Are you a student looking for a place to stay near your university, an expat looking for short-term accommodation in Singapore, or just a digital nomad who prefers to avoid the hassle of maintaining a house? Then you must have heard of Co-living – the latest trend in urban living options. With limited land and the ever-growing need to accommodate new people, co-living or community living is fast gaining popularity in Singapore.
Flat-sharing and paying visitors were and are always options. However, no one wants to deal with the inconveniences of finding good roommates, dealing with landlords, or managing cleaning and maintenance. Introducing co-living spaces.
Co-living accommodation in singapore typically means renting a bedroom (with or without a private bathroom) or a small suite in a community living space that has common living areas, kitchen and recreational facilities. The contract here is between you and the facility provider and does not include any dealing with fellow co-habitants or the landlord directly.
Benefits of co-living spaces
Co-living provides fully-furnished ready-to-move–in accommodations with all basic needs like a bed, table, chair, and wardrobe. Common areas like the kitchen, fridges, laundry facilities, recreational rooms are also furnished, which means you save huge on furnishing costs while availing the facilities on rent.
Co-living spaces have professional building management to take care of cleaning, maintenance, and repairs like plumbing and carpentry – which make for comfortable hassle-free living. Some also include housekeeping for your room in the rental cost. Most properties have 24-hour CCTV surveillance and building security to ensure the safety of their inhabitants.
The common living space and regular community events make for a great place to meet with like-minded people and make new friends. It is also a great networking opportunity to connect with those with common business interests.
While it may seem like you are paying just for a room, the overall reduced hassle and facilities that you get in the price, make co-living a more affordable living option with better amenities.
Accessibility to the central business district and proximity of shopping areas, restaurants, and lower commute time are some of the reasons so many co-living options are becoming popular for the working generation.
Short-term contracts and flexible rental terms make co-living facilities easy to move in and easy to move out. The minimum lease period is just 1 month after which the contract can be extended for as short a period as a few days, making it an easy option for students and professionals on the move who are not committed to investing in a living space.
How big is your personal space in Co-living?
In co-living your personal space is limited to your room/suite, but this should not discourage you, because the property is designed in a way to cater to your everyday needs sufficiently.
At Coliwoo @ Boon Lay, the Queen Modified Suite is fully furnished with a Queen-sized bed, ensuite bathroom, wardrobe, mini-fridge, smart LED TV and a long workstation that comfortably fits 2. It the perfect coliving space for singles and couples.
For couples or friends looking to live together, Twin Suites and roomier Queen Suites are also easily available.
Some properties like Coliwoo @ Lutheran offer Twin Suites with amenities like air conditioning, digital smart lock, LED smart TV, unlimited fibre broadband, water heater and mini fridge
Facilities inside your room
Co-living rooms can greatly vary depending on the rental cost. At bare minimum, a room will include a bed, wardrobe, and a table/chair. Most rooms for rent in Jurong west also have additional facilities like air conditioning, cleaning services, broadband connection, and an ensuite bathroom.
On the other end, some suites also come with extra facilities like a kitchenette, small fridge, private washer and dryer, spacious workstation, complimentary snacks and drinks, toiletries, full wardrobe, widescreen TV, and free parking.
Facilities outside your room
Since co-living is a lot like sharing a house, most of the space outside of your bedroom is a common area. Typically, this includes common facilities like the kitchen, pantry, living room or entertainment area, and recreational facilities like gym, and reading room.
The cleanliness and maintenance of these areas is professionally managed by the facility provider and therefore is a hassle-free living experience for the residents. The maintenance cost for this is typically included in your monthly rent and makes co-living more lucrative and affordable.
House rules and etiquettes for common areas
Being part of community living, be sure to know and follow the house rules as expected from you.
- Familiarise yourself with the rules for using common facilities like the gym, and recreational facilities.
- Maintain low Noise levels at all times to avoid disturbing neighbours and other users of the facility.
- Clean up after using common area like the kitchen, lounge and gym.
- Smoke only in the designated smoking zone.
There can be consequences including warnings, or community fines. Make sure you read and understand all of these when you move in.
Apart from the written rules, there are also some unsaid norms of living in a group that you should always take note of to ensure a happy living experience for yourself and others.
- Keeping your area clean and limiting yourself to your area if sharing a room with someone.
- Not using common areas for keeping personal stuff. Your items are your responsibility and should not be stored in common areas.
- Being respectful of others’ privacy.
- Being sensitive to the cultural diversity and beliefs of other residents.
It is a good idea to get to know your co-living partners and be respectful of their needs and expectations when living together.
Is Co-living for everyone?
While co-living makes for a great affordable living option it may not always suit everybody. Today most young single professionals want to save on living costs and commute time while also trying to connect with peers. Co-living is then the perfect option for them. Also, for expats who are looking to stay in Singapore for at least a few months but are unable to afford hotels or do not want to spend too much on living costs, co-living provides for an affordable, hassle-free living option with good accessibility to central areas of the city. It is also a good short term room rental in Singapore for families while their house gets ready.
Who is it not suitable for?
For families looking for permanent residence, it does not make financial sense to continue staying in a co-living space.
For someone who is not comfortable sharing a house – co-living does mean a lot of shared living space so those that prefer being alone may face problems adjusting to this living arrangement.
