# Cheap shop rent, busy foot traffic: Singapore's areas ranked

Which town or area of Singapore has cheap shop rent but lots of people passing? Simpler.Run works it out from its own table (https://simpler.run/corners.csv) by the one rule below, and lists the answer here. Public records, read as published. No scores and no forecasts.

- Page: https://simpler.run/cheap-but-busy.html
- What these numbers mean and how to run your own: https://simpler.run/data.md

## The rule

- **The cheapest quarter: S$7.50 per sq ft a month or less.** 214 of Singapore's 332 areas (URA subzones) have a shop rent of their own. Line them up from the cheapest: the 54th is S$7.50 (the 25th percentile). 55 areas are at or below it.
- **Ranked by people passing:** taps in and out on a working day at the area's bus stops and train gates (LTA, a daily average for the month to September 2026), most first. Mount Emily has no tap count on file, so it is left out.
- 118 areas have no shop rent of their own (only an office or industrial rent, or none on record) and are not in the line.
- The shop rent is the one each area's page leads with: signed leases (URA) first, then winning HDB shop tenders, then asking prices on listings. **Thin** means asking prices, or 3 readings or fewer: a rough guide. Say so when you use one.

## The 20 busiest areas in the cheapest quarter

| Rank | Area (subzone) | Town (planning area) | Shop rent, per sq ft a month | Kind | Readings | Rent as of | Thin | Taps on a working day | Nearest station |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Geylang East](https://simpler.run/corner/geylang-east.md) | [Geylang](https://simpler.run/area/geylang.md) | S$7.19 | signed lease | 3 | June 2026 | thin | 209,591 | Paya Lebar MRT (EW8 / CC9), an exit in this area |
| 2 | [Aljunied](https://simpler.run/corner/aljunied.md) | [Geylang](https://simpler.run/area/geylang.md) | S$6.37 | signed lease | 18 | June 2026 |  | 185,882 | Paya Lebar MRT (EW8 / CC9), an exit in this area |
| 3 | [Chinatown](https://simpler.run/corner/chinatown.md) | [Outram](https://simpler.run/area/outram.md) | S$6.64 | signed lease | 12 | June 2026 |  | 176,359 | Chinatown MRT (NE4 / DT19), an exit in this area |
| 4 | [Taman Jurong](https://simpler.run/corner/taman-jurong.md) | [Jurong West](https://simpler.run/area/jurong-west.md) | S$4.03 | HDB tender | 3 | April 2026 | thin | 144,242 | Lakeside MRT (EW26), an exit in this area |
| 5 | [Sembawang Central](https://simpler.run/corner/sembawang-central.md) | [Sembawang](https://simpler.run/area/sembawang.md) | S$3.57 | asking price | 3 | August 2026 | thin | 138,456 | Sembawang MRT (NS11), an exit in this area |
| 6 | [Bendemeer](https://simpler.run/corner/bendemeer.md) | [Kallang](https://simpler.run/area/kallang.md) | S$5.99 | asking price | 4 | August 2026 | thin | 96,069 | Boon Keng MRT (NE9), an exit in this area |
| 7 | [Tiong Bahru Station](https://simpler.run/corner/tiong-bahru-station.md) | [Bukit Merah](https://simpler.run/area/bukit-merah.md) | S$6.21 | asking price | 1 | August 2026 | thin | 93,416 | Tiong Bahru MRT (EW17), an exit in this area |
| 8 | [Macpherson](https://simpler.run/corner/macpherson.md) | [Geylang](https://simpler.run/area/geylang.md) | S$6.85 | signed lease | 3 | June 2026 | thin | 86,223 | Macpherson MRT (CC10 / DT26), an exit in this area |
| 9 | [Kembangan](https://simpler.run/corner/kembangan.md) | [Bedok](https://simpler.run/area/bedok.md) | S$6.34 | signed lease | 6 | June 2026 |  | 76,726 | Kembangan MRT (EW6), an exit in this area |
| 10 | [Yishun East](https://simpler.run/corner/yishun-east.md) | [Yishun](https://simpler.run/area/yishun.md) | S$6.76 | asking price | 2 | August 2026 | thin | 72,842 (bus stops only) | Yishun MRT (NS13), 347 m |
| 11 | [Kampong Ubi](https://simpler.run/corner/kampong-ubi.md) | [Geylang](https://simpler.run/area/geylang.md) | S$5.70 | asking price | 7 | August 2026 | thin | 72,807 | Macpherson MRT (CC10 / DT26), an exit in this area |
| 12 | [Yunnan](https://simpler.run/corner/yunnan.md) | [Jurong West](https://simpler.run/area/jurong-west.md) | S$6.41 | asking price | 4 | August 2026 | thin | 72,538 (bus stops only) | Pioneer MRT (EW28), 123 m |
| 13 | [Potong Pasir](https://simpler.run/corner/potong-pasir.md) | [Toa Payoh](https://simpler.run/area/toa-payoh.md) | S$6.19 | HDB tender | 2 | March 2026 | thin | 55,234 | Potong Pasir MRT (NE10), an exit in this area |
| 14 | [Bencoolen](https://simpler.run/corner/bencoolen.md) | [Rochor](https://simpler.run/area/rochor.md) | S$7.10 | signed lease | 9 | June 2026 |  | 49,410 | Rochor MRT (DT13), an exit in this area |
| 15 | [Pasir Panjang 1](https://simpler.run/corner/pasir-panjang-1.md) | [Queenstown](https://simpler.run/area/queenstown.md) | S$6.68 | signed lease | 3 | June 2026 | thin | 45,420 | Haw Par Villa MRT (CC25), an exit in this area |
| 16 | [Alexandra Hill](https://simpler.run/corner/alexandra-hill.md) | [Bukit Merah](https://simpler.run/area/bukit-merah.md) | S$3.57 | HDB tender | 3 | August 2026 | thin | 35,028 (bus stops only) | Redhill MRT (EW18), 100 m |
| 17 | [Telok Blangah Drive](https://simpler.run/corner/telok-blangah-drive.md) | [Bukit Merah](https://simpler.run/area/bukit-merah.md) | S$7.50 | asking price | 3 | August 2026 | thin | 31,354 (bus stops only) | Telok Blangah MRT (CC28), 29 m |
| 18 | [Bukit Ho Swee](https://simpler.run/corner/bukit-ho-swee.md) | [Bukit Merah](https://simpler.run/area/bukit-merah.md) | S$6.65 | signed lease | 3 | June 2026 | thin | 26,104 | Havelock MRT (TE16), an exit in this area |
| 19 | [Port](https://simpler.run/corner/port.md) | [Queenstown](https://simpler.run/area/queenstown.md) | S$6.19 | signed lease | 3 | December 2025 | thin | 23,519 | Pasir Panjang MRT (CC26), an exit in this area |
| 20 | [Fajar](https://simpler.run/corner/fajar.md) | [Bukit Panjang](https://simpler.run/area/bukit-panjang.md) | S$7.33 | HDB tender | 1 | November 2025 | thin | 23,476 | Fajar LRT (BP10), an exit in this area |

## The busiest cheap-rent area in each town

Owners ask by town: an HDB town such as Bedok or Jurong West, or another planning area. These are the 25 towns with at least one area in the cheapest quarter, each with its busiest one, in the same order.

| Rank | Town (planning area) | Busiest cheap-rent area | Areas in the cheapest quarter | Shop rent, per sq ft a month | Kind | Readings | Rent as of | Thin | Taps on a working day | Nearest station |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | [Geylang](https://simpler.run/area/geylang.md) | [Geylang East](https://simpler.run/corner/geylang-east.md) | 5 | S$7.19 | signed lease | 3 | June 2026 | thin | 209,591 | Paya Lebar MRT (EW8 / CC9), an exit in this area |
| 2 | [Outram](https://simpler.run/area/outram.md) | [Chinatown](https://simpler.run/corner/chinatown.md) | 2 | S$6.64 | signed lease | 12 | June 2026 |  | 176,359 | Chinatown MRT (NE4 / DT19), an exit in this area |
| 3 | [Jurong West](https://simpler.run/area/jurong-west.md) | [Taman Jurong](https://simpler.run/corner/taman-jurong.md) | 2 | S$4.03 | HDB tender | 3 | April 2026 | thin | 144,242 | Lakeside MRT (EW26), an exit in this area |
| 4 | [Sembawang](https://simpler.run/area/sembawang.md) | [Sembawang Central](https://simpler.run/corner/sembawang-central.md) | 1 | S$3.57 | asking price | 3 | August 2026 | thin | 138,456 | Sembawang MRT (NS11), an exit in this area |
| 5 | [Kallang](https://simpler.run/area/kallang.md) | [Bendemeer](https://simpler.run/corner/bendemeer.md) | 2 | S$5.99 | asking price | 4 | August 2026 | thin | 96,069 | Boon Keng MRT (NE9), an exit in this area |
| 6 | [Bukit Merah](https://simpler.run/area/bukit-merah.md) | [Tiong Bahru Station](https://simpler.run/corner/tiong-bahru-station.md) | 8 | S$6.21 | asking price | 1 | August 2026 | thin | 93,416 | Tiong Bahru MRT (EW17), an exit in this area |
| 7 | [Bedok](https://simpler.run/area/bedok.md) | [Kembangan](https://simpler.run/corner/kembangan.md) | 1 | S$6.34 | signed lease | 6 | June 2026 |  | 76,726 | Kembangan MRT (EW6), an exit in this area |
| 8 | [Yishun](https://simpler.run/area/yishun.md) | [Yishun East](https://simpler.run/corner/yishun-east.md) | 2 | S$6.76 | asking price | 2 | August 2026 | thin | 72,842 (bus stops only) | Yishun MRT (NS13), 347 m |
| 9 | [Toa Payoh](https://simpler.run/area/toa-payoh.md) | [Potong Pasir](https://simpler.run/corner/potong-pasir.md) | 4 | S$6.19 | HDB tender | 2 | March 2026 | thin | 55,234 | Potong Pasir MRT (NE10), an exit in this area |
| 10 | [Rochor](https://simpler.run/area/rochor.md) | [Bencoolen](https://simpler.run/corner/bencoolen.md) | 5 | S$7.10 | signed lease | 9 | June 2026 |  | 49,410 | Rochor MRT (DT13), an exit in this area |
| 11 | [Queenstown](https://simpler.run/area/queenstown.md) | [Pasir Panjang 1](https://simpler.run/corner/pasir-panjang-1.md) | 4 | S$6.68 | signed lease | 3 | June 2026 | thin | 45,420 | Haw Par Villa MRT (CC25), an exit in this area |
| 12 | [Bukit Panjang](https://simpler.run/area/bukit-panjang.md) | [Fajar](https://simpler.run/corner/fajar.md) | 3 | S$7.33 | HDB tender | 1 | November 2025 | thin | 23,476 | Fajar LRT (BP10), an exit in this area |
| 13 | [Marine Parade](https://simpler.run/area/marine-parade.md) | [Katong](https://simpler.run/corner/katong.md) | 1 | S$6.49 | asking price | 27 | August 2026 | thin | 21,220 (bus stops only) | Marine Parade MRT (TE26), an exit in this area |
| 14 | [Ang Mo Kio](https://simpler.run/area/ang-mo-kio.md) | [Yio Chu Kang West](https://simpler.run/corner/yio-chu-kang-west.md) | 1 | S$6.87 | asking price | 7 | August 2026 | thin | 21,146 (bus stops only) | Lentor MRT (TE5), an exit in this area |
| 15 | [Bukit Batok](https://simpler.run/area/bukit-batok.md) | [Bukit Batok East](https://simpler.run/corner/bukit-batok-east.md) | 1 | S$3.59 | HDB tender | 2 | June 2026 | thin | 19,089 (bus stops only) | Bukit Batok MRT (NS2), 309 m |
| 16 | [Clementi](https://simpler.run/area/clementi.md) | [Toh Tuck](https://simpler.run/corner/toh-tuck.md) | 3 | S$5.00 | asking price | 3 | August 2026 | thin | 17,142 (bus stops only) | Jurong East MRT (EW24 / NS1), 729 m |
| 17 | [Novena](https://simpler.run/area/novena.md) | [Malcolm](https://simpler.run/corner/malcolm.md) | 1 | S$3.96 | asking price | 1 | August 2026 | thin | 14,016 (bus stops only) | Stevens MRT (DT10 / TE11), an exit in this area |
| 18 | [Pasir Ris](https://simpler.run/area/pasir-ris.md) | [Loyang West](https://simpler.run/corner/loyang-west.md) | 1 | S$2.15 | asking price | 3 | August 2026 | thin | 13,986 (bus stops only) | Tampines East MRT (DT33), 1,547 m |
| 19 | [Serangoon](https://simpler.run/area/serangoon.md) | [Seletar Hills](https://simpler.run/corner/seletar-hills.md) | 1 | S$5.56 | asking price | 1 | August 2026 | thin | 13,355 (bus stops only) | Fernvale LRT (SW5), 638 m |
| 20 | [Sungei Kadut](https://simpler.run/area/sungei-kadut.md) | [Gali Batu](https://simpler.run/corner/gali-batu.md) | 1 | S$2.05 | asking price | 1 | August 2026 | thin | 11,808 (bus stops only) | Segar LRT (BP11), 306 m |
| 21 | [Woodlands](https://simpler.run/area/woodlands.md) | [Senoko West](https://simpler.run/corner/senoko-west.md) | 1 | S$3.36 | asking price | 1 | August 2026 | thin | 11,319 (bus stops only) | Woodlands North MRT (TE1), 664 m |
| 22 | [Bukit Timah](https://simpler.run/area/bukit-timah.md) | [Hillcrest](https://simpler.run/corner/hillcrest.md) | 1 | S$6.41 | asking price | 1 | August 2026 | thin | 9,033 (bus stops only) | Tan Kah Kee MRT (DT8), an exit in this area |
| 23 | [Singapore River](https://simpler.run/area/singapore-river.md) | [Boat Quay](https://simpler.run/corner/boat-quay.md) | 1 | S$5.68 | signed lease | 6 | June 2026 |  | 5,916 (bus stops only) | Clarke Quay MRT (NE5), an exit in this area |
| 24 | [Jurong East](https://simpler.run/area/jurong-east.md) | [International Business Park](https://simpler.run/corner/international-business-park.md) | 2 | S$5.43 | asking price | 5 | August 2026 | thin | 4,597 (bus stops only) | Jurong East MRT (EW24 / NS1), 434 m |
| 25 | [Western Water Catchment](https://simpler.run/area/western-water-catchment.md) | [Cleantech](https://simpler.run/corner/cleantech.md) | 1 | S$5.50 | asking price | 1 | August 2026 | thin | 2,048 (bus stops only) | Pioneer MRT (EW28), 1,173 m |

## Before you use it

- Taps are trips in and out at stops and gates, not customers, and a round trip counts twice. No public record says how many people walk into a shop: count at its door, 4 to 6 hours on a weekday and on a weekend day (https://simpler.run/how-many-people-walk-past-a-shop.html).
- Never divide sales by taps: a big interchange's taps can be thousands of times one shop's customers, so the ratio misleads.
- "Bus stops only" marks an area whose count has no train gates in it.
- Asking prices are what landlords ask, not what tenants sign. A winning HDB tender is the top of its bidding, so it can read high of what a sitting tenant pays.
- Each area's file holds its full record: `https://simpler.run/corner/<slug>.md`, with the rent at common unit sizes, every station with its own taps, residents, workers and competitors.

Sources: URA, LTA and HDB, under the Singapore Open Data Licence. Asking rents: CommercialGuru and SRX listings, credited as theirs. Data as published to 2026-10-21.