Condo Renting 101: Where to Look and Other Factors to Consider

The regions

The private residential property market in Singapore is divided into three geographical market segments: the central regions Core Central and Rest of Central; and Outside Central Region.

Regions are made up of several districts, which total 28 across the island. As a visual aid, think of the regions as concentric rings, with the Core Central Region (CCR) as the centre, followed by the Rest of Central Region (RCR) as an outer ring, and finally Outside Central Region (OCR) as the outermost ring.

In Singapore, like everywhere else, the closer a condo is to the centre, the higher the rent it commands.

For a more detailed look of Singapore, use this map by the Singapore Land Authority.

Core Central Region (CCR): Districts 9, 10, 11, Downtown Core, Sentosa

The CCR is considered as Singapore’s main prime metropolitan area and comprises the upscale postal districts 9, 10, 11, Downtown Core Planning Area and Sentosa. Due to its central location, close proximity to the Central Business District (CBD) and the quality of the properties, rents are generally highest in this region compared to the rest of the island.

What’s it like in CCR

Except for Sentosa, this region is what locals would casually call “downtown”. It’s the place to be if you want to be right in the heart of it all: fine dining options and wine in the Marina Bay area, beer with colleagues practically next door to the towering office buildings of Raffles Place, and perhaps clubbing in Clark Quay or Robertson Quay along the Singapore River.

This region also offers plenty of luxury brand shopping destinations, foremost of which is Singapore’s most famous shopping boulevard, Orchard Road.

For those who prefer to explore trails closeby, Singapore has a park right smack in the Dhoby Ghaut area called Fort Canning Park.

1. Districts 9, 10, 11

• These districts are the traditional housing areas for high net-worth individuals, which include a concentration of expatriates. Luxury condominiums abound here, as well as high-end landed properties and Good Class Bungalows, which are landed and so are mainly Singaporean-owned.
• District 9 is where Orchard Road is located. Aside from being a retail heaven, international cuisines and hang-out places are plentiful in this area.

ION Orchard, one of Singapore’s most dazzling shopping complexes, houses over eight levels of stores, from luxury brands to high street fashion and entertainment stores.

2. Downtown Core

• This area is considered the economic heart of Singapore, the location of the Central Business District.
• Many banking, finance and technology companies occupy prime office spaces in the many skyscrapers in Raffles Place, Tanjong Pagar and Marina Bay.
• Many expatriates in these industries also call the vicinity home.
• At the southern end of the centre is Marina Bay which features cultural, entertainment and living environments. This district is usually showcased as a reflection of Singapore’s position as a leading business and financial hub.
• The Downtown Core is also home to many government institutions, notably the The Parliament of Singapore, the Supreme Court of Singapore, and the Singapore Exchange.
• Marina Bay Sands, one of the most expensive buildings in the world with the most expensive standalone casino, is also in this area, at Bayfront Avenue.

3. Sentosa

• Sentosa is an island resort off Singapore’s southern coast, connected to the city by road, cable car, pedestrian boardwalk and monorail. The area has over 2,000 homes, ranging from high-rise condominiums to luxury bungalows with adjoining private berths for boats.
• Sentosa Cove is the only enclave where foreigners can buy landed, leasehold property, subject to approval.
• The massive Resorts World Singapore is located here. The integrated resort with a casino owned by the Genting Group includes five hotels and four, kid-friendly attractions: Universal Studios Singapore, S.E.A. Aquarium, Adventure Cove Waterpark and Dolphin Island.
• Other hotels in Sentosa are Amara Sanctuary Resort, Capella Singapore, Shangri-La Rasa Sentosa, among others.
• Some of Singapore’s best beaches are here: Palawan and Tanjong Beach.

These areas are in this region

This is a general guide and not at all comprehensive. District codes are actually no longer officially used in Singapore but many still use this information when buying or renting.

International schools in this region:

• Anglo-Chinese School (International) Singapore – Holland Village
• Chatsworth International School – Bukit Timah
• Hwa Chong International School – Bukit Timah
• ISS International School – Alexandra
• Invictus International School – Dempsey
• SJI International School – Novena
• North London Collegiate School – Depot Road
• Singapore Korean International School – Bukit Timah
• Swiss School in Singapore – Bukit Timah

RCR is the location of high-tech business park one-north, which has the reputation of being the Silicon Valley of Singapore.

Rest of Central Region (RCR)

This region comprises the non-core area within the Central Region that is outside postal districts 9, 10, 11, Downtown Core Planning Area and Sentosa.

RCR hosts mid-tier private residential properties and is thus a very popular area for its close proximity to the CBD. With slightly more affordable property prices compared to CCR, this city-fringe area attracts young working adults and expatriates, likely from the technology, retail, hospitality, healthcare, life science and education sectors.

What’s it like in RCR

This region hosts high-tech business park one-north, which has the reputation of being the Silicon Valley of Singapore for its R&D and high technology cluster, comprising biomedical sciences (Biopolis), infocomm technology (Fusionopolis) and media industries (Mediapolis), among others.

If a night of fun in the city is not in the cards, a popular local destination in this region for pub and grub is Holland Village. Locals and expatriates love this place for its laid back atmosphere, artsy vibe and choice of watering holes and live bands.

A similar place in the East is Katong, with its heritage buildings and colourful shophouses. Expats and locals living around this area congregate here for its many small restaurants and unassuming, open-air pubs.

Meanwhile, Buona Vista attracts visitors who prefer serene parks, natural vistas and hilly trails.

For a day of exploring a historic district, there is Kampong Glam in the Rochor area with its global food offerings and hip boutiques.

These areas are in this region

International schools in this region:

• Australian International School Singapore – Serangoon
• Dover Court International School – Queenstown
• French School of Singapore (Lycée Français de Singapour) – Ang Mo Kio
• Nexus International School Singapore – Aljunied
• SJI International School – Novena
• Tanglin Trust School – one-north
• The Japanese School Singapore – West Coast, Clementi and Changi
• United World College of South East Asia – Dover and East
• Waseda Shibuya Senior High School in Singapore – West Coast

Jewel Changi Airport is a mall linked to three of Changi Airport’s passenger terminals. Its centrepiece is the Rain Vortex, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall.

Outside Central Region (OCR)

This comprises the areas in Singapore which are outside the Central Region.

This is heartland country, where the majority of Singaporeans live. Aside from more affordable rentals, tenants here typically enjoy larger units compared to city condos.

Despite the distance from the CBD, private housing in this region is far from being remote given Singapore’s size and excellent public transport system.

Nowadays, more and more foreigners also choose to live outside the central region to be closer to their workplaces.

This is in line with the government’s strategy to decentralise the CBD by bringing workplaces closer to homes. A good example of this strategy is one-north, which has injected energy into a section of Queenstown.

What’s it like in OCR

Some of the popular things to do in this region are activities that make use of wide open spaces, such as cycling or rollerblading beachside at East Coast Park, exploring the many trails of Punggol Waterway Park or the Bukit Batok Nature Park or running along the Sembawang River, among others.

There are also more children-friendly places to explore here, from neighbourhood playgrounds to the much-loved Singapore Zoo, Jurong Bird Park and Science Park.

These areas are in this region

International schools in this region:

• Canadian International School (Singapore) – Lakeside and Tanjong Katong
• Dulwich College Singapore – Bukit Batok
• GEMS World Academy (Singapore) – Yishun
• German European School Singapore – Bukit Batok and Bukit Timah
• Global Indian International School Singapore – Punggol and East Coast
• Overseas Family School – Pasir Ris
• Singapore American School – Woodlands
• Stamford American International School – Bidadari