Recent studies reveal that an increasing number of young couples in Singapore are marrying earlier due to the pressing need to secure affordable housing. Serena Wong, a 28-year-old business development manager, and her boyfriend made this crucial decision during their second date, swiftly moving from discussions of love to applying for a public housing flat. After ten months of waiting through various ballots, they finally secured a three-bedroom apartment in Queenstown, a central location that demands significantly higher resale prices.

The couple’s commitment came with a S$40,000 deposit and a five-year wait to move in, reflecting the intense pressure that rising housing costs place on relationships. Wong shared, “We had marriage in mind, but housing prices pushed us to act sooner.” This trend stems from a combination of long waiting periods for new flats and a rising cost of living, prompting couples to make life-altering decisions early in their relationships.

The Singaporean government has long promoted marriage and family formation through its public housing system, boasting a home ownership rate near 90%. However, this has inadvertently contributed to increased divorce rates among younger citizens, as more couples are entering marriage for the sake of obtaining housing.

While marriage rates for younger Singaporeans have surged, so have divorce rates, leading to complex social implications. A recent study from the National University of Singapore highlighted that, since the introduction of the “Build-To-Order” (BTO) housing program, both marriage and divorce rates have risen, suggesting that financial considerations are often prioritized over personal ones.

As younger Singaporeans navigate these pressures, many are informally proposing to secure housing, often placing substantial down payments on flats that won’t be ready for years. For instance, Phyllis Kum, 25, expressed the urgency of the situation, “We might not qualify if our income increases.”

Legal experts note that financial burdens tied to property ownership can strain relationships. Some couples remain together purely for the financial security of their shared home, even amid deteriorating feelings. Divorce attorney Mohamed Baiross observes a trend where couples postpone separation to avoid financial loss from property sales, reflecting the complexities intertwined with housing policies.

With the government providing generous housing grants and financial incentives for young couples, the expectation to marry often precedes genuine relationship readiness. As Singapore continues to tackle its declining birth rate, the pressure on couples to form families through the lens of housing continues to mount, revealing the intricate relationship between economic factors and personal choices.

In a society where peer pressure around homeownership is pervasive, young couples like Caleb Ng and his girlfriend find themselves planning their futures around the housing market, often prioritizing property security over relationship maturity. Ng remarked, “It’s hard to ignore the housing situation; it forces us to think seriously about our future.”

As these dynamics unfold, the interplay between housing policies and social structures continues to shape the lives of Singapore’s youth, raising important questions about the nature of relationships in the context of economic necessity.