- Top 3 most desirable districts: #1 District 9 (Orchard, Cairnhill, River Valley) with 2,266 rentals; #2 District 10 (Ardmore, Bukit Timah, Holland Road, Tanglin) with 2,101 rentals; #3 District 15 (Katong, Joo Chiat, Amber Road) with 1,842 rentals.
- 23,184 rental transactions analysed across 27 districts.
- Rankings use rental demand as the primary proxy for neighbourhood desirability — tenants choose locations based on convenience, amenities, and lifestyle fit.
- Neighbourhood Scores on condo detail pages use proximity to 7 amenity categories within 1.5 km (MRT, schools, hawkers, malls, parks, supermarkets, clinics).
Where Tenants Want to Live — Q1 2022
Rental demand is one of the strongest market signals for neighbourhood quality. Tenants — especially expats — prioritise proximity to MRT stations, schools, dining, and daily conveniences. This quarterly report ranks Singapore's 28 districts by rental activity, yields, and pricing trends to reveal the most desirable locations.
Data is sourced from URA REALIS rental transactions.
District Rankings by Rental Demand
Districts ranked by total rental transaction volume. Higher volume indicates stronger tenant demand and neighbourhood desirability.
| # | District | Name | Rentals | Avg Rent | Avg Rent PSF | QoQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District 9 (Orchard, Cairnhill, River Valley) | Orchard, Cairnhill, River Valley | 2,266 | $5,574/mo | $4.78/psf | -12.4% |
| 2 | District 10 (Ardmore, Bukit Timah, Holland Road, Tanglin) | Ardmore, Bukit Timah, Holland Road, Tanglin | 2,101 | $6,629/mo | $4.05/psf | +0.4% |
| 3 | District 15 (Katong, Joo Chiat, Amber Road) | Katong, Joo Chiat, Amber Road | 1,842 | $3,849/mo | $3.50/psf | -5.3% |
| 4 | District 19 (Serangoon Garden, Hougang, Punggol) | Serangoon Garden, Hougang, Punggol | 1,664 | $3,081/mo | $3.45/psf | -1.7% |
| 5 | District 5 (Pasir Panjang, Hong Leong Garden, Clementi New Town) | Pasir Panjang, Hong Leong Garden, Clementi New Town | 1,564 | $5,706/mo | $3.44/psf | -3.2% |
| 6 | District 14 (Geylang, Eunos) | Geylang, Eunos | 1,228 | $2,899/mo | $3.85/psf | -6.4% |
| 7 | District 11 (Watten Estate, Novena, Thomson) | Watten Estate, Novena, Thomson | 1,093 | $4,959/mo | $3.94/psf | -2.8% |
| 8 | District 16 (Bedok, Upper East Coast, Eastwood, Kew Drive) | Bedok, Upper East Coast, Eastwood, Kew Drive | 1,037 | $3,208/mo | $3.30/psf | -11.7% |
| 9 | District 2 (Anson, Tanjong Pagar) | Anson, Tanjong Pagar | 959 | $3,781/mo | $4.34/psf | -2.8% |
| 10 | District 18 (Tampines, Pasir Ris) | Tampines, Pasir Ris | 955 | $2,894/mo | $3.18/psf | -3.3% |
| 11 | District 23 (Hillview, Dairy Farm, Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang) | Hillview, Dairy Farm, Bukit Panjang, Choa Chu Kang | 908 | $2,917/mo | $3.12/psf | -7.5% |
| 12 | District 3 (Queenstown, Tiong Bahru) | Queenstown, Tiong Bahru | 891 | $4,081/mo | $4.81/psf | +9.3% |
| 13 | District 12 (Balestier, Toa Payoh, Serangoon) | Balestier, Toa Payoh, Serangoon | 793 | $3,020/mo | $3.95/psf | -11.7% |
| 14 | District 21 (Upper Bukit Timah, Clementi Park, Ulu Pandan) | Upper Bukit Timah, Clementi Park, Ulu Pandan | 762 | $3,657/mo | $3.05/psf | -2.1% |
| 15 | District 1 (Raffles Place, Cecil, Marina, People's Park) | Raffles Place, Cecil, Marina, People's Park | 673 | $4,980/mo | $5.34/psf | -8.6% |
Rental Demand by Market Segment
| Segment | Rentals | Share | Avg Rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCR (Core Central Region) | 7,259 | 31.3% | $5,871/mo |
| RCR (Rest of Central Region) | 7,375 | 31.8% | $3,972/mo |
| OCR (Outside Central Region) | 8,550 | 36.9% | $3,266/mo |
The Outside Central Region saw the highest rental volume, driven by larger suburban developments and growing tenant interest in well-connected suburban neighbourhoods.
Explore live neighbourhood scores on our interactive dashboard→Most In-Demand Condos
Condos with the highest number of rental transactions this quarter — a direct indicator of tenant demand and neighbourhood appeal.
| # | Condo | District | Rentals | Avg Rent | Avg Rent PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LANDED HOUSING DEVELOPMENT | D5 (RCR) | 498 | $10,212/mo | $2.77/psf |
| 2 | NON-LANDED HOUSING DEVELOPMENT | D2 (CCR) | 457 | $3,476/mo | $2.96/psf |
| 3 | THE SAIL @ MARINA BAY | D1 (CCR) | 175 | $4,632/mo | $5.46/psf |
| 4 | D'LEEDON | D10 (CCR) | 135 | $5,142/mo | $4.37/psf |
| 5 | MARINA ONE RESIDENCES | D1 (CCR) | 135 | $5,333/mo | $5.58/psf |
| 6 | DUO RESIDENCES | D7 (CCR) | 122 | $4,838/mo | $5.82/psf |
| 7 | PARC RIVIERA | D5 (OCR) | 121 | $2,901/mo | $4.33/psf |
| 8 | CITY SQUARE RESIDENCES | D8 (RCR) | 121 | $3,717/mo | $3.93/psf |
| 9 | REFLECTIONS AT KEPPEL BAY | D4 (RCR) | 113 | $7,083/mo | $4.59/psf |
| 10 | ICON | D2 (CCR) | 111 | $3,924/mo | $5.55/psf |
| 11 | WATERTOWN | D19 (OCR) | 107 | $2,797/mo | $3.98/psf |
| 12 | SIMS URBAN OASIS | D14 (RCR) | 105 | $2,763/mo | $4.69/psf |
| 13 | MARTIN MODERN | D9 (CCR) | 98 | $6,450/mo | $6.87/psf |
| 14 | BAYSHORE PARK | D16 (OCR) | 93 | $3,044/mo | $2.82/psf |
| 15 | J GATEWAY | D22 (OCR) | 89 | $3,432/mo | $5.36/psf |
| 16 | CARIBBEAN AT KEPPEL BAY | D4 (RCR) | 87 | $5,610/mo | $4.63/psf |
| 17 | BEDOK RESIDENCES | D16 (OCR) | 87 | $3,489/mo | $4.26/psf |
| 18 | MELVILLE PARK | D18 (OCR) | 85 | $2,793/mo | $2.59/psf |
| 19 | EUHABITAT | D14 (OCR) | 78 | $2,636/mo | $3.72/psf |
| 20 | URBAN VISTA | D16 (OCR) | 75 | $2,438/mo | $3.99/psf |
Gross Rental Yield by District
Estimated gross yield = (annual rent per sqft) / (sale price per sqft). Higher yields can indicate strong rental demand relative to purchase prices — a sign of desirable, tenant-friendly neighbourhoods.
| # | District | Name | Gross Yield | Rent PSF | Sale PSF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District 25 (Kranji, Woodgrove) | Kranji, Woodgrove | 3.7% | $2.96/psf | $950 psf |
| 2 | District 22 (Jurong) | Jurong | 3.6% | $3.49/psf | $1,164 psf |
| 3 | District 18 (Tampines, Pasir Ris) | Tampines, Pasir Ris | 3.4% | $3.18/psf | $1,132 psf |
| 4 | District 8 (Little India) | Little India | 3.4% | $4.28/psf | $1,530 psf |
| 5 | District 16 (Bedok, Upper East Coast, Eastwood, Kew Drive) | Bedok, Upper East Coast, Eastwood, Kew Drive | 3.2% | $3.30/psf | $1,220 psf |
| 6 | District 27 (Yishun, Sembawang) | Yishun, Sembawang | 3.2% | $3.12/psf | $1,177 psf |
| 7 | District 6 (High Street, Beach Road) | High Street, Beach Road | 3.2% | $7.69/psf | $2,905 psf |
| 8 | District 4 (Telok Blangah, Harbourfront) | Telok Blangah, Harbourfront | 3.2% | $4.45/psf | $1,684 psf |
| 9 | District 1 (Raffles Place, Cecil, Marina, People's Park) | Raffles Place, Cecil, Marina, People's Park | 3.1% | $5.34/psf | $2,080 psf |
| 10 | District 14 (Geylang, Eunos) | Geylang, Eunos | 3.1% | $3.85/psf | $1,515 psf |
Gross yield is indicative and does not account for vacancy, maintenance fees, property tax, or mortgage costs. Actual net yields will be lower.
Quarter-over-Quarter Changes
How rental activity shifted compared to Q4 2021:
Fastest Growing Districts
| District | Name | Q Current | Q Previous | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District 6 (High Street, Beach Road) | High Street, Beach Road | 32 | 29 | +10.3% |
| District 3 (Queenstown, Tiong Bahru) | Queenstown, Tiong Bahru | 891 | 815 | +9.3% |
| District 25 (Kranji, Woodgrove) | Kranji, Woodgrove | 228 | 211 | +8.1% |
| District 13 (Macpherson, Braddell) | Macpherson, Braddell | 432 | 410 | +5.4% |
| District 10 (Ardmore, Bukit Timah, Holland Road, Tanglin) | Ardmore, Bukit Timah, Holland Road, Tanglin | 2,101 | 2,092 | +0.4% |
Districts with Declining Demand
| District | Name | Q Current | Q Previous | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District 26 (Upper Thomson, Springleaf) | Upper Thomson, Springleaf | 115 | 149 | -22.8% |
| District 9 (Orchard, Cairnhill, River Valley) | Orchard, Cairnhill, River Valley | 2,266 | 2,586 | -12.4% |
| District 12 (Balestier, Toa Payoh, Serangoon) | Balestier, Toa Payoh, Serangoon | 793 | 898 | -11.7% |
| District 16 (Bedok, Upper East Coast, Eastwood, Kew Drive) | Bedok, Upper East Coast, Eastwood, Kew Drive | 1,037 | 1,174 | -11.7% |
| District 22 (Jurong) | Jurong | 580 | 652 | -11.0% |
Methodology
This report uses rental transaction volume as the primary indicator of neighbourhood desirability. The rationale: tenants, who are not tied by ownership, choose locations based purely on convenience and lifestyle fit. Districts with high rental demand therefore reflect the most desirable neighbourhoods.
The Neighbourhood Score (0-100) shown on individual condo detail pages on ShiokNest evaluates proximity to seven amenity categories within a 1.5 km radius:
| Amenity Category | Max Points |
|---|---|
| MRT Station | 25 |
| School | 20 |
| Hawker Centre | 15 |
| Shopping Mall | 15 |
| Park / Nature | 10 |
| Supermarket | 10 |
| Clinic / GP | 5 |
| Total | 100 |
Individual condo Neighbourhood Scores are computed using geospatial data from OneMap Singapore. Visit any condo detail page on ShiokNest to see its Neighbourhood Score breakdown.
Methodology & Sources
This analysis covers Quarterly and is updated every quarter.
Transaction data sourced from URA REALIS.
- Rental data is sourced from URA REALIS, covering private residential properties.
- Gross yield = (monthly rent PSF × 12) / sale PSF. Does not account for vacancy or expenses.
Median values used to minimize outlier impact. PSF = price per square foot.