Living on The East Coast, Singapore

Deciding where to live in Singapore needs careful consideration, especially when you’ll most likely be locked into your house or apartment for two years. Here, we’ve put together a list of areas in the east of Singapore that will help you focus your search and ultimately allow you to make a more informed decision. There’s lots of things to do on the East Coast and plenty of good food too!

Coding for Kids

Looking to give your child a headstart in this digital age? Coding Lab offers MIT-inspired, award-winning coding classes for children aged 7 to 18 to experience the joy of coding. From fun games to exciting mobile apps and fascinating Python programs, it offers a range of introductory courses for aspiring techies. Younger ones will begin with simple drag-and-drop programming on Scratch and App Inventor, while older ones start off with Python, one of the most versatile programming languages. Situated at Parkway Parade and boasting gorgeous views of East Coast Park, Coding Lab lets your child have a blast diving into topics like Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Algorithms and more!

Deal! Use code ‘EXPAT5’ for an additional 5% off courses.

codinglab.com.sg/our-classes
80 Marine Parade Road, #10-06
6528 2282 | learntocode@codinglab.com.sg

5 points to consider when deciding on the neighbourhood

1. Where is the place of work for the main breadwinner in the family, and what will the commute be like? If you’re lucky enough to have a car, it’s more likely that it will be used by the parent responsible for overseeing the children’s schooling and extra-curricular activities – so don’t forget to look at public transport connections to the office, too. If you’re both working, it’s even more important to think about your commutes.
2. Once you’ve picked a range of locations with a commute that you’re satisfied with, have a think about what you’d like to surround yourself with. Is it important for you to be near a coffee shop or grocery store, for example, or a restaurant or pub? Do you want to look at greenery or the sea?
3. If you have children, look at the schools in those particular areas. Although there are school buses, if you’re too far away – at the first pick-up point for the bus, for example – you could have a very early start to your day. Some bus pick-ups start at 6.30am.
4. Do you want to be able to walk from your door and onto grass, or is a balcony enough?
5. What facilities do you want? Would you prefer a pool, gym and tennis court in the complex where you live, or would you be happy joining a club for access to these?

Living on the East Coast of Singapore

The East Coast area runs from Kallang for 18km to Changi Airport, and has long been popular with expats. It’s usually breezy, and the East Coast Park with its cycling, running and entertainment options is a great attraction. There’s a mix of houses and condos for various budgets, and many people say that once you’ve lived in this area, it’s hard to move away. The ECP, KPE and PIE motorways provide easy access to the city, the north and the airport. UWC South East Asia, the Canadian School and many other schools have campuses here too, and there are also good preschools.

Katong / Joo Chiat

These inland areas are close to town and favoured by expats who are keen to experience local Peranakan culture or live in one of the beautiful shophouses. The colourful neighbourhoods boast several large malls, including Parkway Parade and 112 Katong.

Siglap / Bedok

These areas are further north and have more of a village feel. Housing options vary from apartments and townhouses to spacious, detached bungalows. The new purpose-built campus of UWC South East Asia is close by, as is OWIS. There are a couple of MRTs that run through this area, along to EXPO and the airport.

Tips from a resident of the East Coast

“The East gives us that perfect balance. I like being nearer to the sea, and not as close to the urban and concrete jungle! There are great schools, and both local and now most international schools have campuses here. There are plenty of eateries and restaurants with all sorts of multicultural cuisine too. Even better, there’s a new MRT line close by.”

– Shivani

Interested in buying a condo on the East Coast?

There’s a new condo, LIV @ MB, being built along Arthur Road where the former Katong Park Towers was in Mountbatten, Singapore. The upcoming Katong Park MRT Station is just a three minutes’ walk away; there’s also easy access to Kallang–Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE), East Coast Park (ECP) and Marina Coastal Expressway (MCE).

The neighbourhood is home to Katong Shopping Centre, Parkway Parade, 112 Katong, Marine Parade Food Centre, Dunman Food Centre and Eunos Market; there are plenty of restaurants and historic buildings too.

Choose from one to four-bedroom apartments and luxurious penthouses with unblocked views of the city’s skyline, plus indoor and outdoor facilities within the development.

Find more information about the LIV @ MB showflat here; preview slots will be released nearer to launch date.

To learn more about living in Singapore, grab your free copy of the City Guide here.

Michaela Bisset

Michaela is the youngest member of the Expat Living team and therefore the best one. She's London born but Singapore grown. Third culture kid. She’s always on the lookout for the best drinking deals and latest vegetarian bites.