Studio vs 1-Bed vs Dual-Key: Which Layout Rents Best Near the RTS?

Choosing a layout is one of the most important decisions a rental investor makes, and near the RTS Link it matters even more. The tenants who want to live within walking distance of the Bukit Chagar station are mostly people who cross into Singapore for work, plus young professionals who work in the JB city centre. They have clear preferences on size, privacy and price, and those preferences decide how fast a unit rents and how much it earns. This guide compares the three most common choices for investors, studio, 1-bedroom and dual-key, and shows how to work out the best unit type to rent in JB for your own goals.

We use completed projects around the RTS as the rental evidence, then apply the lessons to new launches such as Causewayz Square, which offers all three layouts in one development. For the deep dives on individual layouts, see our Causewayz Square studio guide and our dual-key guide; this article stays focused on the comparison.

What rents best near the RTS: the short comparison

Small units rent fastest and earn the most per square foot; dual-key units earn the most per title; standard 2- and 3-bedroom units earn the most per lease but at a lower rate per square foot.

The pattern is consistent across the completed condos around Bukit Chagar. In the same building, a studio typically asks roughly 75% to 100% of what a 2-bedroom unit asks, even though it is much smaller. That gap is the core reason small units are popular with investors: the rent does not fall in line with the floor area.

Rental evidence from completed condos near Bukit Chagar

Asking rents from completed projects close to the RTS give a realistic benchmark: roughly RM2,000 to RM3,000 for studios and RM2,500 to RM3,800 for 2-bedroom units.

Source: uchify JB rental listings, updated July 2026. These are monthly asking rents, not signed leases. R&F Princess Cove also lists co-living rooms at about RM850 to RM1,350 a month, which shows how strong room-level demand is near the border.

Read the table across each row and a clear pattern appears. At Twin Tower Residence, a studio asks up to RM3,000 while a 3-bedroom asks up to RM3,700, only about 23% more for roughly three times the rooms. At SKS Pavillion, a studio from RM2,000 compares with a 3-bedroom from RM3,200. The smaller the unit, the more rent you earn for each square foot you buy. For a wider view across the area, see our JB condo rental price report.

What RTS commuter tenants care about most

For RTS commuter tenants, the first question is how long it takes to get from the front door to the platform; layout, furnishing and rent come next.

The New Straits Times reported in March 2026 that more than one million Malaysians are estimated to work in Singapore, with about 300,000 to 400,000 commuting daily. Many currently set aside one and a half to three hours for the Causeway crossing. Once the RTS runs, the ride is about five minutes with trains every 3.6 minutes at peak, and the total journey including immigration is expected to be under 30 minutes. The same report quoted a Singapore consultant saying a common room in public housing near the border typically rents for S$1,000 to S$1,500 a month. For many commuters, living near the JB RTS and riding across each day is a practical choice.

What these tenants want is very specific:

• A short, simple walk to the station, ideally comfortable in the rain.
• Privacy and quiet, because they leave early; a 1-bedroom or the separate part of a dual-key unit suits this well.
• Move-in ready units with furniture, appliances and internet installed.
• Predictable costs, with utilities, internet and charges clearly set out.

The tenant pool near the RTS is also broader than commuters alone. Young professionals working in the JB city centre, business travellers and Singaporean weekend visitors all favour compact, well-connected units. A more varied tenant pool tends to keep occupancy steadier through the year, which is one reason small layouts have stayed popular around the checkpoint.

Studio units: the simplest rental near the RTS

A studio is the easiest unit to buy, furnish and let near the RTS, and it usually delivers the highest rent per square foot.

Studios suit the single commuter who will spend weekdays working in Singapore and wants a short walk to the station. These tenants value location, a good bed, fast internet, a washer and reliable air-conditioning far more than extra floor area. Because the purchase price is the lowest of the three options, the deposit and monthly instalment are also the lowest, which makes studios a common first investment.

Why studios work

• Lowest total price, so more buyers can enter and resale demand is broad.
• Rent stays high relative to size, as the table above shows.
• Furnishing is simple and relatively inexpensive: one bed, a compact sofa or desk, kitchen basics.

How to make a studio stand out

Because many projects near the RTS include studios, a studio competes on presentation and walking time. A unit with good natural light, a clean layout, a work desk and a short walk to the RTS or CIQ tends to let faster. At Causewayz Square the studio sits in the Axis tower, which is planned with a hospitality operator; read the studio deep dive for details.

1-bedroom units: longer stays and broader appeal

A 1-bedroom unit trades a slightly lower rent per square foot for a wider tenant pool and, often, longer and steadier tenancies.

Couples, professionals who work from home a few days a week, and commuters who want a real separation between sleeping and living space all prefer a 1-bedroom over a studio. In practice, those tenants tend to stay longer, because a 1-bedroom feels like a home rather than a base. Fewer tenant changes mean fewer empty weeks and lower re-letting costs, which can matter as much as the headline rent.

At Causewayz Square, the Type C 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom unit of 474 sq ft is available in the Brixton and Dover towers. That size is compact for a 1-bedroom, which keeps the entry price closer to a studio while giving the separate bedroom that couples ask for. Suasana Iskandar’s 1-bedroom asking rents of RM2,500 to RM3,200 give a sense of what completed 1-bedroom units near the RTS can achieve.

Who should choose a 1-bedroom

• Investors who prefer fewer, longer tenancies to frequent turnover.
• Buyers who may move in themselves later, because a 1-bedroom is more liveable long term.
• Owners who want a unit that resells to both investors and own-stay buyers.

Dual-key units: two incomes from one title

A dual-key unit combines two self-contained parts behind a shared entrance, so you can rent both separately, or live in one and rent the other.

The appeal is flexibility. Near the RTS, demand is strong at the room and small-unit level, as the co-living room rents above show. A dual-key unit lets you serve that demand with two separate leases while holding a single title, one loan and one set of legal fees. You can also change the strategy over time: rent both parts while you live elsewhere, then move into one part later and keep the other as income.

Causewayz Square offers two dual-key formats: Type B in the Axis tower, 592 sq ft with two rooms and two bathrooms, and Types F1 and F2 in Brixton and Dover, 850 sq ft with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Our dual-key guide explains the layouts and the live-in-one, rent-the-other approach in more depth. If you want the room-by-room version of this idea in Kebun Teh, see triple-key renting at The Celestz.

An illustrative way to think about dual-key rent

This is an illustration only, not a forecast. If the smaller part of a dual-key unit is let like a studio and the larger part like a 1-bedroom, you can use the studio and 1-bedroom ranges in the rental table as rough guides for each part, then compare the total with the asking rent of a standard 2-bedroom of similar size. Many owners find the combined figure is higher, at the cost of furnishing two parts and managing two tenants. Always check the house rules and management policies for separate letting in your building.

How layout affects yield, vacancy and resale

The best unit type to rent in JB is the one that balances three things: rent per square foot, time to let, and how easily the unit resells.

1. Rent per square foot. Studios lead, 1-bedroom units follow, dual-key units can match or beat both when both parts are let.
2. Time to let. Rental market commentary notes that studios to 2-bedroom units under 1,000 sq ft in established, amenity-rich areas tend to let faster, while larger units can take longer.
3. Resale. Smaller units have the largest pool of buyers because of their lower price. Dual-key and 3-bedroom units appeal to buyers who also want to live in the unit, which can support resale when the RTS area matures.

Holding costs also scale with layout. Maintenance fees and sinking fund contributions are charged per square foot in most JB condos, so a smaller unit carries a smaller monthly bill, while quit rent and assessment follow the value of the property. A dual-key unit pays one set of these charges for two rentable parts, which is part of its appeal. Furnishing follows the same logic: a studio needs one set of furniture, a dual-key needs two smaller sets, and a 3-bedroom needs the most. Our Causewayz Square unit types guide lists every layout and its parking allocation, which also affects what tenants will pay.

To compare the options properly, work out gross yield for each one using the same method: annual rent divided by purchase price. Our rental yield guide shows the formula and how to move from gross to net yield after maintenance fees, quit rent, assessment, insurance and vacancy.

A practical pre-letting checklist for any layout

Layout sets your starting point, but the rent you achieve and the time a unit sits empty depend heavily on how you prepare it after handover.

1. Check the competition. Look up how many units of the same type are listed in your building and nearby, and at what asking rent, so you price realistically.
2. Furnish for the target tenant. A studio needs a good bed, desk and storage; a 1-bedroom adds a comfortable sofa; each part of a dual-key needs its own basic appliances so the two tenants do not disturb each other.
3. Take good photos. Shoot in daylight and show the view, the facilities and the walk to the station; photo quality often drives enquiries.
4. Write clear lease terms. Malaysian condo leases are commonly one year, with a deposit of two months’ rent plus a utilities deposit.
5. Consider professional management. If you live in Singapore or elsewhere, and especially with two tenants in a dual-key unit, a reliable property manager saves a lot of time.

Matching the layout to your plan

Pick the layout that matches your budget, your time and whether you may live in the unit one day.

• Choose a studio if you want the lowest entry price, the simplest furnishing and a single tenant, and you are comfortable with more frequent tenant changes.
• Choose a 1-bedroom if you prefer longer tenancies, broader appeal and a unit you could live in yourself later.
• Choose a dual-key if you want two incomes from one title, or plan to live in one part and rent the other, and you are ready to manage two tenants or use a property manager.
• Choose a 2- or 3-bedroom if your priority is own-stay for a family with rental as a secondary option.

Whichever you choose, location within the RTS catchment matters as much as layout. A short, simple walk to Bukit Chagar or the CIQ is what commuters pay for. Causewayz Square is about 800 m from the RTS station and about 600 m from the JB CIQ, with a pedestrian link to the CIQ and RTS proposed by the developer. The RTS Link passenger service is targeted for February 2027, according to the joint LTA and MOT announcement in October 2026, and the fare has not yet been announced. Causewayz Square is under construction with target completion around 2030, so there are no rental listings yet; the evidence above comes from completed neighbours.

If you would like the latest SPA price list for the studio, 1-bedroom and dual-key layouts at Causewayz Square, or help comparing them with completed units, WhatsApp us.

Sources

• uchify: Rent property in JB near Bukit Chagar (July 2026)
• SPEEDHOME: JB rental market guide for cross-border investors
• New Straits Times: RTS Link set to trigger rent shift (March 2026)
• EdgeProp: Which areas offer the best rental value in Johor Bahru
• Causewayz Square @ JBCC project profile
• LTA: RTS Link service targeted for February 2027

This guide is general information, not financial advice.