10 Cheapest Condo Rental Homes For Families In 2024 (From $2,300 Per Month)

Whether you’re waiting for your new home, or moving here to work with family, accommodations are still a bit tough to find. While the rental market has softened over the past year, large three, four, or five-bedders are in short supply. Quite frankly, most owners of the bigger units are focused on own-stay use rather than rental. We have, however, found some of the cheapest options if you need them:

Cheapest three-bedders for rent

1. Choon Moey Mansions

If your concerns are purely practical (such as needing a cheap and convenient place while your own home is being built) Choon Moey Mansions might do it. This well-located but aesthetically terrible boutique project (just 21 units), is located within walking distance of Aljunied MRT (EWL).

This places Choon Moey within easy reach of Paya Lebar Quarter (PLQ), which is just one train stop away. It could be viable if you work in PLQ but want a budget-friendly alternative. The immediate surroundings are also very convenient: numerous eateries span the length of Sims Avenue and Geylang, and quite a number are open 24 hours. There are also plenty of minimarts and small convenience stores in the area. There are also several schools close by: Geylang Methodist Primary and Secondary, Kong Hwa, and Broadrick Secondary are all within one kilometre.

The drawback is that the location is highly cramped: this project faces an alley on one side, and buildings on all others. There isn’t so much as a patch of grass to be seen from some angles, and the proximity of the other buildings means you’ll probably want to keep the windows closed. So as convenient and cheap as it is, we don’t foresee that many families would consider a prolonged stay.

2. Floraville

Floraville faces Lower Seletar Reservoir, right across from Yio Chu Kang Road. This is one of the most private rental properties you can find within this price range: there are only 50 units, and the surroundings are landed properties. The greenery of Lower Seletar is a draw for nature lovers, and living this close, you can sometimes even glimpse monkeys.

Local amenities can be found around Cactus Drive, which is within walking distance. There are some eateries here, and we’re told a condo in the area (Grande Vista) has a minimart. It’s not a big hub so you’ll have to travel out for more – but the whole point of living in this low-density, high-greenery area is to avoid being near crowds.

Like most landed enclaves, there’s no MRT within walking distance. You can use a bus connection, such as 70M nearby, to get to Yio Chu Kang MRT (NSL). 

Do be warned that there are no schools within a one-kilometre radius though; and because you’ll need to travel out more often, we suggest this for families who have a car, or who don’t mind using ride-share services frequently.

3. Kovan Esquire

This is a very small (23-unit) project, located in a low-rise area along Kovan Road. The location is excellent for the price: Kovan MRT (NEL) is just minutes away on foot, and along with that Heartland Mall. This is the major retail hub for the neighbourhood; and if you can’t find what you need there, the gigantic NEX Megamall (attached to Serangoon MRT) is just one train stop away.

Upper Serangoon and Kovan are considered generally well-developed areas, dotted with various convenience stores, minimarts, coffee shops, etc. so this is perfect for families who don’t like travelling out all the time. The nearby block 202, for example, already has an NTUC FairPrice. On this note, there are also two nearby “malls” that are semi-worthy of mention: Upper Serangoon Shopping Centre is one of the country’s oldest malls, and is mainly just famous for its vegetarian restaurant; and ICB Shopping Centre has a lot of scattered merchandise stores. 

The main drawback here is the lack of schools, with only Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ (Secondary) being within one kilometre.

Cheapest four-bedders for rent

1. Spa Building

This is another project that’s not for long-stay situations: simply put, it’s next to Mustafa Centre. And whilst living next to a mall famous for selling everything under the sun is convenient, it’s not comfortable – the surrounding streets are constantly packed, noise levels are high, and the large number of low-budget hotels nearby is off-putting to many.

That said, Mustafa Centre is going back to its 24-hour schedule, or so we’re told – and if you enjoy Little India with its food and its markets, this project puts you right in the middle of it. It’s also a short walk to Farrer Park View MRT (NEL), or Jalan Besar MRT (DTL) a bit further down. That’s access to two train lines, as well as to City Square Mall. 

Convenience and comfort, however, don’t always precisely align. We’d recommend this for families waiting out the year for a new home, but perhaps not much longer. This is also one of the projects where we suggest you don’t drive and take the train. Once you see the traffic around Mustafa Centre and Little India in general, you’ll understand why.

2. Surrey Court

It’s rare to find a cheap rental property in Novena, so Surrey Court is an oddity. This tiny (18-unit) project is within walking distance of Novena MRT (NSL), which also means being close to the VeloCity mall. This is the major retail hub of the area, so just about everything you need is close by.

Because it’s such a small project though, Surrey Court doesn’t have much to offer in terms of facilities beyond a secure car park and gated access. Surrey Road is also quite closely packed, with many projects getting in each other’s view – and this may come across as being way too densely built for comfort.

Nonetheless, there are very few cheap family rental units in Novena; so price alone means there are very few alternatives to Surrey Court.

3. Twin Fountains

Twin Fountains typifies the Woodlands area. It’s quieter with less traffic, better air, and lots of self-sufficient pockets. In this case, Twin Fountains is very close to Woodlands Glen (less than five minutes on foot), which we covered in this review. Do check it out, as the locational advantages are similar; the amenities of Woodlands Glen are shared by the residents of Twin Fountains.

While Twin Fountains is about a 13-minute walk to Woodlands South MRT station, it’s well connected by bus – services like 901M, just outside the condo, will go directly to Woodlands MRT (NSL, TEL). There you’ll find Causeway Point, which is the major heartland mall servicing the northern end of Singapore. 

Also, due to the proximity of the Causeway to Woodlands, this project might appeal to those who also work or live in Malaysia. So while it’s quite a distance from town, it will appeal to this specific niche of tenants. 

Cheapest five-bedders for rent

1. Leville Isuites

Leville Isuites is near i12 Katong and Parkway Parade, malls within the Katong/Joo Chiat lifestyle stretch. This area is popular with expatriates and excellent for families: the area is loaded with tuition and enrichment centres. It’s also a famous foodie stretch, with an eclectic mix that ranges from food courts to coffee shops, to hipster diners. 

Another point of appeal is the schools: several prestigious names, including Haig Girls’, Tanjong Katong Girls School, and CHIJ are all within a one-kilometre radius. Parkway Centre, next to Parkway Parade, is one of the biggest clusters of tuition centres and schools in any single building, anywhere in Singapore.

You can also cut directly through Roxy Square/Grand Mercure to get to Marine Parade MRT station (TEL), and it’s a much shorter work than many maps suggest.

That being said, a boutique project like Leville is not rare for the area; in fact the Katong area is oversaturated with these small condos. You have plenty of alternatives to choose from in this area, so the highlight for Leville would probably be the lower price point.

2. La Fiesta

La Fiesta is the biggest project on this list, at 810 units; so this will appeal to those who like larger projects, with more land space and facilities. While La Fiesta’s Compassvale location is not very mature, most of the amenities are concentrated in its surroundings:

Sengkang MRT (NEL) is just across the road. Compass One mall is here too, and can provide for most needs. The neighbourhood library is also integrated with this building. The nearby HDB enclave is well developed, even if the wider neighbourhood has a ways to go – they already have the usual assortment of minimarts, coffee shops, salons, etc. So whilst Sengkang is a non-mature area, the people living in this specific spot won’t feel the inconvenience.

La Fiesta is excellent for long-term rental for families, and there are also a huge number of schools nearby. Sengkang Primary and Secondary, Nan Chiau Primary and Nan Chiau High, Compassvale Primary, and CHIJ St. Joseph’s all fall within the one-kilometre radar.

Sengkang General Hospital is also just the right distance away: too far to add noise and congestion, but close enough to be convenient for tenants who work there.

3. One Akyab

This is a visibly older property from 1984 and has only 19 units. That small size also means a lack of facilities, although there’s a pool which is quite good for such a small project. What stands out, however, is the low rental rate for a property within the Novena area.

One Akyab is very convenient for medical workers renting in the area – Tan Tock Seng Hospital is right next door, as is the Ren Ci Community Hospital. Further past the hospital, you’ll find VeloCity Mall, which is a sizeable retail hub; this mall is also connected to the Novena MRT station (NSL).

Besides these, Shaw Plaza and Zhongshan Mall are also within walking distance, so you won’t run out of nearby amenities. Nearby Balestier Road is also a foodie haven, where you can easily find a bite even if you work odd hours.

Whilst the location is central and convenient, the lower rental rate may reflect the proximity of the hospital, as well as the urban density. Noise and congestion are inevitable when you’re this close to the hub of Novena, let alone near TTSH. The lack of any green spaces may also be off-putting to some. This might work for a long-term stay nonetheless, if you’re the kind of family who prefers heading to town often, or who choose urban conveniences over parks.