“HDB elderly studio apartment in Singapore…how much is it?” You must be wondering. Well, the HDB senior citizen flat prices are typically heavily subsidised, especially for brand new Build-To-Order (BTO) senior HDB flats that could cost less than $100,000 in non-mature estates.
In addition, the government’s Budget 2024 announced that $3.5 billion will be set aside for Age Well SG initiatives over the next decade. This will influence the HDB elderly studio apartment price, as the plans include more assisted living options (i.e. Community Care Apartments), more inclusive amenities in residential estates, and even improved commuter infrastructure for seniors for better accessibility.
Currently, there is also the Enhancement for Active Seniors (EASE) programme that subsidises senior-friendly items/enhancements installed in HDB flats.
Ageing is indeed a key issue, seeing that the government is also studying how different types of senior housing influence the quality of life of seniors. The view is that in the long-run, these accessible and inclusive amenities would greatly benefit Singapore’s rapidly greying population, especially as more people remain unmarried, have fewer children and are also living by themselves.
These future plans aside, how about here and now? Looking at factors such as HDB elderly studio apartment price, should a senior go for a short-term 2-room Flexi, Community Care Apartment, or 3-room HDB flat? Let’s look at this in more detail below.
How to Choose an HDB Flat for Senior Citizens?
According to the PropertyGuru Group Sustainability Report 2023, a property’s “liveability index” comprises five factors:
- Housing affordability ‒ comparing prices and rents to median household income
- Neighbourhood amenities and opportunities for convenience, engagement and well-being
- Environmental considerations, such as air pollution, rainfall and temperatures
- Transport accessibility to employment clusters, stations and other key destinations; and
- Opportunities for people to reach their professional and financial aspirations – by measuring growth in local job opportunities, using rental costs and demand for commercial properties as a measurement proxy, residents’ ability to find fulfilling employment can be gauged.
Shared Dr Nai Jia Lee, Head of Real Estate Intelligence, Data Software and Solutions at PropertyGuru, “The value of a property comes from more than just its price, size and accessibility. We have identified that there is also intrinsic value in aspects like the sense of community, mobility and sustainability. For us, liveability is based on how well those factors serve communities in a certain area.”
What sets the PropertyGuru liveability index apart from others is that it uses proprietary data, offering insights that delve deep, providing customers with granular and localised insights. While it helps those doing business in property, the liveability index can also help elderly buyers or their families predict the sustainability of a property, beyond environmental factors but also the long-term opportunities prioritizing the community’s needs.
Indeed, this forward-looking liveability index supports what Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong said at his Swearing-in Ceremony on 15 May 2024.
HDB Senior Citizen Flats: HDB Ease Programme
As mentioned earlier, the EASE programme aims to improve mobility and safety within the flat for seniors. Standard HDB flats are not fitted out with elderly-friendly accessibility components, although the newer BTOs are designed with ramps instead of steps.
Under the HDB EASE programme, EASE improvement items include items suitable for fall prevention and/or additional support, items suitable for wheelchair or commode users, and items suitable for seniors’ safety and well-being.
These EASE improvement items include grab bars, slip-resistant floor coatings, ramps, wheelchair lifters (multi-step), entrance widening works, bidet spray, installation of a Home Fire Alarm Device, and more. Read more about the EASE programme on the HDB website.
HDB Studio Apartments for Senior Citizens
| Short-lease 2-room Flexi flats | Choose a lease between 15 and 45 years (inclusive) in five-year increments. This must cover the applicant and their spouse (if any) until the age of 95. |
| Community Care Apartments | Choose a lease between 15 to 35 years (inclusive) in five-year increments. This must cover the applicant and spouse (if any) until the age of 95. The Community Care Apartments are priced based on the applicant’s chosen lease tenure. |
| 3-room HDB flats | Standard eligibility conditions apply, be it for single or married senior citizens/families. Lease is fixed at up to 99 years. |
*Senior citizens are Singapore citizens aged 55 and above; Community Care Apartments are for those aged 65 and above.
Short-lease 2-room Flexi Flats
| BTO Project / Estate | BTO Launch Exercise | Price Excluding Grants |
| Bedok South Bloom (mature) | Feb 2024 | $178,000 to $284,000 |
| Bedok North Springs (mature) | Feb 2024 | $155,000 to $256,000 |
| Rail Garden @ CCK / Choa Chu Kang (non-mature) | Feb 2024 | $102,000 to$155,000 |
| Tanjong Tree Residences @ Hougang (non-mature) | Feb 2024 | $136,000 to $177,000 |
| Matilda Riverside / Punggol (non-mature) | Feb 2024 | $131,000 to $221,000 |
| Tanglin Halt Courtyard / Queenstown (mature) | Feb 2024 | $235,000 to $353,000 |
| Woodgrove Edge / Woodlands (non-mature) | Feb 2024 | $119,000 to $184,000 |
| Alexandra Peaks / Bukit Merah (mature) | Dec 2023 | $218,000 to $343,000 |
| Jurong Arcadia / Jurong West (non-mature) | Dec 2023 | $110,000 to $174,000 |
| Petir Park Edge / Bukit Panjang (non-mature) | Dec 2023 | $110,000 to $190,000 |
| Urban Rise @ Woodlands (non-mature) | Dec 2023 | $145,000 to $231,000 |
| Rajah Residences / Kallang/Whampoa (mature) | Oct 2023 | $176,000 to $294,000 |
| Verandah @ Kallang (mature) | Oct 2023 | $193,000 to $303,000 |
| Rail Green I and II @ CCK / Choa Chu Kang (non-mature) | Oct 2023 | $106,000 to $168,000 |
| Plantation Edge I and II / Tengah (non-mature) | Oct 2023 | $114,000 to $183,000 |
| Bedok South Blossoms (mature) | May 2023 | $165,000 to $260,000 |
| Plantation Verge / Tengah (non-mature) | May 2023 | $125,000 to $178,000 |
| Parc Meadow @ Tengah (non-mature) | May 2023 | $127,000 to $202,000 |
At age 55, you can downsize to a short-lease 2-room Flexi flat to free up some cash from the sale of your existing property as HDB elderly studio apartment prices are greatly subsidised. With a 2-room Flexi flat, eligible buyers can opt for a shorter lease of between 15 and 45 years in five-year increments (based on youngest applicant, to last till the age of 95) in order to lower the purchase price of the flat.
In order to apply for a 2-room Flexi flat unit, you must first qualify to purchase an HDB flat either on your own as a core applicant or based on your core family nucleus. You and all other buyers, including your spouse, must be at least 55 years old at the time of HFE letter application, and there is a combined monthly household income ceiling of $14,000.
Do note that there are no HDB housing loans available for short-lease 2-room Flexi flats. Full payment must be made either in cash or through your CPF Ordinary Account (OA). HDB senior citizen flats (short-lease) cannot be rented out or sold on the open market. Calculate your affordability here.
Community Care Apartments
| BTO Project / Estate | BTO Launch Exercise | Price Excluding Grants & Excluding Basic Service Package |
| Harmony Village @ Bukit Batok (non-mature) | Feb 2021 | $52,000 to $60,000 |
| Queensway Canopy (mature) | Nov 2022 | $82,000 – $111,000 |
| Chai Chee Green / Bedok (mature) | Dec 2023 | $80,000 – $95,000 |
A new housing option since the Feb 2021 BTO launch, Community Care Apartments are HDB assisted living flats equipped with senior-friendly features and services, and support the elderly in meeting their social needs.
This special breed of HDB senior citizen flats have added features such as slip-resistant flooring and grab bars in bathrooms to improve the accessibility and inclusivity of the elderly. They also come with various Care and Support Services and Communal Activities under the mandatory Basic Service Package that starts from $38,000 for a 15-year lease, and over $100,000 for a 30-year tenure.
Do note that at just 32 sq m, these apartments are smaller than the 2-room Flexi flat option. Similar to buying a short-lease 2-room Flexi HDB flat, Community Care Apartments cannot be rented out or sold on the open market. What’s different is that the eligible age goes up to 65.
3-room HDB Flats
You may also choose to sell your current flat and use your proceeds to apply for a standard 3-room HDB BTO/resale flat, either as a single or with your spouse/family. For these, you can finance your property purchase by taking up a housing loan from a bank with up to 75% Loan-to-Value (LTV) limit, and paying the remaining as a downpayment either through cash or your CPF OA. Do note that the maximum age for an HDB loan is 65 years old.
Let’s look at the prices of recent 3-room BTO flats and 3-room resale flats and their median prices, according to HDB resale statistics as of Q1 2024. We’ve selected housing estates that had the largest population of elderly residents.
| Estate | Ang Mo Kio (mature) | Bedok (mature) | Bukit Merah (mature) |
| Median Resale Price Q1 2024 | $399,000 | $378,000 | $400,000 |
| Most Recent BTO Price | Nov 2019: Yio Chu Kang Beacon ($332,000 to $391,000) | Dec 2023: Chai Chee Green ($298,000 to $360,000) | Dec 2023: Alexandra Peaks ($380,000 to $512,000) |
Buying HDB Flat for Senior Citizens: Government Schemes and CPF Housing Grants Available
You can use your CPF Ordinary Account (OA) to finance some of the costs of a home purchase. The amount of funds you can use will be prorated according to the remaining lease, provided that you have already set aside the Basic Retirement Sum (BRS) in your CPF OA.
Additionally, there are schemes available to help you supplement your retirement income through your existing flat (i.e. monetise your flat!):
- Silver Housing Bonus (SHB) – earn cash bonus of up to $30,000
- Lease Buyback Scheme – “sell” part of the remaining lease of your flat while still living in it, and top-up your CPF Retirement Account
- Deferred Downpayment Scheme (DDS) – eligible buyers need only pay the stamp duty and legal fees when they sign the Agreement for Lease, within 9 months after booking a flat. They will pay the purchase price of the flat once it is ready for key collection.
- Temporary Loan Scheme (TLS) – those intending to use the sale proceeds from their existing flat to fund a new flat can apply for a temporary loan.
Other Options to Buy HDB Flat for Seniors
Other schemes and grants for seniors include the Married Child Priority Scheme (MCPS), the Senior Priority Scheme (SPS) and the Proximity Housing Grant (PHG), which offers you a grant disbursement of up to $20,000 when you and your spouse purchase a resale flat that is within the 4km radius of your married children’s home.
If you need more guidance on how you should finance your home, PropertyGuru Finance can help. Simply reach out to our mortgage experts, and we’ll be happy to share personalised recommendations and advice at zero cost.
You can use PropertyGuru’s Affordability Calculator to find out if you can afford the property that you’re interested in.
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