How much you need to earn to afford a one- or two-bedder condo in 2026 (as a single)

The start of the house-hunting season looms on the horizon and we're already seeing activity in the new launch market. But once the seasonal lull from this year's Chinese New Year festivities are over, we can expect more buyers to return to showflats and realtors get busier.

This will be an especially exciting time for singles since 2026 will see an uptick in the number of projects located in the suburbs, or Outside Central Region (OCR), where properties tend to be more affordable. 

On top of that, developers have been working to manage their price strategy by building smaller to manage price, generally a move that favours singles. 

But for most singles looking to buy their first private condo in 2026, the choice often comes down to one question: one-bedder or two-bedder? Both are usually perceived to have the most realistic entry price points for this group given their lower absolute prices. But beyond discussions about space or lifestyle, the numbers reveal a much wider gap than many first-time buyers expect:

Average transacted prices of one- and two-bedroom units by region (2025)

Let's start by looking at the average transacted prices of one- and two-bedroom private condo units across the three regions, based on all transactions completed in 2025.

Source: Stacked

Across all three regions, the price gap between one- and two-bedders is significant. Even in the OCR, which has the lowest absolute prices, the gap between a one-bedder to a two-bedder comes with an average premium of close to $500,000. The gap is widest in the CCR, at over $700,000.

To put this in context, let's look at their average unit sizes:

Source: Stacked

While two-bedders do offer more space, the increase in square footage seems outweighed by the increase in price. Of the three regions, the OCR shows the smallest price difference between one- and two-bedroom units, while the CCR shows the largest. That said, even in the OCR, the price gap remains substantial.

This sets the key question facing many single buyers:

Does the additional space of a two-bedder justify the significantly higher entry price, especially when you purchase directly from the developer?

To take a closer look, let's also differentiate between new launch sales, and resale or subsale transactions

We'll begin by looking at the numbers for new launch units:

Source: Stacked

These are the unit sizes for our new launch units:

Source: Stacked

The results are not too different from the overall pattern. The price jump between new one- and two-bedders is hard to justify with the modest increase in floor area.

Echoing the broader market, new launch units in the OCR exhibit the smallest price difference between one- and two-bedders, while those in the CCR show the largest.

Now let's look at only resale and sub sale transactions

What happens if you ignore the potential for developer discounts, and instead buy from the resale market? These are the average prices you'll see:

Source: Stacked

The price gap between one- and two-bedroom units actually becomes more pronounced in the resale market, particularly in the CCR. Here the average difference widens to $846,561(!), much higher than the gap observed for new launch transactions.

In the OCR, again, the absolute prices are lower across both unit types and the price difference between one- and two-bedders remains the smallest among the three regions. But even here, buyers are still looking at an additional $413,127 for a two-bedder.

Let's look at the average unit sizes:

Source: Stacked

We continue to see the same overall pattern: the size of two-bedroom units are meaningfully larger than one-bedders, but the increase in size doesn’t really scale proportionately with the increase in price.

Given that, it makes sense to focus next on the OCR for single buyers.

We’ll now examine what a single buyer realistically faces, in terms of downpayments, upfront costs, and loan requirements. This will be based on the average OCR prices across all transaction types.

Source: Stacked

Source: Stacked

*Note that we use four per cent although this is higher than many loan packages on the market, because it is the floor rate set by MAS. For calculations like the Total Debt Servicing Ratio (TDSR), a simulated rate of four per cent per annum is also used by banks, regardless of whatever actual loan rate you can find. 

Even at the point of entry, the difference is significant. A buyer opting for a two-bedder instead of a one-bedder in the OCR needs $166,640 more upfront, before factoring in any renovation or furnishing costs.

For context, the median gross monthly income in 2025 was $5,775. This means that a median-income single buyer would struggle to qualify for full financing, for an average-priced one-bedder in the OCR. 

Chances are, our single buyer will have to make a bigger upfront payment to reduce the monthly loan repayment, or just have higher than median income. 

If purchasing a condominium is not feasible, single buyers are likely to turn to the HDB resale market. With that in mind, let’s examine the average resale prices of 3-room flats across the different HDB towns.

The average resale price of a three-room HDB flat across all towns is $480,989. Using this as the assumed purchase price, we can estimate the funds required for the purchase.

The income required to qualify for a 75 per cent loan at the average price of a three-room HDB flat is below the median income of $5,775 in 2025.

With this in mind, let's compare the difference in annual expenses between purchasing a three-room HDB and a one-bedroom condominium in the OCR.

Difference in annual expenses: $20,408

Let's also compare the difference in annual expenses should a buyer purchase a one-bedroom vs a two-bedroom unit in the OCR.

Difference in annual expenses: $23,411

What are some of the things you're giving up for this?

We have a longer breakdown of what exactly you could be surrendering here, including the intangibles. But for now, think about a few common habits:

A short-haul trip to Japan or Korea once a year, the occasional Europe holiday every few years, taking Grab instead of squeezing onto the MRT during peak hours, and so forth. Even dining out three or four times a week, whether that's casual restaurants or cafes.

Based on the loan, tax, and maintenance assumptions above, the difference in annual housing costs works out to:

• $20,408 a year when moving from a three-room HDB to a one-bedder in the OCR
   
• $23,411 a year when moving from a one-bedder to a two-bedder in the OCR

$20,408 a year is roughly equivalent to two to three trips to Europe, assuming a typical long-haul holiday costs around $6,000 to $8,000. 

Alternatively, it could cover one such trip plus some daily conveniences, such as taking Grab instead of the MRT on busy days. Looked at another way, the cost eats into your entire lifestyle buffer; the pool of money that normally pays for travel, dining out, and a bit of luxury spending.

That said, let's also look at what happens if you decide to save up longer for a two-bedder, instead of a one-bedder.

Below are the price growth rates over the past 10 years, based only on subsale and resale transactions. By excluding new launch sales, we avoid the distortions of developer pricing.

Source: Stacked

We can see that two-bedders get substantially more expensive than one-bedders, at a much faster rate.

These rates are not indicative of future performance, and it's unlikely that two-bedders might continue to see growth of four per cent or more in the coming years, while growth of one-bedders look likely to hover under two per cent for some time.

Historically, smaller units tended to transact at a noticeably higher $PSF than larger layouts. But in recent launches, this gap appears to have narrowed, with $PSF pricing across different unit sizes becoming more aligned.

Thus, to do a more accurate forecasting, we will use the annualised growth rate of non-landed properties which we have derived from the PPI from 2009 — Q3 2025 at 2.91 per cent. 

Source: Stacked

Source: Stacked

If a buyer chooses not to purchase a one-bedder today, with the intention of saving over the next five years to upgrade directly to a two-bedder, the financial gap can widen meaningfully. 

Based on the above assumptions, the buyer would need an additional $241,121 in funds for the downpayment, Buyer's Stamp Duty, and legal fees, and would also need to earn $4,650 more per month to qualify for a 75 per cent loan.

Even when we compare the purchase of a two-bedder today versus buying the same two-bedder five years later, the difference remains significant. In this scenario, a buyer would still need $74,480 more in upfront funds and an additional $1,400 in monthly income to remain eligible for a 75 per cent loan.

This is, of course, a simplified projection, and actual price movements will vary with market conditions.

Two-bedders historically perform better, but the decision may be more about whether your savings rate can realistically keep up with their prices.

In light of that, buying a one-bedder earlier is not necessarily the "wrong" choice. It's a viable decision if you prefer to lock in the selling prices today.

Likewise, waiting for a two-bedder is not irresponsible either; that choice may see you preserve some lifestyle freedom in the near-term and help you end up with a (probably) better performing asset. But that carries the risk that prices might run away faster than your ability to save.

In either case, singles looking to buy their first condo in 2026 are likely to be faced with a lot of compromises. The perfect option may not exist — what matters is choosing the right trade-off. Find a property that supports your lifestyle in the long term, rather than one which ends up defining it.

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This article was first published in Stackedhomes.