High costs hinder co-living investment growth in Singapore

Rising property prices and scarce suitable sites are slowing new co-living projects.

High acquisition and construction costs are preventing more investors from expanding in Singapore’s co-living sector, despite strong demand fundamentals, according to a report by JLL.

The report, Co-living in Singapore: From Growth to Maturity, found that 61% of investors cited high property prices and construction inflation as their top concern in 2025, warning that these costs are compressing potential returns on new projects.

Limited inventory of suitable properties was the second-most cited challenge, flagged by 52% of respondents, highlighting the difficulty of finding buildings that can be economically converted into co-living spaces. Another 48% pointed to limited liquidity and precedent transactions, which make it harder to benchmark values and plan exits.

The report said these supply-side constraints mean investors will need patient capital and more sophisticated strategies to grow in Singapore’s maturing co-living market.

“While challenges persist, particularly around acquisition costs and supply constraints, the sector's maturation has enabled more sophisticated approaches to overcome these barriers,” the report said.

If you've been wondering whether SBR could work for your company — yes, probably.

A lot of the companies we partner with started as readers. They'd been following our coverage for a while, saw their own customers and competitors in it, and eventually asked the obvious question: could we do something with you? The answer is usually yes. The shape of it depends on what you're trying to do.

The options are broader than most people assume — thought leadership articles, sponsored content, industry summits across Southeast Asia, regional awards programmes, podcasts, and media placements in print and digital. Some partners use one channel; most use a mix. We figure out the right combination by starting with your brief, not with our rate card.

So if the question has been on your mind, here's the easy way to ask it.

We'll tell you honestly whether we can help, and how. It's a better use of everyone's time.

Book a meeting

| Or download the media kit (PDF)

240,000 senior readers quarterly in print Top 1,700 Singapore companies reached

7 markets across Southeast Asia