Living in Singapore is for the most part pretty cheap, but a massive exception is property prices. It may seem daunting looking for housing options when the rent is generally in the thousands, but you do have a few other options. If leasing a whole house or apartment is too much for your wallet, why not consider sharing one with a housemate? Not only is it a great way to save some money, but it’s one way to meet a decent pal, especially if you’re new in town. Here are five websites to help you out with finding shared accommodation.
Easy Roommate
Easy Roommate is the most established website in Singapore for finding a roommate. Here, you can upload a profile of yourself, check out and contact potential roomies. The search criteria is quite simple and gives you the option of searching a map to get an idea of the location and local amenities.
Homie
This is a relatively new website, but worth exploring. Like Easy Roommate, you can post and have a look at member profiles. But the best thing about this site is that it’s visually easier to navigate and browse. They’re also locally operated, so you can expect contacting staff to be more straightforward.
National Youth Council Academy, 113 Somerset Road, 238165
STProperty
A quick glance on here will show plenty of rooms for rent. Unfortunately, most of these listings don’t show a profile of potential roommates, so it would be a good idea to contact owners or agents for more details.
Airbnb
If you’re looking for a short term option, this is it. Hosts around the world use this website as a way to find someone to fill up a spare room. Most places charge per night so costs will vary. This is a good option if you’re in between living arrangements or unsure whether your job will work out.
SG House Forum
This forum has general posts from people looking to rent out rooms. There’s no specific filter to help you sort out the different entries, so you’ll have to manually go through them all. The upside is that you’ll have a large variety to go through if you can’t find anything else.
Tips for searching:
- Decide whether you would be comfortable sharing a bedroom or bathroom. Some people may be more private than others or uncomfortable with sharing certain spaces with the opposite sex.
- To avoid personality clashes, have an honest chat to compare lifestyles and living habits. Talk about what sort of expectations you each have for a roommate to ensure you’re compatible and both get the best experience out of it.
- Look out for uncomfortable behaviour or signs of dishonesty. If you feel uneasy about someone your best bet is to move on and continue the search. Remember that you will be interacting with whoever you choose on a daily basis and, ultimately, your safety is your number one priority.
- Never send out money without seeing the property first. Any reputable agent or roommate will allow you to inspect the home in person before making a financial commitment.
For more helpful tips head to our living in Singapore section.
