Benefits of Living in Bukit Chagar JB - Cheaper Housing, Save $250,000 and Yet Enjoy Singapore Amenities

This is an interesting thought while reading a forum.

With Singapore and Malaysia building the RTS, it may mean that, we Singaporeans, can avoid the high cost of housing by living in JB Bukit Chagar area and using the RTS to commute. With the RTS, the Bukit Chagar area is like an extra MRT stop or two after the Woodlands North MRT Station of the Thomson East Coast Line.

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Apartment Cost at Bukit Chagar Area

A search in Propertyguru shows housing prices in this area to be about RM 1,000,000 (SGD$290,000) for a 1,000-1,100 square feet freehold condo unit and of 5 minutes walk from the new RTS station.

Travelling time from Bukit Chagar Area to Singapore city centre and Orchard takes 1 hour and 50 minutes respectively. This is the same travelling time from Choa Chu Kang/Bukit Gombak. And if you need to see a doctor or polyclinic, the travelling time from Bukit Chagar to Woodlands Polyclinic is a 25 minutes travelling time via public transport.

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How Much can We Save?

A 4 room resale HDB flat of the same size (with remaining lease of 85 years or more) in the above 2 mentioned areas in Singapore goes for $550,000-$600,000.

Given that the travelling time from JB Bukit Chagar visa public transport will be the same as these 2 areas, they are good comparables. Living in Bukit Chagar means we can save $250,000.

This makes applying for the Mymalaysia Second Home visa valuable. Given the cheap housing cost in JB chagar area (in exchange for a lower level of security vis-a-vis if one lives in Singapore), will individuals decide to move to Bukit Chagar area?