The past few years have seen a trend of shrinking unit sizes in Singapore’s show flats. This is due to our perception of size being relative to what we are used to. In the 1990s and 2000s, the average size of HDBs and condos, where most of us grew up, were larger. However, as demographics changed, with the average household size decreasing from four in 1995 to 3.1 in 2024, the average size of new condos also decreased from 1,272 sq ft in 1995 to 929 sq ft in 2024.
The 29-year period saw a decline of 5.7% in average condo size per capita, a commendable feat given Singapore’s land constraints. This was made possible with the government’s intervention, particularly in 2008 when “Mickey Mouse” units were introduced in Rest of Central Region (RCR) projects, with sizes as small as 24 sq m (258 sq ft) and prices as low as $375,000. This led to an increase in the number of mini units in the following years, sparking concerns about the living environment’s quality.
To tackle this issue, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) issued guidelines in 2011 on the maximum number of dwelling units (DUs) allowed for projects outside the Central Area. Developers are now required to use an average size of 70 sq m for the DUs, with more stringent requirements of 100 sq m in areas like Telok Kurau, Kovan, Joo Chiat, and Jalan Eunos. Despite the guidelines, the average size of DUs continued to decrease, with a record low of 804 sq ft in 2018. In response, URA tightened the guidelines in 2019, which resulted in an increase in average DU size outside the Central Area to 935 sq ft in 2024.
However, the Central Area saw a decrease in average DU size to 725 sq ft in 2020, leading the URA to extend the guidelines to this area in 2023. The latest guideline change in 2023 was also aimed at harmonizing the strata area and gross floor area (GFA) definition, which led to developers omitting air-conditioning ledges in DUs, resulting in a 6% decrease in average DU size across all market segments.
Despite the decreasing average sizes in the Central Core Region (CCR) and Outside Central Region (OCR), the Rest of Central Region (RCR) saw an increase of 19.5% in average DU size since 2015, thanks to the more stringent control of 100 sq m on the average dwelling unit size. However, it may take some time for the guidelines on average DU size in the Central Area to have a significant impact.
The URA’s intervention has resulted in an 8.3% increase in average size for DUs, from 858 sq ft in 2015 to 929 sq ft in 2024. However, with the harmonization of GFA definitions, this trend may reverse in the future. Despite this, buyers are getting better value for their purchases, with better-provided home features and quality appliances, making up for slight decreases in DU size.