SGD 3,000 and 6,000. For a student, this option only makes sense with several people.
The public flats of the Housing & Development Board (HDB) house a large share of the population. Their owners can rent out rooms, but under conditions set by the HDB:
In practice, ask the owner for confirmation that your tenancy has been declared: the HDB provides an online service that lets tenants check that they are properly registered. An exchange semester of four or five months is not enough for an HDB room: aim for a residence or a condominium instead.
Choose first according to your campus and the MRT line serving it, then according to budget. Rents follow the distance from the centre and the proximity of a station.
Renting often follows two steps: a Letter of Intent that reserves the property, then the Tenancy Agreement. Read them carefully:
NUS points out that any agreement signed with a private landlord is a private arrangement: the university cannot intervene in the event of a dispute. Students can then turn to the Small Claims Tribunals. For your first weeks, NUS indicates that a stay of a month or more in a private hostel costs about half as much as an average hotel in the same neighbourhood: a practical solution for viewing on the spot before committing.
From France, it is hard to visit, to check that an HDB room is declared and to compare offers fast enough. A Remoters home finder based in Singapore can search for you according to your campus and budget, visit properties, put together your application and review the lease before signing. 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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