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Singaporean Christine Tan and Malaysian Chow Beatus have been sharing a two-bedroom apartment in Sarkies Road for the last five months, but they were strangers before moving in together.
They are among a growing group of young working professionals here who rent a room in an apartment shared with other tenants, usually strangers, in an arrangement called co-living.
What is Co-Living?
Billed as an affordable and convenient housing option, co-living usually involves leases as short as three months, with rent that covers utilities, Wi-Fi and housekeeping. Co-living companies also help to match flatmates according to their preferences and personalities.
Membership with a co-living company also includes access to shared spaces, such as rooftop lounges and co-working offices – often in the same building – as well as activities organised by the company.
13 Best Co-Living Studios in Singapore
Co-living is not new to Singapore. Local company Techsquat and 13, managed by property start-up 99.co, started the co-living ball rolling in 2014 and 2015. But both closed within a year, reported The Business Times.
But with the sharing economy becoming more common, co-living companies say more are starting to buy into the concept.
| Co-Living Singapore | Price (per month) |
|---|---|
| Habyt Singapore (previously Hmlet) | $1,655 - $5,272 |
| Lyf Funan | $7,974 |
| Figment | $3,200 - $5,500 |
| Coliwoo | Not listed |
| Cove | $800 - $4,200 |
| Casa Mia Coliving | $1,100 - $1,650 |
| Weave Living | $2,800 - $3,900 |
| Hei Homes | $1,000 - $2,700 |
| Homey Coliving | $1,000 - $3,750 |
| Dash Coliving | $600 - $7,200 |
| The Assembly Place | $1,200 - $7,700 |
| KēSa House | $5,390.10 - $8,484 (rates are per night basis) |
| CP Residences | $1,900 - $8,750 |
In Singapore, the co-living scene looks set to grow, with at least several key players eager to expand.
Habyt Emerald Hill private room for $2,560 per month.
Habyt Singapore (previously Hmlet)
Hmlet, started in 2016 has recently been rebranded as Habyt, following its merger with the Berlin-based startup in 2022. Both Hmlet Cantonment and the new Hmlet-owned hotel, Owen House by Hmlet are currently still operating under Hmlet.
In 2023, Hmlet announced its rebranding exercise to operate under Habyt in Singapore. Habyt manages over 1,000 co-living and private apartment units across the APAC region in Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan, with listings in about 18 locations in Singapore. A single bedroom start from $1,655 per month, while a 2 bed and 2 bath private apartment prices are from $4,845 monthly on Habyt's website.
Read More: Affinity at Serangoon Review: From $2,250 per month by Habyt (previously Hmlet)
Login Apartment (Ceased)
Another player, Login Apartment, owned by Shanghai-based ZhongFu Investments, was aggressively expanding its 110 apartments in Singapore and boasted 16 apartments in Queenstown, Novena and East Coast.
Its master bedrooms are rented for an average of $1,800 a month. Common rooms with shared bathrooms are about $1,500 a month.
Mr Calvin Cai, country head at Login Apartment, says while many young foreigners relocate to Singapore for work, companies are opting to cut costs by leaving accommodation out of expatriate packages. "So to balance out the relatively high cost of moving to and living in Singapore, expatriate professionals are looking to co-living for more affordable and hassle-free alternatives."
As of time of writing, the Login Apartment website has been taken down.
Lyf Co-Living - Funan
New co-living space Lyf, which is under The Ascott, is also set to open its nine-storey property at Funan in September 2019.
Lyf Funan is housed within Funan Mall, from Level 4 (where the concierge is). Check in is done via a mobile app, and you get to use the communal lounge, laundry, social kitchen, gym, and Wi-Fi access.
There are 8 types of rooms ranging from a single bed studio ($223 per night), two bedroom apartments, and up to six bedroom apartments.
Figment Co-Living
Designed for executives and creatives who value heritage and local flavour, the Figment brand specialises in shophouses that each have a distinct personality.
They don’t come cheap – a shophouse suite on average starts from $3,200 to $5,500 a month – Figment homes are well-appointed, intimate spaces that stand out from the run-of-the-mill crowd.
Read More: Figment Co-Living Singapore Review
Coliwoo
There are 9 Coliwoo co-living locations around Singapore, namely at: Boon Lay (River Valley High School's former dormitory), Lutheran Road, Keppel Road (next to former Tanjong Pagar railway), 320 Balestier Road, 471 Balestier Road, 75 Beach Road, 612 Serangoon Road shophouses, 450 Serangoon Road, and Mount Elizabeth Link.
On 27 Feb 2023, Coliwoo officially launched their 22-storey Coliwoo Orchard flagship property located at 2 Mount Elizabeth Link which boasts 135 unit. Read our full review of Coliwoo Orchard here.
The biggest drawback about Coliwoo, however, is that their prices are not transparently listed on their website. To enquire, you'll have to send them a WhatsApp and reveal a bunch of personal information before you can get to any listings. Well, it's not wrong, but a little tedious in an age where you can easily access prices on other co-living sites.
Cove Co-Living
Founded in 2018 by a group of three expat friends, Cove co-living boasts 740 homes in their portfolio - a wide mix of HDBs, condos, and landed properties. Thanks to the variety of choices, the prices are more flexible and may be more palatable to working professionals on a budget.
On the Cove Co-Living website, you get a pretty neat summary of everything you might need to know - floor plan, flat mates (if any already), virtual tour of the space, videos, location details, and even housekeeping and house rules.
Read More: Cove Co-Living Review
Casa Mia Co-Living
Casa Mia Co-Living approaches co-living with a fuss-free and easy ethos. Imagine, you'll only need to pay one bill each month - all rental, utilities, facility, internet, cleaning costs are parked within.
However, the minimum stay period for Casa Mia Co-Living is 12 months. You're also required to sign up for their mandatory membership at a $200 flat fee.
There are 52 Casa Mia Coliving homes in Singapore, with prices ranging from $1,100 to $1,650 and upwards.
Weave Co-Living
Weave Living is a Hong Kong-based co-living company with an outpost in Singapore launched in March 2023.
Called Weave Suites Midtown, here will be 65 hotel-like service suites, there are three types of rooms for you to choose from: Urban Suite ($2,800), Premium Suite ($3,200), and a one-bedroom suite ($3,900). All prices are early bird offers as of time of writing.
As Weave Suites Midtown is located along 33 Jalan Sultan's shophouse units, parking will be a problem for drivers since the area is often bustling with karaoke pubs and eateries' nightlife crowd. You may need to park elsewhere when the weekend and dinner crowd descends - and return to move your car to one of the parallel lots after.
Hei Homes
Founded in 2020, Hei Homes dub themselves as a high-end co-living agency. There are approximately 33 homes across trendy and upscale districts such as Tiong Bahru, River Valley, and Orchard.
Compared to the other co-living studios in this list, Hei Homes' co-living studios are staged with decorative home accessories and furniture.
As of time of writing, there are three rooms available, with prices ranging from $1,000 (for a "pocket" room) to $2,700 per month and upwards.
Homey Co-Living
Founded by Suzanna and Daniel, both former professionals from the real estate and architecture, Homey Co-Living has over 190 homes in seven districts in Singapore such as Farrer Park, Redhill, and Bishan.
Prices range from $1,000 to $3,100 (The Sail), and upwards to $3,750 (One-North Residences).
From Homey Coliving's website, you get all the necessary information such as amenities, furniture provided, nearby MRT stations, total number of rooms in the flat, and availability. You don't get any details of your potential flat mates.
Homey's minimum stay period is 3 months, and the preferred maximum stay period is 6 months. You will get to use the washing machine and dryer for free, light cooking allowed, but pets are not allowed.
Homey's website also doesn't state their security deposit, and other miscellaneous fees that you could have to pay.
Dash Coliving
Dash Coliving is another Hong Kong-based co-living company with a presence in Singapore.
Room prices range from $600 for a bomb shelter "pocket room" and upwards to $7,200 for a 4-bedroom condo in Clement Canopy. Dash Coliving's minimum stay period is 3 months, and there's a one-month security deposit.
You get a fully furnished room, Wi-Fi, utility bills (to some extent) included, and housekeeping. Some of Dash Coliving's rooms are pet-friendly.
The Assembly Place
The Assembly Place was founded in May 2019, and has 3 flagship shophouse locations - Jalan Besar, Owen Road, and Mill@32 (Geylang). There are a total of 1,087 rooms across 104 homes in Singapore.
There are three room types, namely TAP Lite, TAP Luxe, and TAP Home (largest). Prices per month range from $1,200 to $7,700 depending on the room type and location you pefer.
KēSa House
Sitting on the fringe of Chinatown is KēSa House, a flexi-living accommodation comprising of 10 adjoining shophouses. Nestled among fancy restaurants and bars (The Guild, Cure etc.), chic cafes (Keong Saik Bakery), and fabulous local eats (Kok Sen Restaurant), you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to meals and the likes.
While KēSa House caters to tourists and staycations, it prides itself on providing extended stays without guests having to have lock-in periods. With fully furnished rooms, a lounge where you can work, a shared kitchen and complimentary launderette, KēSa House welcomes you home.
CP Residences
Let’s face it – making friends as adults, or even in a new city, is hard. Living in CP Residences removes those social obstacles, living up to its namesake Community X Places. With its inclusive community of diverse, open-minded individuals, you can relive the kampung experience with a bustling social life even in the comfort of your own home.
With a hassle-free, ready-to-move-in concept, CP Residences takes care of the nitty-gritty details, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of renting a fully furnished space without the usual headaches. Prices start from SGD$1,900 monthly for 1 bedroom in Orchard Centrepoint.
Mr Edouard Chamorel, in his One Shenton apartment run by Hmlet, which handles apartments and three buildings in Shenton Way, Raffles Place, River Valley and Joo Chiat.
Co-Living Review: Is co-living worth it in Singapore?
Bartender Benedict Poh has given up the comforts of his family home to fork out almost half his pay on a room in a Joo Chiat apartment that he shares with five others. "My friends think it's dumb to spend money to live on my own," says the 28-year-old. But he feels the expense is worth it.
He moved out of his parents' house in Marine Crescent in December 2017 because he was concerned that his unusual working hours were disrupting his family's sleep. "I love having a little haven of my own, where I can learn to mature and be more responsible," he adds.
Mr Poh belongs to a small but growing group of people who have taken to co-living, a new rental model that, unlike hostels or sublets, emphasises convenience and a sense of community.
Many firms offer bedrooms in metropolitan areas with utilities included, and organise events like barbecues and yoga classes. Some even interview and place people with others they are likely to click with.
Hmlet also organises rooftop parties for clients.
The trend has taken off in busy - and expensive - cities like New York, where "hacker houses" and "communes" are taking root in a country accustomed to dormitory life at universities and rental culture.
But it is also gaining traction in areas like Beijing and Bangalore, where rents have priced young millennials out of the city. Co-living spaces, which maximise a given area with smaller rooms and shared facilities, are often an affordable way to live in prime land.
Singapore's emerging co-living market is primarily directed at young expatriates looking for a fuss-free way to find a flat.
Part of this article first appeared on The Straits Times, Harper's Bazaar, and Her World.