Redditor asks if spending half of salary on rent in S’pore is common, netizens advise against it

Foreigner moving to Singapore wonders if spending half of salary on rent is normal

Renting in Singapore can be eye-wateringly expensive — especially if you’re a foreigner who wants a place to yourself.

A Reddit post in r/askSingapore on 29 June has reignited the age-old question: Just how much is too much to spend on rent in the Lion City?

Titled “Is it common to spend nearly half your salary on rent in Singapore?”, the OP, who’s moving to Singapore for work, asked if it’s common to spend nearly half of one’s salary on rent.

They shared that their salary would be around S$7,000 a month, and that a one-bedroom or studio in a “decent” location appears to cost S$2,500 to S$3,000.

“I don’t live a luxury lifestyle,” they wrote. “I’m happy to eat hawker food most of the time.”

They added that they value their privacy and therefore would like to rent a place of their own, with no housemates.

“Would that be financially reckless or just the norm?”

Many say spending S$3K or more is normal for rent in central areas

The post drew over 160 comments, with netizens chiming in about their own housing budgets and rental experiences.

One Redditor said the OP’s budget sounded “about right” for a single person renting in a more central neighbourhood.

“You might be able to save a few hundred if you go further out from central, but then you’ll be paying for it in terms of time and travel cost,” they wrote.

Another commenter warned that S$3,500 to S$4,000 is a more realistic estimate for a central one-bedroom unit.

They added that they personally kept rent to a third of their salary by staying in the East.

“Unfortunately, that would be the price you would pay for peace,” another wrote.

Others warn that spending 50% of salary on rent is financially unsound

Not everyone was on board with dropping nearly half a salary on housing.

One user said that it’s “not smart” to spend 50% of one’s salary on rent.

They encouraged the OP to look at cheaper areas such as Toa Payoh, where studios cost about S$2,100 — amounting to 30% of the OP’s salary.

“I wouldn’t advise spending 50% on rent, especially if living alone,” another wrote, noting that expenses do pile up.

With 50% of salary spent on rent, they highlighted that “there’s a real chance you might start denying yourself other simple pleasures like taking a cab”.

Also read: S’pore fresh grad says mum ‘demanding money’ after getting first full-time job, expected to pay S$500 a month

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Featured image adapted from 895Stocker on Canva.