A non-air-conditioned single in an NUS hall such as Eusoff costs S$165 a week in 2026/27, and an NTU air-conditioned single in Hall 5 costs S$657 a month. This guide sets out the verified hostel rates and what I could not confirm about private rentals.
Details come from the NUS Office of Student Affairs rate sheet (as at 17 July 2026) and a Mothership report of 2026 hostel fee increases at NUS, NTU and SMU, checked on 22 October 2026. All amounts are in Singapore dollars. SMU’s housing page and HDB’s room-rental rules were checked on 1 November 2026. I found no verified private rent figures for Singapore, so none are quoted.
NUS halls: weekly rates for the AY2026/27 intake
| Hall and room | Weekly rate, AY2026/27 |
|---|---|
| Temasek, Raffles, double, non-AC | S$114 |
| Temasek, double, AC | S$129 |
| Eusoff, Kent Ridge, Raffles, single, non-AC | S$165 |
| Double ensuite, AC (Eusoff, Sheares, Temasek) | S$168 |
| King Edward VII, Sheares, AC | S$186 |
| Sheares, single ensuite, AC | S$336 |
Rates include GST and are charged per person. Semester 1 is 18 weeks and Semester 2 is 17 weeks, so a non-AC single at S$165 comes to S$2,970 for Semester 1 and S$2,805 for Semester 2. NUS sets rates by the year you matriculated, and rates for later years are higher, so this table is for students starting in AY2026/27. Air-conditioned rooms may be limited for AY2026/27 because installation was scheduled for May to July 2026.
2026/27 fee increases at NUS, NTU and SMU
| Hostel and room | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| NUS Eusoff, KEVII, Temasek: single, non-AC | S$151 a week | S$165 a week |
| NUS UTown Residence: air-conditioned twin-sharing apartment, per person | S$255 a week | S$275.50 a week |
| NUS Tembusu, CAPT, Cinnamon, Acacia: six-bedroom apartment, non-AC | S$179 a week | S$193 a week |
| NTU Hall 5: air-conditioned single | S$608 a month | S$657 a month |
| NTU Hall 2: non-AC double ensuite | S$381 a month | S$412 a month |
| SMU Prinsep Street: small single (from 2027/28) | S$873 a month | S$917 a month |
NUS rates are weekly and NTU and SMU rates are monthly, so compare them with care. The report gives no exact effective dates.
SMU’s Prinsep Street Residences house 178 undergraduates in 16 apartments across two blocks, so places are limited. SMU’s housing page says full-time local and international undergraduates can apply, that applications for the new academic year opened on 29 May 2026, and that successful applicants were told by email by the end of July 2026. Applications go through housing.smu.edu.sg. The page I read did not list room rates or the dates for the next intake, so the S$873 to S$917 small-single figure above rests on the Mothership report alone.
Renting a room in an HDB flat: the rules
If you rent a bedroom in a Housing & Development Board (HDB) flat rather than a hall, HDB sets the rules for the landlord. They come from HDB’s guidance on renting out bedrooms:
- Minimum term: six months for each tenant per application. HDB says short-term rentals of bedrooms are not allowed, so a landlord offering less than six months is outside its rules.
- Maximum term: up to three years if all tenants are Singaporean or Malaysian, and up to two years for other non-citizens. HDB counts permanent residents and foreigners as non-citizens.
- Approval: the flat owner must get HDB’s approval before renting out bedrooms and when renewing the tenancy.
- Checking: tenants can confirm a registration through HDB’s e-services after logging in with Singpass, using the Enquiry on Authorised Tenants service.
HDB’s page says the number of tenants must not exceed the maximum allowed but gives no figure in the section I read. These rules cover HDB flats only. I did not verify the rules for private condominiums.
I have not ranked neighbourhoods or listed private blocks, because I could not verify prices or area details against reliable sources. View any room in person or on a live video call, get a written tenancy agreement and never pay before you have one.
FAQs about student accommodation in Singapore
How much does an NUS hall cost?
From S$114 a week for a non-AC double to S$336 a week for a single ensuite in Sheares, for students starting in AY2026/27.
How much do NTU halls cost?
Mothership reports S$412 a month for a Hall 2 non-AC double ensuite and S$657 for a Hall 5 AC single from 2026/27.
Is there university housing at SMU?
Yes. Prinsep Street Residences hold 178 full-time undergraduates in 16 apartments. Applications for 2026 opened on 29 May 2026 through housing.smu.edu.sg.
Can international students rent a room in an HDB flat?
HDB’s rules allow bedrooms to be rented to non-citizens, including foreigners, for a minimum of six months and up to two years, provided the owner has HDB’s approval. HDB does not allow short-term room rentals.
How can I check that an HDB room rental is registered?
HDB says tenants can use its Enquiry on Authorised Tenants e-service, or print a confirmation letter from its e-services, after logging in with Singpass.
Sources
- NUS Office of Student Affairs: halls of residence hostel rates, 17 July 2026
- Mothership: NUS, NTU and SMU increase hostel fees
- SMU: Prinsep Street Residences
- HDB: regulations for renting out bedrooms
NUS and Mothership pages checked 22 October 2026. SMU and HDB pages checked 1 November 2026.
