MS Polls: S’pore youths say living alone is ‘crazy expensive’, 96% of respondents would rather stay with parents

MS Polls: 96% of respondents would rather stay with their parents

In 2024, HDB resale prices jumped by 9.6% — double the increase from the year before.

Rental prices are not any better, with non-landed private homes going for more than S$4,000 a month in the later part of last year.

Increasing housing prices in Singapore, coupled with the Asian culture of filial piety, makes moving out of one’s family home a challenging task.

According to a recent poll by Answers.sg,  a striking 96% of 3,019 respondents voted that they would rather stay with their parents.

Pat, a student awaiting university admission, tells MS News that she is not shocked by the results as rent these days is “crazy expensive”.

She considers moving out of her parents’ when she is much older and can support herself financially.

Will only consider moving out when financially stable

Pat noted that living with her parents gives her a “sense of security” both physically and financially.

For the 23-year-old student, moving out is also a matter of time as she is currently in a long-term relationship.

She said that she would prefer living with her significant other in time to come.

Pat is not alone in her financial worries — the high cost of living in Singapore is the biggest concern for most young people when it comes to living independently.

Source: Housing Development Board

23-year-old Zoey Ng, who lives with her husband, juggles a 9am to 6pm job as an events executive and part-times at a bakery on the weekends.

She finds it necessary to do so to afford rent and utility bills.

Ms Ng rents a room with her husband for S$500 a month — nothing that this is a “good offer” given by her husband’s boss.

Even if her rent was higher, Ms Ng says that she would continue to live away from her parents who overcame their worry to eventually support her decision.

She said that although it was a tough decision to move out, she did not regret it as it taught her how to manage her finances.

For example, she now has to weigh her wants and needs seriously, and not buy things on impulse.

Moving out not feasible, parents are a security blanket

Youths who spoke to MS News shared that moving out of their parents’ place just does not seem feasible for now.

Moving out is only likely when they have a partner and also when they have a salary enough to support themselves.

Source: Kaboompics.com on Pexels for illustration purposes only

Jasmine Tan, 21, said that as a university student without a part-time job, she is concerned about being about to afford utility bills, groceries, and other expenses if she lives alone.

Meanwhile, living with parents usually means not having to worry about such spending — even if it comes at the cost of their freedom.

For Ms Tan, this means following a strict 10pm curfew.

On top of having her bills and pocket money covered, she added that she does not need to spend time on household chores and can fully focus on her studies.

Taking steps towards independence and adulthood

Unlike in Western countries, traditional Asian cultures place a heavy emphasis on filial piety — the expectation children will support their parents in old age.

In Singapore, it is still the norm for children to live with their parents until they get married.

However, both Pat and Ms Tan mentioned that their parents would not mind if they would prefer to move out before marriage.

While comfortable living with her parents, Ms Tan shared that she currently resides in her university’s dormitory while in her second year of studies.

She told MS News that hall life feels like a “small step towards adulthood” and that she “enjoys the freedom” to be able to go out for supper and attend social events.

“I don’t really have anyone but myself to be accountable for,” added Ms Tan.

Even so, she often finds herself longing for a taste of her mother’s home-cooked meals.

Also read: MS Polls: Is S’pore too expensive? Nearly 40% polled say they need S$9K a month to survive