# A more expansive life: Why Singaporeans are eyeing retirement in Johor Bahru - **Source:** EdgeProp Singapore - **Published:** 2026-08-07T02:00:00.000Z - **Author:** Cecilia Chow - **Original:** https://www.edgeprop.sg/property-news/more-expansive-life-why-singaporeans-are-eyeing-retirement-johor-bahru - **Topics:** Transactions & Deals ## Featured rationale Improved cross-border connectivity may strengthen Singaporean demand for Johor homes and rentals, potentially raising prices and rents while gradually narrowing its cost advantage. ## AI summary Singaporean retirement interest in Johor Bahru is increasingly driven by lower costs and proximity, while the five-minute RTS Link is targeted for December 2026. ## Original article Singaporeans Thusitha de Silva and his wife, Sharon Kuok, are marking their 10th year living in Johor Bahru, Malaysia. “Over the years, our friends have often talked about coming here to retire,” says de Silva. “But it’s mostly just talk.” The couple first experimented with living in Johor Bahru in 2005, when they bought a quarter-acre (0.1ha or about 10,890 sq ft) plot and built a house at Leisure Farm, a 1,500-acre master-planned gated residential resort in Iskandar Puteri. It’s about a 20-minute drive from the Tuas Checkpoint. Read also: Home, through every stage of life: A National Day 2026 special “It was a weekend home, which meant it was quite underutilised,” he says. Feeling that it was not yet the right time to move permanently, they sold the house in 2012. Over the next few years, however, their desire to leave Singapore grew stronger. “There was no reason for us to stay, as we have no children and our siblings live overseas,” says de Silva. “Since Sharon is from Johor Bahru, it was her first choice.” From weekend home to ‘forever home’ In 2015, the couple drove around Johor Bahru with their property agent, viewing houses in neighbourhoods including Horizon Hills. One day, a house set back behind a long driveway caught their attention. They asked their agent to enquire, and he came back saying the owners might be open to selling. The owners, an elderly Singaporean couple, were concerned about the weakening Malaysian ringgit, which was then hovering at around RM3 to $1. They wanted to return to Singapore and reduce their exposure to further exchange-rate losses, de Silva relates. He and Kuok both had “good vibes” about the house. “When that happens, we usually act on it,” he says. “You could say we are impulse buyers.” They made an offer on the spot, and the owners accepted it. The couple engaged the contractor who had built their previous home at Leisure Farm to renovate the house. They moved in permanently on Feb 28, 2017. Read also: The modern multigenerational home: How some Singaporean families are redefining living together Unlike Leisure Farm, their present neighbourhood is not within a gated community. “Sharon went mad on security,” says de Silva. “We have barbed-wire fencing, CCTV cameras and a house alarm, in addition to our three dogs.” The neighbourhood has proven relatively safe, however. The couple have not switched on the alarm since their first few months there. Proximity, greater connectivity with RTS Link Proximity to Singapore was another important consideration. Although semi-retired, de Silva remains professionally active. A media and financial advisory professional, he works with the Singapore research arm of global research, analytics and consulting firm Cerulli Associates. Many of the couple’s friends have considered renting out their HDB flats in Singapore and then renting or buying an apartment in Johor Bahru, he says. A few have bought units there but are not yet prepared to make a permanent move. Instead, they have rented them out or used them as short-term accommodation. De Silva believes the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link will make living in Johor Bahru and commuting to Singapore more attractive. Targeted to begin passenger service by December 2026, the RTS Link will connect Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru with Woodlands North in Singapore. The journey between the two stations is expected to take about five minutes. Read also: How school proximity drives property decisions for families For now, the Malaysia My Second Home programme remains the most common residency route for foreigners, including Singaporeans. De Silva expects less complicated alternatives to emerge, “judging by the growing pipeline of housing projects across metropolitan Johor Bahru”. “Property developers don’t just build for the fun of it,” he says. A more organic, cost-driven wave Alan Cheong, executive director of research and consultancy at Savills Singapore, has observed the cross-border movement of Singaporeans for more than two decades. The first significant wave came during the 1997–1998 Asian financial crisis, when economic conditions encouraged some Singaporeans to move across the Causeway, he says. Another wave emerged between 2010 and 2012, fuelled by the development of Iskandar Malaysia and catalytic projects such as Legoland Malaysia, Medini and Marlborough College Malaysia. “The wave was fuelled mainly by grandiose plans,” says Cheong. The latest interest is different. “This time around, it’s not so much about a concept but about cost considerations, which are more organic and sustainable,” he says. Anecdotally, many of those considering such a move are in their early 50s and either retired or semi-retired, Cheong adds. ‘Best of both worlds’ Like de Silva, Singaporean Boaz Boon is semi-retired but remains professionally active in Singapore through several corporate and advisory roles. Boon has also mastered the art of crossing the Causeway while avoiding the worst traffic. He drives from Singapore to Johor Bahru at about 5pm on Sundays, after attending church, and returns on Tuesdays, usually in the late morning or early afternoon. At those times, the door-to-door journey can take just 30 minutes, he says. Unlike de Silva, Boon did not buy a new home in Johor Bahru. Instead, he redeveloped his childhood home. His parents bought the freehold property in 1965 for just RM18,000 ($5,644 based on today’s exchange rate). After 15 years with CapitaLand as head of research, Boon decided to leave the corporate world. At 50, he wanted more time to pursue other interests. In 2016, he founded Thred, a real estate and design thinking firm. That was also the year he decided to redevelop the family home in Johor Bahru. The entire process, from demolition and reconstruction to furnishing the interiors, took nine months, and the house was completed in time for Christmas that year. Boon spent about RM1 million rebuilding and furnishing the house. A Singaporean friend, by contrast, recently paid $6.5 million for a semi-detached house on the West Coast of Singapore, and is spending another $1 million renovating it. The house in Johor Bahru sits on a freehold site of about 4,000 sq ft and has four en suite bedrooms, a mezzanine and enough space for guests. It is designed in the style of colonial-era black-and-white bungalows. Since their mother passed away in December 2021, Boon’s sister has moved into the house full-time with a helper, while Boon spends several days each week there and other days in Singapore. Boon and his wife continue to maintain their fully paid executive flat in Choa Chu Kang, which they bought in 1998. Their two sons are grown up. “I enjoy life on both sides of the Causeway,” he says. “It’s the best of both worlds.” His monthly household expenses in Johor Bahru amount to about $1,500, or RM5,000, and have remained broadly stable over the past decade. The sum covers groceries, dining, entertainment, insurance, property maintenance and salary for a domestic helper. At that level of expenditure, one can live comfortably just across the Causeway, Boon says. Will Johor’s cost advantage last? “Johor stands out among the possible retirement destinations [for Singaporeans] because of its proximity and familiarity,” says Wong Xian Yang, head of research for Singapore and Southeast Asia at Cushman & Wakefield. Retirees can benefit from substantially lower living costs while remaining close to family and friends in Singapore, he adds. These advantages could become more pronounced following the completion of the RTS Link. “The combination of improving healthcare standards and lower healthcare costs is likely to be a key draw for retirees,” says Wong. However, increased demand from Singaporean retirees could gradually erode some of Johor’s cost advantages by placing upward pressure on property prices and rents. “As a result, while Johor is likely to remain cheaper than Singapore, the extent of the cost-of-living arbitrage may narrow over time,” says Wong. De Silva already sees “a huge number” of Singapore-registered cars in Johor Bahru during weekends, public holidays and school holidays. For residents there, however, the constant influx of Singaporeans can be frustrating, as goods and services in Johor Bahru tend to cost more than in places farther north, he adds. “New F&B outlets are opening regularly and targeting Singaporeans,” says de Silva. “I’ve heard of Singaporeans who go ‘coffee club crawling’. I think it’s pretty evident that business owners are preparing for the opening of the RTS Link.” ‘Potential bottleneck’ While the RTS Link will make travelling between Singapore and Johor Bahru more convenient, Boon is concerned about what will happen after passengers arrive. “I shudder to think how they might navigate once they arrive at the Johor Bahru Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex,” he says. The RTS Link will have a peak capacity of up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction. “Imagine thousands arriving and booking Grab rides — and what happens when there’s heavy rain?” Boon says. “Johor Bahru’s last-mile transport infrastructure still needs considerable improvement. Right now, I foresee a bottleneck on the Johor Bahru side.” Beyond Johor Bahru While Johor Bahru benefits from its proximity to Singapore, it is not the only overseas destination attracting Singaporean retirees. According to Marilyn Tan, head of international residential sales at JLL Singapore, Australia is another popular option, particularly Melbourne and Perth. “Malaysia continues to attract strong interest because of its proximity, cultural familiarity and affordability,” says Tan. “Australia appeals to those who hold permanent residency or valid visas in the country.” Within Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur and Penang are also popular, says Adrian Lim, senior director of international residential sales at Savills Singapore. “In Thailand, Bangkok is another attractive option, while Chiang Mai is gradually gaining interest among retirees seeking a slower pace of life,” he adds. ‘Chaos, convenience — good for the soul’ For de Silva and Kuok, lower living costs, quality of life and Kuok’s roots in Johor Bahru all contributed to their decision to move. But there were less tangible considerations too. “The thought of living in a city-state for the rest of our lives was something we couldn’t embrace,” says de Silva. “We wanted a more expansive life, with a bit of edge, chaos and inconvenience. It’s a spiritual thing — good for the soul.” ## Chinese translation > Translation model: openai_codex_cli ### 更开阔的生活：为什么新加坡人把退休目光投向 Johor Bahru 其吸引力不止于可负担性，许多退休人士还在寻求更大空间、更高灵活性和不同的生活节奏。 新加坡人 Thusitha de Silva 和他的妻子 Sharon Kuok 正迎来在 Malaysia Johor Bahru 生活的第 10 年。 “这些年来，我们的朋友经常谈到来这里退休，”de Silva 说。“但大多只是说说而已。” 这对夫妇最早在 2005 年尝试 Johor Bahru 生活，当时他们在 Iskandar Puteri 的 Leisure Farm 买下一块四分之一英亩（0.1 公顷或约 10,890 平方英尺）的地，并建了一栋房子。Leisure Farm 是一个占地 1,500 英亩、总体规划的门禁住宅度假区，距离 Tuas Checkpoint 约 20 分钟车程。 另见：Home, through every stage of life: A National Day 2026 special “那是一间周末度假屋，这意味着使用率相当低，”他说。 觉得当时还不是永久搬迁的合适时机，他们在 2012 年卖掉了那栋房子。不过在接下来的几年里，他们离开新加坡的愿望变得更强。 “我们没有理由留下，因为我们没有孩子，兄弟姐妹也住在海外，”de Silva 说。“既然 Sharon 来自 Johor Bahru，这就是她的首选。” 从周末度假屋到“永久之家” 2015 年，这对夫妇与他们的房地产经纪开车在 Johor Bahru 四处看房，包括 Horizon Hills 等社区。 有一天，一栋隐藏在长长车道后方的房子吸引了他们的注意。他们请经纪询问，随后经纪回来表示业主可能愿意出售。 业主是一对年长的新加坡夫妇，他们担心 Malaysian ringgit 走弱，当时汇率徘徊在约 RM3 兑新币 1 元。de Silva 讲述说，他们希望回到新加坡，并减少进一步汇率损失的风险敞口。 他和 Kuok 都对这栋房子有“好感觉”。 “当这种情况发生时，我们通常会采取行动，”他说。“你可以说我们是冲动型买家。” 他们当场出价，业主接受了。 这对夫妇聘请了曾为他们建造 Leisure Farm 旧居的承包商来翻新这栋房子。他们于 2017 年 2 月 28 日永久搬入。 另见：The modern multigenerational home: How some Singaporean families are redefining living together 与 Leisure Farm 不同，他们现在的社区不在门禁社区内。 “Sharon 在安保上着了魔，”de Silva 说。“除了我们的三只狗之外，我们还有带刺铁丝围栏、闭路电视摄像头和房屋警报器。” 不过，这个社区事实证明相对安全。自最初几个月后，他们就没有再打开过警报器。 邻近性，以及 RTS Link 带来的更大连接性 靠近新加坡也是一项重要考量。尽管处于半退休状态，de Silva 仍保持职业活跃。他是一名媒体和金融顾问专业人士，与全球研究、分析和咨询公司 Cerulli Associates 的新加坡研究部门合作。 他说，这对夫妇的许多朋友都考虑过把新加坡的 HDB 组屋出租，然后在 Johor Bahru 租或买一套公寓。少数人已经在那里买了单位，但尚未准备好永久搬迁。相反，他们把单位出租，或作为短期住宿使用。 de Silva 认为，Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System（RTS）Link 将使居住在 Johor Bahru 并通勤至新加坡更具吸引力。 RTS Link 目标是在 2026 年 12 月开始载客服务，将连接 Johor Bahru 的 Bukit Chagar 与新加坡的 Woodlands North。两站之间的行程预计约需五分钟。 另见：How school proximity drives property decisions for families 目前，Malaysia My Second Home 计划仍是包括新加坡人在内的外国人最常见的居留路径。de Silva 预计会出现不那么复杂的替代方案，“从 Johor Bahru 大都会区不断增长的住宅项目管线来看”。 “房地产发展商不会只是为了好玩而建房，”他说。 更自然、由成本驱动的一波迁移 Savills Singapore 研究与咨询执行董事 Alan Cheong 观察新加坡人的跨境迁移已有二十多年。 他说，第一波重要迁移出现在 1997 至 1998 年亚洲金融危机期间，当时的经济环境促使一些新加坡人搬到 Causeway 对岸。 另一波出现在 2010 至 2012 年之间，由 Iskandar Malaysia 的发展以及 Legoland Malaysia、Medini 和 Marlborough College Malaysia 等催化项目推动。 “那一波主要由宏大的规划推动，”Cheong 说。 最新的兴趣则不同。 “这一次，重点不太是概念，而是成本考量，这更自然，也更可持续，”他说。 Cheong 补充说，据轶事观察，许多考虑此类搬迁的人处于 50 岁出头，且已经退休或半退休。 “两全其美” 与 de Silva 一样，新加坡人 Boaz Boon 处于半退休状态，但通过多个企业和顾问角色继续在新加坡保持职业活跃。 Boon 也掌握了避开最严重车流跨越 Causeway 的技巧。他通常在周日参加教会活动后，于下午约 5 点从新加坡开车前往 Johor Bahru，并在周二返回，通常是在上午较晚或下午较早时段。 他说，在这些时段，门到门行程只需 30 分钟。 与 de Silva 不同，Boon 没有在 Johor Bahru 买新房。相反，他重建了自己的童年旧居。 他的父母在 1965 年以仅 RM18,000（按今日汇率为新币 5,644 元）买下这处永久地契物业。在 CapitaLand 担任研究主管 15 年后，Boon 决定离开企业界。50 岁时，他希望有更多时间追求其他兴趣。2016 年，他创办了房地产与设计思维公司 Thred。 那也是他决定重建 Johor Bahru 家庭住宅的一年。 从拆除、重建到室内布置，整个过程历时九个月，房子赶在当年圣诞节前完工。 Boon 花了约 RM100 万重建和布置这栋房子。相比之下，一位新加坡朋友最近以新币 650 万元在新加坡 West Coast 买下一栋半独立屋，并另外花费新币 100 万元翻新。 这栋 Johor Bahru 的房子坐落在约 4,000 平方英尺的永久地契地块上，拥有四间套房卧室、一个夹层和足够招待客人的空间。其设计风格参照殖民时代黑白洋房。 自母亲于 2021 年 12 月去世后，Boon 的姐姐带着一名帮佣全职搬入这栋房子，而 Boon 每周在那里住几天，其他日子则在新加坡。 Boon 和妻子继续保留他们在 Choa Chu Kang 已全额还清贷款的行政组屋，该组屋购于 1998 年。他们的两个儿子已经成年。 “我享受 Causeway 两边的生活，”他说。“这是两全其美。” 他在 Johor Bahru 的每月家庭开支约为新币 1,500 元，或 RM5,000，过去十年大体稳定。这笔金额涵盖杂货、餐饮、娱乐、保险、物业维护和家庭帮佣薪金。Boon 说，以这种开支水平，人们可以在 Causeway 对岸过得舒适。 Johor 的成本优势会持续吗？ “在新加坡人可能选择的退休目的地中，Johor 因其邻近性和熟悉感而突出，”Cushman & Wakefield 新加坡和东南亚研究主管 Wong Xian Yang 说。 他补充说，退休人士可以受益于显著较低的生活成本，同时仍能靠近新加坡的家人和朋友。RTS Link 完成后，这些优势可能会变得更明显。 “医疗标准提升与较低医疗成本的结合，很可能成为吸引退休人士的关键因素，”Wong 说。 不过，来自新加坡退休人士的需求增加，可能会通过对房价和租金施加上行压力，逐渐削弱 Johor 的部分成本优势。 “因此，虽然 Johor 可能仍会比新加坡便宜，但生活成本套利的幅度可能会随着时间收窄，”Wong 说。 de Silva 已经在周末、公共假期和学校假期期间看到 Johor Bahru 有“数量庞大”的新加坡注册车辆。 不过他补充说，对当地居民而言，新加坡人持续涌入可能令人沮丧，因为 Johor Bahru 的商品和服务往往比更北部地区更贵。 “新的餐饮门店定期开业，并瞄准新加坡人，”de Silva 说。“我听说有新加坡人去‘coffee club crawling’。我认为很明显，商家正在为 RTS Link 开通做准备。” “潜在瓶颈” 虽然 RTS Link 会让新加坡与 Johor Bahru 之间的往来更加便利，但 Boon 担心乘客抵达之后会发生什么。 “我一想到他们抵达 Johor Bahru Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex 后可能如何通行，就不寒而栗，”他说。 RTS Link 在高峰时段每个方向的运力最高可达每小时 10,000 名乘客。 “想象一下成千上万人抵达并预订 Grab 车——如果下大雨会怎样？”Boon 说。“Johor Bahru 的最后一公里交通基础设施仍需要大幅改善。眼下，我预见 Johor Bahru 一侧会出现瓶颈。” Johor Bahru 之外 虽然 Johor Bahru 因靠近新加坡而受益，但它并不是唯一吸引新加坡退休人士的海外目的地。 JLL Singapore 国际住宅销售主管 Marilyn Tan 表示，Australia 是另一个热门选择，尤其是 Melbourne 和 Perth。 “Malaysia 因其邻近性、文化熟悉度和可负担性而持续吸引强烈兴趣，”Tan 说。“Australia 则吸引那些在当地持有永久居民身份或有效签证的人。” Savills Singapore 国际住宅销售高级董事 Adrian Lim 表示，在 Malaysia 境内，Kuala Lumpur 和 Penang 也很受欢迎。 “在 Thailand，Bangkok 是另一个有吸引力的选择，而 Chiang Mai 也逐渐获得寻求较慢生活节奏的退休人士关注，”他补充说。 “混乱、便利——有益灵魂” 对于 de Silva 和 Kuok 来说，较低生活成本、生活质量以及 Kuok 在 Johor Bahru 的根，都促成了他们搬迁的决定。 但也有一些不那么可量化的考量。 “一想到余生都住在一个城邦里，我们无法接受，”de Silva 说。 “我们想要一种更开阔的生活，带一点锋芒、混乱和不便。这是一种精神层面的东西——有益灵魂。”