> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.mychoicehomez.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Same $2.2 Million, Three Very Different Homes. Which Life Are You Buying? - URL: https://www.mychoicehomez.com/2-million-condo-budget-singapore/ - Published: 2026-11-10T00:00:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-09T23:59:59.000Z - Description: Give three households the same $2.2 million at the 2027 launches. One gets a big EC, one a three-bedroom in a new estate, one a compact 999-year home in River Valley. Each is buying a different life, not just a different flat. - Author: James Ong - Tags: Property Guides, For HDB Upgraders Primary: a budget check across three options ### Same budget, different lives: which one is yours? Send me your household, income and how long you plan to stay. I will show you what each option asks of you, not just how many square feet it buys. [Get your 48-hour review](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/#plan)[WhatsApp James](https://wa.me/6591111173?text=Hi%20James%2C%20I%20have%20a%20budget%20of%20about%20%242.2%20million.%20Which%202027%20launch%20suits%20my%20situation%3F%20My%20household%20and%20plans%3A%20&ref=mychoicehomez.com) Give three households the same $2.2 million and send them to the 2027 launches. One gets a big EC, one gets a three-bedroom in a new estate, and one gets a compact home on a 999-year lease in River Valley. Each is buying a different life, not just a different flat. **Short answer:** At the low end of analyst estimates, $2.2 million buys about 1,220 to 1,290 sq ft at an old-rules EC, about 950 sq ft at Chencharu Central, and about 730 sq ft at The River Opus at my working estimate. The right one depends on income, how long you will stay and what you need nearby, not on size alone. 1,220+ sq ft At an old-rules EC \~950 sq ft At Chencharu Central \~730 sq ft At The River Opus Figures from this article. Estimates and illustrations are labelled in the text. ## What $2.2 million buys Roughly how much space $2.2 million buys Old-rules EC (low end): 1,220 sq ftOld-rules EC (low end)1,220 sq ftChencharu Central: 950 sq ftChencharu Central950 sq ftThe River Opus: 730 sq ftThe River Opus730 sq ft At the low end of analyst estimates, and my working estimate for The River Opus. Estimates, not prices. | Option | Price used (psf) | Space for $2.2 million | Who can buy | | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------- | | Old-rules EC ([Sembawang Road](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/sembawang-road-ec-launch-review/), [Solano Grand](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/solano-grand-ec-senja-close/)) | Above $1,700 to above $1,800 (analyst estimates) | About 1,220 to 1,290 sq ft | Eligible households earning up to $16,000 a month | | [Chencharu Central](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/chencharu-central-residences-review/) | Above $2,300 (analyst estimate) | About 950 sq ft | Anyone, ABSD rules apply | | [The River Opus](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/the-river-opus/) | About $3,000 (my working estimate) | About 730 sq ft | Anyone, ABSD rules apply | All figures use analyst estimates or my own working range, not developer prices, and size alone ignores layout. If prices land higher, every row shrinks. Treat the table as a way to compare, not a shopping list. ## Household 1: the EC family Take a hypothetical couple with two young children, a household income of $15,000 and an HDB flat to sell. At an old-rules EC, $2.2 million buys the most space by far, and the Deferred Payment Scheme lets them stay in the flat while the EC is built, subject to their loan passing the bank's test. The price is the rules: a 5-year MOP, selling only to citizens and PRs until privatisation, and six months to sell the flat after collecting keys. My [EC or private condo guide](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/ec-vs-private-condo/) covers those trade-offs. ## Household 2: the new-estate upgrader Take a hypothetical couple in their late thirties earning above the EC ceiling. At Chencharu Central, $2.2 million buys about a three-bedroom near Khatib MRT, with a bus interchange, hawker centre and supermarket on site. They trade a lower entry for a longer wait while the estate around them is built. HDB plans about 10,000 homes in the wider Chencharu estate by 2040, at least 80% of them public (EdgeProp, Mothership, June 2024). ## Household 3: the long-term holder Take a hypothetical couple in their late fifties who want to hold for decades and leave the home to their children. At The River Opus, $2.2 million buys a compact home of about 730 sq ft, but on a 999-year lease in River Valley. They give up space for tenure and location. My [Bala's Table guide](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/balas-table-leasehold-value-loss/) shows what a shorter lease gives up over time. Secondary: your ten-year check ### Where will you want to live in ten years? Message me your plans. I will compare the options on the parts that are hard to change later: rules, location and lease. [WhatsApp James](https://wa.me/6591111173?text=Hi%20James%2C%20I%20have%20a%20budget%20of%20about%20%242.2%20million.%20Which%202027%20launch%20suits%20my%20situation%3F%20My%20household%20and%20plans%3A%20&ref=mychoicehomez.com) ## The cash you need before the loan A $2.2 million home needs a 25% downpayment when the loan is at the 75% limit, which is $550,000\. At least 5% of the price, $110,000, must be in cash, and the rest can usually come from CPF (MAS loan-to-value rules). Stamp duty comes on top. For an HDB owner, most of that usually comes from the flat sale, so the timing of the sale shapes which option is open. An EC buyer on the Deferred Payment Scheme still pays 20% upfront, about $440,000 on $2.2 million, and defers the rest to completion. Speak to a licensed financial adviser for advice specific to your situation. ## What each choice costs you later The EC family pays later in flexibility: until the MOP ends they cannot sell, and until privatisation they sell to a smaller pool of buyers. The Chencharu couple pays in time, with years of construction around them before the estate feels finished. The River Valley couple pays in space every day, in exchange for a lease that will outlast them. None of these costs appears on the price list, which is why I would weigh them before comparing square feet. If two of the three fit your income, the deciding question is usually which cost you mind least. If you are also weighing One Chuan Grove or Hougang Central, my [three-launch comparison](https://www.mychoicehomez.com/one-chuan-grove-chencharu-hougang-central/) lines them up. ## How to choose Start with what you cannot change. Your income decides whether an EC is open to you. How long you will stay decides whether an MOP or a long build hurts. Who will live there in ten years decides how many bedrooms you need. Then compare. Space is the easiest number to see and the least useful one on its own. The trap I see most often is buying the most space the money can reach without asking whether you will still want that location in ten years. ## Questions readers ask What can $2.2 million buy in a 2027 launch?+ At the low end of estimates, about 1,220 to 1,290 sq ft at an old-rules EC, about 950 sq ft at Chencharu Central, or about 730 sq ft at The River Opus at my working estimate. Official prices are not out yet. Can I buy an EC with $2.2 million?+ Yes, if your household meets the eligibility rules, earns $16,000 or less a month for old-rules ECs, and your loan passes the bank's test. ECs also carry an MOP and resale limits until they are privatised. Is a 999-year lease worth paying more for?+ It holds value better over very long holds and suits buyers planning to pass the home on. Over a shorter hold, the premium matters less than location and price. Compare it with similar 99-year projects nearby before deciding. Is Chencharu Central a good choice for families?+ It has Peiying Primary about 260m away and Khatib MRT about 490m away, with a bus interchange and hawker centre on site. The wider estate is still being built, so the surroundings will keep changing for years. How do I decide which suits me?+ Start with income, how long you will stay and who will live there in ten years. Then compare size and price. This is general information, not a recommendation to buy any project. ## Sources Show all 6 sources+ - EdgeProp, analyst price estimates for Sembawang Road EC, Solano Grand EC and Chencharu Central, 2025 - HDB, EC eligibility rules and income ceiling - HDB and MND, EC rule changes, May and August 2026 - EdgeProp and Mothership, Chencharu estate plans, June 2024 - SLA, Bala's Table on leasehold value - MyChoiceHomez, The River Opus review (working price estimate) and EC reviews Disclaimer & licensing+ This article is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute financial, investment, or legal advice. Property investments involve risk. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Readers should seek independent advice from licensed professionals before making any property or financial decision. James Ong is a licensed real estate salesperson (CEA Reg No. R008385F) with PropNex Realty Pte Ltd and is not a licensed financial adviser. James Ong | CEA Reg No. R008385F | PropNex Realty Pte Ltd