1. ezLink...You can reload on the terminals or over the counter. Cash or cards can be accepted.
2. I use ezLink to board buses too...Opt for cashless in SG unless in food junctions...
3. Not used to that area but with 600 or 650 I think you can get such rooms... Cheaper if you are willing to share room...

1. Ezlink or nets flesh pay, both accepted , some debit card or ATM card oso have Tis function, I got alot extra card can gv u if wan, easiest way to top up at any MRT,  no charge

3. Take bus jus use the card

2. Wish u luck, 600 should able to find if u r not choosy and no a.c and stay outskirt of city

1) The card is call Ezlink Card. You can top up in all MRT/LRT station.

2) Basically all public transport (except taxi) is using Ezlink card for payment. You will need coin if you doesn't have EzLink card. Yes, you're right. No change/balance will be return.

3) The best was to use agent to find accommodation. Unless you know someone who has "lobang" to help you find. With agent, you will need to pay 50% as commision. Therefore your 1st month will be "1 month of rental +  1 month deposit + 50% agent fees". With recent drop of rental price, $600 with wifi and aircon is possible. But still depends on the area.

Got counter and machine for top up

Really convenient , u step into station and u will knw

Here utility really expensive, no way landlord will let u use a.c without charging u another 150 to 200

Another way is to share room

No one will rent u a room jus for 2 weeks

No matter how no harm trying wish u luck

Not only ibilik, you can also try nestia, propertyguru.com, flatsdb, 99.co etc., plenty of sites out there.
But since you're starting work in Sept, perhaps, wait until the 3rd week to start finding.
Many agents won't bother responding to you if too early. Too early as in 1 month early.
Also, you should allocate at least one day to go and view the rooms in SG.
Photos sometimes doesn't show the real condition of the unit.
When you go and view the rooms in SG, prepare some cash to pay deposit (usually 1 month).
This saves the hassle of having to TT the money to agent later.

If you want, I can recommend a good agent to you.
Can try and whatsapp this agent.

Yes tats normal market price

500 should be ok, but depends on location.
Mind telling which field? Medical or IT?

hi, is it normal for foreigners like us to use agent to find our 1st room there?
plus can i have the agent contact details?  thx in advance

No such thing.

There are people who stay in Malaysia and draw Singapore salary.

Yes, jus rent a room, mom dun care where u stay

Just like when u moved away, mom oso dun fuking care

Agents will help you find places to stay and sometimes might help you to get a good price.
Also with the rental agreements, etc. However, the payoff is that you'll have to give commission.
I've heard that when you get your work card, you're supposed to fill in your accommodation address.
They'll probably help with the documentation but never heard that we need them to help register with MOM.

Yes, he is right. There is no such thing. Another thing you should note is that agent should be collecting agent fees from either landlord or tenant. Never both sides. My previous agent created some story and said that he has a co-agent sharing in the same property hence both me and my landlord need to pay him and his partner. If your agent serviced you by bringing you to view a few rooms then, you'll be paying the agent the agent fees. Otherwise, the landlord will be paying the agent fees for bringing prospective tenants to view his rented room. Hope I'm clear enough. If you ask me, I feel an agent is not really necessary unless you're in a rush and unless you don't feel confident that your relationship with your prospective landlord is steady, i.e, able to settle things peacefully or come to an agreement on a friendly basis....but to each his own. 

to be honest agent is not necessary. i find it too expensive to pay since most of them are useless.
just try to get a room from websites like ibilik or easyroommate. they are good enough. i got good rooms from easyroommate.

TLDR: As a tenant it is not compulsory to engage an agent and pay agent fee.

Long version: A landlord looking to rent out his property will (almost) always engage an agent to help him find tenant. This agent is the landlord's agent, he represents the interest of the landlord, and he charges the landlord 0.5 months rental per year of tenancy agreement as agent fee.

A tenant looking for a place to rent can (optional) engage an agent to help him look for a place to stay. This is your tenant's agent, who looks out for your interests, and he charges you 0.5 months rental per year of your tenancy agreement.

As a tenant, you can choose whether you want to have an agent or not. If you don't want, then whenever you look for rooms on propertyguru or wherever, you can ask the agent whether he is representing the seller. If he say yes, that means you are dealing directly with the landlord's agent (who gets paid by the landlord), and therefore you don't need to pay any agent fee to anybody. However of course you have to gaudim everything yourself because this agent has no reason to look out for you.

probably he just use your FIN number to borrow money from Ah Leong only.

Well, this agent (sorry I refuse to say "my agent" as he wasn't exactly servicing me) at first told me he's not charging me agent fees but after learning that I was interested in renting that room, he begin twisting his story, manipulating his words, and dunno somehow the room I view actually co-broke with his other partner. Although it seems to be legal, co-broking a rented room is not widely practiced and the fact that he wasn't honest and upfront about this thing wasn't cool with me. So, I just dropped it.

At the end of the day, he can't force it on me as he's actually the landlord's agent, not mine. To protect yourself, make sure you're well-informed of what should be their practices. Attached file is for your reference and info. Hope that helps. So far, I've shifted 3 times and found my previous + current place without any agent help and thankfully, no problems so far. 

pls make sure tat ur landlord register ur info with HDB within seven days from the commencement of lease agreement.

it is to make sure tat whn u wanna renew ur pass, MOM can match ur current stay add wif the registered add (register by ur HR). if the add nt match, MOM wil nt allow u to renew ur pass.

1) I would suggest that u and other new members read back what are the questions, feedback and comments as all these questions has been answered and discussed previously. (I did that few months back, here is not like /k/ so u surely learn new things every few pages u go through).
2) Online reading and google-ing around will help, some feedback may not be true because everything changes and it will be outdated especially those one-time off process.
3) SG is full of all kind of people comes from many countries, so don't worry everyone u meet not necessary Singaporean also, so don't feel like "foreigners like us"

Regarding to room rental question: I believe it depends on what pass u holding, I was informed by landlords that certain pass (Excluding EP) requires them to register at HDB just to ensure that they do not overstay and reachable/contactable by authorities if needed. It is illegal to rent to those do not have valid permit e.g. expired permit and HDB landlord could lose their unit due to this. Not much hassle if EP holder.

maybe he took the agent fees from the landlord, so no need to take from you already.

maybe u miss out the key word somewhere >> GUIDELINE

Yup those are the guidelines
If you already have the job offer you already know how much you earn, so ignore the guidelines as they may not apply to you