Buy · Rent · Invest
Shophouses for Sale & Rent in Singapore, by Neighbourhood
Twelve heritage shophouse areas compared: what to expect, who buys and rents there, permitted uses, best streets and due diligence.
Quick answer
Which Singapore neighbourhood is best for a shophouse?
It depends on your use. Tanjong Pagar, Telok Ayer and Chinatown suit buyers and operators who want CBD-fringe frontage; Kampong Glam, Little India and Jalan Besar offer city-fringe character; Katong and Joo Chiat suit east-side dining and owner-occupiers; Emerald Hill is mainly a residential conservation enclave. Pick an area below to see buy and rent guidance.
Choose an area
Shophouse for sale and for rent, area by area
D01-02 · District 01-02 CBD
Shophouses in Chinatown
Tourist-heavy Kreta Ayer streets, wet-market footfall and some of the densest conservation shophouse fabric in the CBD fringe.
For sale & for rent →
D02 · District 01-02 CBD
Shophouses in Tanjong Pagar
Office-worker lunch and after-work trade, restored shophouse rows around Duxton Hill and Tanjong Pagar Road, and sustained institutional interest.
For sale & for rent →
D01 · District 01-02 CBD
Shophouses in Telok Ayer
Historic temples and clan houses, Amoy Street dining, and some of Singapore's rare 999-year and freehold CBD shophouse stock.
For sale & for rent →
D07 · District 07-08 City Fringe
Shophouses in Kampong Glam
Sultan Mosque backdrop, Haji Lane and Arab Street boutique trade, and a strong cafe, fashion and creative tenant base.
For sale & for rent →
D08 · District 07-08 City Fringe
Shophouses in Little India
Serangoon Road, Race Course Road and Dunlop Street trade, with deep local demand and a different price profile from the CBD.
For sale & for rent →
D08 · District 07-08 City Fringe
Shophouses in Jalan Besar
Emerging cafe, boutique hotel and design-tenant district with a mix of conservation rows beside Little India and Kampong Glam.
For sale & for rent →
D15 · District 14-15 East
Shophouses in Katong & Joo Chiat
Colourful Peranakan terraces along Koon Seng Road, a thriving Joo Chiat Road dining strip and a strong local, family-driven demand base.
For sale & for rent →
D09 · District 09-10 Orchard
Shophouses in Emerald Hill
A rare Orchard Road residential conservation enclave of Peranakan terraces, with a few commercial and F&B pockets at the Orchard Road end.
For sale & for rent →
D02 · District 01-02 CBD
Shophouses in Bukit Pasoh
A quieter, boutique-hotel and clan-association street between Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar, next to the Keong Saik dining cluster.
For sale & for rent →
D01 · District 01-02 CBD
Shophouses in Boat Quay
Riverfront shophouses opposite Raffles Place - a long-established dining and nightlife frontage with strong tourist and office-worker trade.
For sale & for rent →
D06 · District 01-02 CBD
Shophouses in Clarke Quay
Riverside nightlife and entertainment, plus conservation shophouses on Mohamed Sultan Road and around the Clarke Quay MRT.
For sale & for rent →
D14 · District 14-15 East
Shophouses in Geylang
A large, varied shophouse grid of lorongs with food, trade and community uses, and a different price profile from the CBD.
For sale & for rent →
Compare
Which area fits which brief
| Area | Typical tenants | Typical buyers |
|---|---|---|
| Chinatown | Heritage retail and TCM; Tourist and casual F&B | Owner-occupier F&B operators |
| Tanjong Pagar | Restaurants and bars; Boutique offices and design studios | Family offices and private investors |
| Telok Ayer | Restaurants and wine bars; Private members' clubs | Investors seeking long-tenure CBD assets |
| Kampong Glam | Fashion and lifestyle retail; Cafes and restaurants | Owner-operators of lifestyle brands |
| Little India | Restaurants; Textiles and jewellery | Owner-operators |
| Jalan Besar | Cafes and brunch concepts; Boutique hotels and hostels | Hospitality operators |
| Katong & Joo Chiat | Cafes, bakeries and restaurants; Local retail and services | Owner-occupiers wanting heritage living plus ground-floor income |
| Emerald Hill | Residential tenants (expatriate and local); Small bars and restaurants at the lower end | High-net-worth owner-occupiers |
| Bukit Pasoh | Boutique hotels; Private clubs and associations | Boutique-hospitality operators |
| Boat Quay | Riverfront restaurants and bars; Private dining | F&B groups |
| Clarke Quay | Bars and nightlife; Restaurants | Nightlife and F&B groups |
| Geylang | Restaurants and food stalls; Wholesale and trade | Owner-operators |
Method
How to compare shophouse areas
Start with use and zoning, not price. A commercial-zoned shophouse for sale in Tanjong Pagar is a different product from a residential-zoned terrace in Joo Chiat, even at similar quantum. For rentals, frontage and street matter more than the district label. Read the URA conservation buyer manual and ABSD breakdown first, then browse commercial shophouses for sale, conservation shophouses for sale and shophouses for rent. If you need an HDB commercial unit, see HDB shophouses.
We do not publish a single averaged price or rent because it would mislead. Verify figures against these primary sources (checked November 2026).
- URA REALIS and Property Market InformationCaveat-lodged and reported transactions, rental contracts and price indices for non-residential property.
- URA Master Plan and conservation guidelinesZoning, conservation area boundaries and permitted-use conditions for a specific address.
- IRAS stamp dutyBuyer's Stamp Duty and ABSD treatment of commercial versus residential property.
- Singapore Land Authority (SLA)Title, tenure and ownership searches via INLIS.
- Singapore Food Agency (SFA)Food shop licensing requirements for F&B concepts.
Advisory
Not sure which neighbourhood fits?
Share your use, budget and whether you want to buy or rent. We will shortlist areas and share open and off-market options.
Talk to a specialist
Enquire about shophouses for sale or rent
Shophouses in Singapore: frequently asked questions
Where can I find a shophouse for sale in Singapore?+
Private conservation and commercial shophouses cluster in the CBD fringe (Chinatown, Tanjong Pagar, Telok Ayer, Bukit Pasoh, Boat Quay), the city fringe (Kampong Glam, Little India, Jalan Besar), Orchard (Emerald Hill) and the east (Katong, Joo Chiat, Geylang). Use the neighbourhood pages above to compare, then enquire for open and off-market options.
Where can I find a shophouse for rent in Singapore?+
Leasing demand is strongest for ground-floor frontage on dining and retail streets such as Tanjong Pagar Road, Telok Ayer Street, Haji Lane, Joo Chiat Road and Smith Street. Upper floors are often leased as offices or studios. Each neighbourhood page lists typical tenants and the streets to focus on.
What is the difference between a commercial and a residential shophouse?+
It comes from Master Plan zoning. Commercial-zoned shophouses are treated as non-residential for stamp duty, while residential or residential-with-commercial zoned ones can attract ABSD and have use limits. Always confirm zoning for the exact lot.
Are HDB shophouses the same as conservation shophouses?+
No. HDB shophouses are HDB-owned commercial units with their own lease and eligibility rules. Conservation shophouses are privately owned heritage buildings under URA conservation guidelines. See our HDB shophouses page for the former.
Do you publish shophouse prices and rents?+
We give qualitative guidance and point to primary sources such as URA REALIS rather than publishing a single average, because shophouse prices and rents vary widely by building. Guidance was last reviewed November 2026.