Long MRT rides, late night calls: How married couples cope living apart while waiting for a home

In Singapore, a housing affordability crunch is reshaping marriage timelines. According to Channel NewsAsia, newlywed couples are increasingly living apart while waiting for subsidized public housing slots to open up — a wait that can stretch years. With private real estate prices soaring, many can't afford the immediate move to a shared home. Instead, spouses are commuting across the island on the MRT, trading long rides and late-night phone calls for the day when they can finally move in together. It's a slow-burn version of long-distance marriage, born not from geography but from Singapore's acute shortage of affordable housing.

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