Don’t be surprised by condo maintenance costs: Here’s all you need to know, including how to lower your fees

Are you preparing to buy and move into a condominium in Singapore?

Whether you’re planning on transitioning from another property type to a condo, or are weighing out your first-time home buying options, if you’re considering condo living, there are some little nitty-gritties you should know about as a buyer.

So, you know, you’re not left in the dark or surprised by hidden costs you didn’t budget for when chatting to property agents.

There’s nothing more empowering as a homeowner than keeping informed.

Have you heard about condo maintenance fees?

What are the average condo maintenance fees?

There’s no one set bar for condo maintenance fees (also known as MCST fees). These homeowner costs vary per condo and are based on a number of factors. This ranges from the size of your private property to the building’s facilities to the actual size of the entire condominium block.

As listed on New Condo Launch, the average condo maintenance fees for 2026 range between $250-$450 for a standard 1-bedroom or studio (no bigger than 600 sq ft) to $800-$1500 for a standard 4-bedroom or luxury unit (over 1,200 sq ft).

What do these condo maintenance fees involve?

You’re staying in a condo and paying your MCST fees. But where do these fees go? How are they used? And for what exactly?

MCST fees are split into two primary categories:

1. Sinking Fund fees
2. Management fees

The Sinking Fund Fees

An easy way to wrap your head around Sinking Fund fees, payable by the homeowner, is this.

If you didn’t pay these condo maintenance fees, your building would sink. Not literally, as in, underwater. But it would eventually stop working.

Sinking Fund fees cover the large, basic running and upkeep of the building, specifically the exterior workings. The big stuff. The once in a blue moon repairs. The parts that keep your apartment building standing – not sinking – and looking in top-notch shape. It’s a reserve fund. Sinking Fund Fees cover major expenses like:

• Lift/elevator repairs and upgrades
• Building’s roofing repairs
• Facade painting work
• Shared building facility refurbishments
• Other large unforeseen building and maintenance repairs

The Management Fees

What happens if you don’t treat a pool with chlorine for one week? It turns green!

The Sinking Fund fees cover the overall major expenses that it takes to maintain the condo building. Think big picture.

On the other hand, the management fees refer to the daily costs it takes to upkeep and maintain the building, especially its shared facilities. The parts and people you see every day within your condo space. Management Fund fees cover costs such as:

• Garden landscaping and daily cleaning/maintenance
• Upkeep and cleaning of communal areas/facilities/ammenitites including pool/s, gym/fitness centre, BBQ facilities, children’s playground, car park and sports fields like a tennis court
• Cleanliness of public condo utilities like toilets, corridors and lifts
• Water and electricity costs used by shared condo facilities
• Refuse/garbage collection
• Security, from guards to CCTV monitors
• Building insurance

Are condo maintenance fees all the same?

The short and sweet answer is no.

Combined, your MCST fees are payable monthly.

A swimming pool certainly sounds dreamy. But it’s not just the facilities of a condo that are appealing. There’s added security. Location appeal. Increased privacy. And more.

However, every condo is different; not all of them boast the same facilities as the one next door, or even look the same. There are new development condos and older ones. Condos varying in size and levels. Condos built in different neighbourhoods.

All of these factors, and more, affect the price of your condo maintenance fee.

Are there ways to lower maintenance costs?

Yes, and it takes some smart planning before you buy a condo.

You might not be able to move into a condo and then pay a lower MCST fee than your next-door neighbour.

But considerable homework, planning and condo-hunting preparations can help you find a condo with reasonable MCST fees within your budget. Quick cost factors to consider:

1. Unit size
2. Facilities
3. Building’s age
4. Area/neighbourhood
5. A development with the BCA Green Mark Maintainability Badge
6. Standard VS luxury condo developments

One condo owner lives in a 12-unit condo, where every unit is a 3-bedroom + 3-bathrooms and 1400 sq ft, but has no major facilities like a swimming pool or tennis court (only a shared BBQ pit and children’s swing), or any utilities like a lift – only stairs – pays $250 per month in MCST fees.

Another condo owner lives in a huge block with 1,000 units, owns a 2-bedroom condo, and has access to a wide variety of amenities, including a swimming pool, tennis and squash courts, gym, sauna, games room, two car parks, six BBQ pits and multiple on-site security guards, and pays $265 per month in condo maintenance fees.

The difference? One condo owner lives in a smaller block but has fewer facilities and residents to split costs. The other lives in a larger block with a lot of facilities, and the costs are divided among a bigger pool of condo owners.

Careful consideration and comparing these sorts of evaluations is key to saving on MCST costs. Don’t be left in the dark!

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