Tiong Bahru vs Kallang: Which is better to live in?

The original cradle of humanity in Singapore, versus a newly revitalised hipster zone. It’s the battle of tradition and nostalgia, versus people with thick glasses who pretend to write screenplays. Both Kallang and Tiong Bahru have an illustrious history, are a stone’s throw from the city and easily accessible by MRT. But which is the better neighbourhood to live in?

Tiong Bahru

Tiong Bahru was developed into a residential estate as far back as 1925. At the time, it was a cemetery (Tiong Bahru means “new cemetery”). Tiong Bahru Road, which at the time was a dirt track, was called Burial Ground Road. Yeah, that’ll be pleasant to walk along when you’re going home at night.

Tiong Bahru used to be a bit of a squatter’s den, and the various cemeteries had zinc roofed huts where Singapore’s dispossessed would live. The Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT), which was still under the British, convinced the squatters to leave.

Tiong Bahru was developed into one of the premiere residential estates of the time. The area’s architecture is still famous for its mix of art deco styles and post-colonial shophouses. In the past, these houses were mainly for the rich, and it was often where wealthy Chinese traders housed their mistresses.

Tiong Bahru started to die out between the 1970s and 80s. At this time urban development (and re-development) was creating newer, equally desirable places to live.. Tiong Bahru ceased to be special. In 2003, to preserve the fading district, 20 blocks of flats in Tiong Bahru were earmarked for conservation.

This resulted in an unexpected turnaround. Hipsterisation occurred almost immediately, spearheaded by the artisan Tiong Bahru bakery. Books Actually, widely regarded by many bookworms to be the only “serious” bookstore in the country, also drew crowds here (they have since relocated, because it became so mainstream, you know?)

High end, niche boutiques and cafes moved into the area, and by 2011, magazines like Vogue rated it one of the most hipster neighbourhoods in the world.

The upsides of living in Tiong Bahru

Tiong Bahru is now a bizarre mix of elderly folks (a legacy from when the estate was fading) and upper middle class young couples. Some of the plus sides are:

• Access to a lot of exotic cafes and shops
• An expressive and experimental neighbourhood
• Culture and heritage

• Access to a lot of exotic cafes and shops

Because this is a hipster area, you will never face bland, fast food options. Even the hawker food here often has an interesting twist (one of them becomes an Italian diner by night). The cafes and shops are one of a kind, and other people go out of their way just to come here and dine.

The turnaround time can be quite fast (a lot of these businesses are quite niche or fringe), but that’s a benefit to residents here too. They will be entertained for as long as it remains a hipster area.

• An expressive and experimental neighbourhood

Tiong Bahru is a centre for culture. It doesn’t happen out on the streets – but the businesses tend to be quite interactive. Everything from clay pottery workshops to lessons in obscure instruments can be found in the area.

If your idea of entertainment involves more than Netflix and playing Call of Duty, you’ll like living here. If the thought of, say, spontaneously learning the banjo doesn’t sound like you, then you may not appreciate this neighbourhood.

• Culture and heritage

Tiong Bahru will appeal to anyone who likes the historical side of Singapore. The area stands out against the dull, blocky HDB flats you see everywhere. You’ll often see film crews on the road, and walking down the road you half expect a rickshaw puller to run past you.

The downside

Tiong Bahru can get pricey, with many listings reaching $1,680 per square foot and up. Don’t be fooled by how old the area looks; while you may see ah peks sitting outside a rusted gate and listening to songbirds, this is very much an upper middle class area.

Not only can the property be pricier than you expect, living here can be expensive too. Most of your local eateries are edgy restaurants and avant garde cafes – while coffee shop food does exist, there’s a highly limited selection when you’re on a budget.

Tiong Bahru provides an average degree of accessibility and convenience. To some people, that may mean properties here are priced on the high side. This is really a place for those who want to soak in a unique atmosphere – it’s not the best for budget buys.

Kallang

Kallang is the cradle is which Singapore’s first major settlements were built. I’m not talking about the colonial era – this was probably true way back, right after Sang Nila Utama saw that lion or something (this isn’t a history site okay? The point is it’s long ago).

The first settlements probably started here because of the Kallang River. This 10 kilometre river is the longest in Singapore, running from Lower Pierce Reservoir to the Kallang Basin. Before we had proper plumbing, it was super convenient to live right next to this major waterway.

Kallang has been home to several landmarks, from the former National Stadium (home of the “Kallang Roar”), to Kallang airport (this was the main airport before Changi). The Kallang gasworks, which operated from 1862 to 1997, used to be where the country got all its gas. A single pump has been preserved. The gasworks were the location where major race riots broke out in 1964. They were all fuming mad.

Today, Kallang is known for the Singapore Sports Hub, which replaces the National Stadium. It’s also known for the various water sports activities along the Kallang River – our national canoeing and dragon boat teams are often practicing here. This has given the area a rising reputation as a sports hub.

The upsides of Kallang

This is an area that has a lot to offer the young and active. It’s a little short on retail though.

• Access to a wide range of sports facilities
• Access to the Kallang River and nearby Park Connectors
• It’s peaceful without being too ulu
• It’s fast becoming a hipster enclave

• Access to a wide range of sports facilities

The new Singapore Sports Hub has a huge range of activities, from lawn bowling to football. Most facilities are open to the public, and the building itself hosts a number of eateries. And if water sports is your thing, there are plenty of places you can rent a canoe. Kallang also has a lot of paths for cyclists.

Just for the sake of irony, we’re also going to mention here that Kallang has two of the biggest fast food outlets ever. A giant McDonald’s and a giant KFC face each other in Kallang, and have been locked in a mortal struggle for decades. The overall winner thus far seems to be our obesity rate. Maybe that’s why they made this a sports hub.

• Access to the Kallang River and nearby Park Connectors

The Kallang River is a good place for an evening stroll, and it’s a great view for nearby properties. The Park Connectors will link up to others around the island, as part of a master plan to build parkland which loops around whole districts of Singapore.

This makes Kallang a really relaxing place to come home to – you can escape the monotony of concrete blocks that make up too many residential districts in Singapore.

• It’s peaceful without being too ulu

If you crave space with a slightly rural feel in Singapore, that usually means an out of the way neighbourhood like Punggol. But Kallang is still fairly accessible, with its own MRT station and a large number of bus routes. In fact, you can get to the Central Business District (CBD) in around 12 minutes.

Kallang’s roads are also less congested than many neighbourhoods, and there’s ample parking in most of the leisure areas. If you do decide to drive this is a convenient place.

• It’s fast becoming a hipster enclave

Kallang is giving Tiong Bahru a run for its money due to the proliferation of hipster cafes sprouting out in the area. We think it has to do with the renewed interest in the area due to plans for re-developments (because hipsters love gentrified neighbourhoods). Some notable outlets include Kilo Kallang, a restaurant located in an old storage warehouse by the edge of Kallang Basin, Car-Rousel Cafe, a vintage automobile cafe in Kallang Wave Mall and The Projector, a small cinema in Golden Mile Complex which features only old and new arthouse films. 

The downside

Kallang has never been big on retail. Shopping is available at Kallang Leisure Park and Kallang Wave Mall, with the former having  an indoor ice skating rink and bowling alley whereas the latter has an indoor rock-climbing wall (in case I haven’t stated enough that this is a sports place). There’s a cinema in there too (the mainstream kind).

Other than that though, Kallang never has been – and probably never will be – a shopping hub. If you need retail therapy nearby, pick another neighbourhood.

The winner:

If we had to pick, we’d say Tiong Bahru. We hate pretentiousness too, but the area is more lively and quirky. Of course, there are other considerations. If you your idea of fun is sports, then obviously Kallang will win out.