Foreigners wishing to rent property in Singapore have two main options, public or private housing. By far the most economical option is that of public housing.

Public Housing

To facilitate affordable, quality housing ownership by its residents, an agency of the Singapore government, the Housing and Development Board (HDB), built government-subsidized flats in clusters in many housing estates found throughout the island. Each neighbourhood in Singapore can be made up of several HDB housing estates. Each neighbourhood is designed to be a self-contained neighborhood, with amenities such as supermarkets and wet markets, food centers, clinics, schools, libraries, banks, post offices and so on. For an introduction to the neighbourhoods in Singapore, refer to the section on Accommodation and Property in the Expat Focus City Guide on Singapore.

Foreigners can rent individual rooms within HDB flats, or rent entire units directly on the open market. These units are listed by owners or real estate agents in the classifieds of local newspapers, such as The Straits Times. There is a scheme to rent public flats called Housing of Foreign Talent (SHiFT), which is administered by the JTC Corporation. Rental rates range between SGD$1,350 to SGD$1,900 per month. Leases are generally for two years and require at least a one-month deposit. You will need to apply to JTC, and apartment units are allocated based on your indicated preference for location. For further details and eligibility requirements, contact the Housing Development Group, JTC Corporation at (65) 6885 5315 or email hdg@jtc.gov.sg.

Flats can come furnished or unfurnished. As these flats are rented on the open market, many factors affect the rental rates, such as location, proximity to amenities, condition of flat and so on. The HDB website publishes the latest median rents of HDB flats by quarters. As of the last quarter in 2008, the lowest HDB rent was SGD$900 per month for a 2-room flat in Sengkang, while the highest rent was SGD$3,350 per month for an executive HDB flat in Queenstown. For the latest figures, check out the HDB website at this link.

There are conservancy fees to be paid for the maintenance of HDB estates. As HDB estates do not have premium facilities such as private swimming pools or employ private security guards, the conservancy fees are low, at less than SGD$100 per month. Some owners include the conservancy fees as part of the rent, while others may charge accordingly. Check with your landlord to clarify.

Private Housing

For those who prefer private housing, there is a selection of apartments, condominium units and houses available. Private apartments and condominiums in Singapore are usually within gated compounds, and come with some premium facilities, such as swimming pools and private car parks, Most private condominiums employ private security guards. Newer condominiums come with beautifully landscaped gardens, outdoor barbercue facilities, gymnasiums and fitness centers, saunas, mini-golf, tennis courts and the like. These facilities usually mean that the conservancy fees can be high (usually in the range of SGD$200 or more per month), depending on the range of premium facilities available. It is useful to keep this in mind and clarify with your landlord as to whether conservancy fees are part of the rent.

Listings can be obtained in classified advertisements, or you can enlist the services of a housing / real estate agent. Some private condominiums are serviced apartments. Most private apartments offer between 800 - 2,000 sq ft. Terms differ from unit to unit, with most requiring a lease of at least one year and a security deposit.

As a guide, you can safely assume that the rents for private apartments are always higher than HDB flats, even when comparing different locations. Expect the rental rates in neighbourhoods such as Orchard, Tanglin, Holland, Bukit Timah, Newton, Kallang and Clementi to be at least two times that of the rental rates in other neighbourhoods, as these neighbourhoods are located closer to Singapore's central business district and shopping area. As the result of the current global credit crunch, rental rates for private properties in 2008 have dropped slightly, on average 0.5 percent to 2.2 percent.