City-fringe condos in Districts 3, 8 and 14 can still be found below $1,500 PSF in the resale market — primarily older 99-year leasehold stock built before 2010. The window is narrowing: RCR prices rose 0.8% in Q1 2026 and 4.9% year-on-year, yet targeted searches in Tiong Bahru fringe, Little India and Geylang/Eunos still yield sub-$1,500 PSF options within 3 km of Raffles Place.
The $1,500 PSF threshold is something of a psychological line in Singapore's private residential market — below it sits affordable density; above it, the premium the market charges for newness, branding or central location. In 2019 you could cross that line in several RCR districts without much effort. In 2026 it requires more precision, but the opportunities are real for buyers willing to do the homework.
The geography of "near CBD" matters here. Singapore's Central Business District anchors on Districts 1 and 2 — Raffles Place, Tanjong Pagar, Shenton Way. Within a 3-to-5 km radius you reach Districts 3 (Tiong Bahru, Queenstown fringe), 7 (Beach Road, Middle Road), 8 (Farrer Park, Little India), and 14 (Geylang, Eunos, Paya Lebar). These are not suburban addresses — many units sit under 15 minutes by MRT from the financial district. Yet because they lack the gloss of D9/D10, and because some carry older 99-year leases or a less polished street context, the market prices them differently.
This article maps where the sub-$1,500 PSF pockets actually are, which projects have traded at or below that level in recent URA data, what the lease-decay arithmetic looks like, and how to stress-test the purchase before committing. The goal is not to celebrate cheap property — it is to help you distinguish value from a value trap.
The broader backdrop: URA's Private Residential Property Price Index rose 0.9% in Q1 2026 (revised up from the flash estimate of 0.3%), driven by the Outside Central Region at +2.2% and the Rest of Central Region at +0.8% quarter-on-quarter. Year-on-year, the RCR is up 4.9% — meaning buyers who hesitate face a moving floor. The overall resale median for non-landed private homes held near $1,763 PSF in Q4 2025, a figure that underscores how rare genuine sub-$1,500 PSF in the central belt has become.
At the same time, URA's market segment definitions place Districts 3, 8 and 14 firmly in the RCR — a segment that historically traded at a discount to the CCR but a premium to the OCR. The remaining sub-$1,500 PSF stock in these districts is almost entirely older leasehold inventory: projects launched pre-2010 with 60–75 years of remaining lease. Understanding that trade-off between location quality and lease tenure is the central analytical task for any buyer in this bracket. For a detailed breakdown of all districts currently transacting below $1,500 PSF, see the Districts Under $1,500 PSF in Singapore guide.
Location-driven buying decisions in Singapore should anchor on three data layers: transaction density (how easy it is to exit), proximity scores to MRT and schools, and medium-term supply (upcoming launches and en-bloc pipeline). This guide combines those layers for the target area and pairs them with the calculators and district profiles you need to pressure-test a shortlist.
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Condos Near CBD Under $1,500 PSF: City-Adjacent Value
This guide analyses condos near cbd under $1,500 psf: city-adjacent value using ShiokNest's property database, walkability scores, and transaction data.
How We Analyse Location
- MRT proximity — walking distance to nearest station
- School access — primary schools within 1km
- Amenities — malls, markets, parks, clinics nearby
- Transaction data — recent PSF trends and volume
- Rental demand — vacancy rates and rental yields
Let us work through the three most consistently sub-$1,500 PSF micro-markets near the CBD, drawing on URA REALIS transaction data and listing activity through Q1 2026.
District 14 — Geylang, Eunos, Paya Lebar. D14 remains the most accessible of the three. The average resale PSF for freehold condos in the district has hovered around $1,516 PSF — already below the islandwide non-landed median of ~$1,763 PSF — while older 99-year leasehold projects in the district have changed hands closer to $1,200–$1,380 PSF. Projects such as Waterfront Waves, City Plaza residences, and several smaller walk-up conversions along Guillemard Road fall into this bracket. The Paya Lebar corridor upgrade (office rezoning, airport height-restriction removal) has lifted newer stock, but older pre-2005 buildings have not fully repriced. For rental-yield context, see the Best Rental Yield Condos in District 14 (Geylang, Eunos) analysis.
District 8 — Little India, Farrer Park. D8 is a compact district with relatively few condo projects. Most cluster near Farrer Park MRT (NE Line) and Little India MRT. Older leasehold units — think early 2000s builds with 60–65 years of lease remaining — have transacted in the $1,320–$1,500 PSF range. The sub-$1,500 window exists but is thin; a 700 sqft 2-bedder at $1,450 PSF prices at around $1.015M, which is tight for HDB upgraders whose cash-plus-CPF budgets top out around $1.2M. See the Best Rental Yield Condos in District 8 (Little India) for rental benchmarks that show whether yields justify the acquisition cost here.
District 3 — Tiong Bahru fringe, Queenstown fringe. District 3 is the most contested of the three. Prime Tiong Bahru (close to Tiong Bahru MRT) regularly transacts above $1,800 PSF for newer stock. However, the fringe of D3 bordering D2 and D5 — streets such as Havelock Road, Alexandra Road and the Redhill precinct — still hosts older leasehold projects where transactions have recorded between $1,350 and $1,490 PSF. Projects with 55–65 years of remaining lease tend to cluster here. The Queenstown redevelopment pipeline and the Greater Southern Waterfront plans in the URA Master Plan add long-term upside, but they also risk repricing these properties faster than buyers expect. For a District 3 yield comparison, see Best Rental Yield Condos in District 3 (Tiong Bahru, Queenstown).
District 2 — Tanjong Pagar, Anson. The closest to the CBD core and therefore the tightest on supply. Sub-$1,500 PSF in D2 is rare but not impossible for pre-2000 leasehold stock with 50–60 years remaining. Buyers should approach this micro-market with eyes open: a 55-year-remaining lease is below the 60-year minimum that most banks require for maximum LTV under MAS rules, which can force a 25% or larger cash component. For context on available yield in the district, review Best Rental Yield Condos in District 2 (Anson, Tanjong Pagar).
A useful comparison across all these markets: the Best Condos Under $800K in Singapore's Rest of Central Region covers the entry-budget end of the same geography, and many projects that feature there also appear in the sub-$1,500 PSF resale bracket.
- Check lease expiry before shortlisting. For any project with fewer than 60 years remaining, run the bank financing implications first — lower LTV ceilings (MAS Notice 645) may require a larger cash component. Use the Freehold vs Leasehold guide to model the resale-value implications at the 40- and 30-year marks.
- Compute total acquisition cost, not just PSF. BSD is payable on the purchase price; for a $1.1M unit the BSD is $22,600. For Singapore Citizens buying a second property, the ABSD is 20%. The Complete Condo Purchase Cost Breakdown covers all line items. Verify current rates at the IRAS BSD rate table and the IRAS ABSD rate table.
- Verify CPF usage eligibility for leasehold properties. CPF OA funds can only be used if the remaining lease covers the youngest buyer to age 95. For a 35-year-old buyer, a project needs at least 60 years of remaining lease. Check current rules at CPF Housing Schemes.
- Cross-compare projects side by side. Use the Condo Comparison Tool to line up PSF, lease tenure, MRT distance, and historical price trends across candidate properties before committing to a viewing schedule.
- Stress-test the TDSR. With total debt servicing capped at 55% of gross income under MAS rules, a $1.1M purchase at 3.5% interest over 25 years requires gross household income of roughly $8,500/month. Confirm your capacity at the MAS TDSR explainer before shortlisting units.
- Check newer alternatives. Compare against current new launches to confirm whether the sub-$1,500 PSF resale option still gives you better total value vs a newer build at higher PSF.
Methodology & Sources
This analysis covers full-year 2026 data and refreshes one-time.
Transaction data sourced from URA REALIS.
Median values used to minimise outlier impact. PSF = price per square foot.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is 'best location' defined here?
Does proximity to an MRT station always lift prices?
What else should I check beyond the data?
Why are some CBD-adjacent condos still priced below $1,500 PSF when the area seems so central?
The primary reason is lease tenure. Projects built in the late 1990s and early 2000s on 99-year leaseholds now carry 60–75 years of remaining lease. Banks apply progressively tighter LTV limits as leases shorten, and CPF usage eligibility is restricted below certain thresholds — both factors dampen demand and suppress prices relative to newer neighbouring projects. A secondary factor is building age: older facilities, higher maintenance levies, and the absence of modern amenities (smart-home features, co-working spaces, EV charging) make these units less competitive against newer launches in buyers' minds, even when the location is equivalent.
What is the minimum remaining lease I should accept for a CBD-adjacent condo purchase?
Most financial advisors suggest a working floor of 60 years remaining lease for a primary-residence purchase, for two reasons: (1) CPF OA funds require the remaining lease to cover the youngest buyer to age 95 — for a 35-year-old buyer that means at least 60 years remaining; (2) banks under MAS Notice 645 begin reducing maximum LTV once the lease runs below 60 years, increasing the cash component required. For an investment property where you plan to exit within 10 years, you may tolerate 50–55 years remaining, but factor in reduced refinancing options and a smaller buyer pool at resale time.
How much Additional Buyer's Stamp Duty (ABSD) applies if I already own an HDB flat?
Singapore Citizens buying a second residential property pay 20% ABSD on the purchase price. Permanent Residents pay 30% on their second property. So on a $1.1M condo purchase, a Singapore Citizen HDB owner faces $220,000 in ABSD on top of BSD and other acquisition costs. This is the single largest cost factor for HDB upgraders and the reason many in this group prioritise decoupling strategies or time the sale of their HDB first. Always verify current rates at the IRAS ABSD rate table, as rates are subject to policy change.