---
title: "Osaka vs Singapore: Class A office comparison"
description: "Side-by-side Class A office comparison for Osaka and Singapore — rent, vacancy, talent, tax, lease norms, transit, and top submarkets."
canonical: https://classa.info/compare/osaka-vs-singapore
pageType: comparison
lastUpdated: 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z
license: "CC BY 4.0 with attribution to Class A Atlas (https://classa.info)."
---

> Osaka ($56/sqft, 4.8% vacancy) and Singapore ($102/sqft, 5.4% vacancy) compete on different axes: Osaka on rent and tax and Singapore on talent depth.

## TL;DR

- Class A rent: Osaka $56/sqft vs Singapore $102/sqft.
- Vacancy: Osaka 4.8% vs Singapore 5.4%.
- Talent index: Osaka 85 vs Singapore 92.
- Corporate tax: Osaka 30.62% vs Singapore 17%.
- Premium flex/seat/month: Osaka $660 vs Singapore $1,180.

# Osaka vs Singapore: Class A office comparison

**Osaka ($56/sqft, 4.8% vacancy) and Singapore ($102/sqft, 5.4% vacancy) compete on different axes: Osaka on rent and tax and Singapore on talent depth.**

## TL;DR

- [Class A](/glossary/class-a) rent: Osaka $56/sqft vs Singapore $102/sqft.
- Vacancy: Osaka 4.8% vs Singapore 5.4%.
- Talent index: Osaka 85 vs Singapore 92.
- Corporate tax: Osaka 30.62% vs Singapore 17%.
- [Premium flex](/topics/lease-vs-flex)/seat/month: Osaka $660 vs Singapore $1,180.

## Market data side-by-side

| Metric | Osaka | Singapore|

| Region | APAC | APAC|
| Country | Japan | Singapore|
| Class A rent (USD/sqft/yr) | $56 | $102|
| Class A rent (local) | 25000 JPY | 11.5 SGD|
| Vacancy | 4.8% | 5.4%|
| Trend | flat | rising|
| Prime yield | 3.6% | 3.6%|
| Premium flex / seat / month (USD) | $660 | $1,180|
| Submarkets covered | 5 | 6|
| Corporate tax | 30.62% | 17%|

## Lease norms

| Metric | Osaka | Singapore|

| Typical term | 4 yrs | 4 yrs|
| Typical rent-free | 2 mos | 6 mos|
| Lease norms | Standard Japanese commercial lease (futsuu shakuyaku) — 2-3 year terms with auto-renewal; or fixed-term lease (teiki shakuyaku) of 4-10 years. Security deposit (shikikin) of 10-12 months standard. Free rent of 2-4 months on a 4-year deal. | Singapore leases are typically 3-5 years, gross-rent based with the landlord covering most operating expenses inside the rent. Rent-free of 4-9 months on a 5-year term is standard. Rent reviews on renewal are open-market. Bank guarantees of 3-6 months are routine. Reinstatement at lease-end is contractual and usually significant — budget for it.|
| Tax note | 23.2% national corporate tax plus prefectural and municipal taxes for an effective combined rate near 30.6%. SME and R&D tax credits available. | Headline corporate tax of 17%, with a partial tax exemption for the first SGD 200,000 of chargeable income. A network of double-tax treaties and the Singapore Variable Capital Company (VCC) regime make Singapore particularly attractive for fund managers and family offices.|

## Talent

| Metric | Osaka | Singapore|

| Talent index (0–100) | 85 | 92|
| Talent note | Deep manufacturing, pharma, and trading talent. Strong feed from Osaka University, Kyoto University, and Kobe University. Japanese-only operating environment for most domestic tenants. | Premium APAC talent hub. Average all-in compensation indexes 92 vs. New York's 100.|

## Transit & commute

**Osaka:** Osaka Metro (8 lines), JR West (loop and radial), Hankyu, Hanshin, Kintetsu, and Nankai private rails. Osaka Station / Umeda is the world's third-busiest rail hub. KIX airport connected via Nankai and JR.

**Singapore:** The MRT network reaches every CBD address. Changi Airport is 20 minutes by MRT or taxi. Jurong Region Line and Cross Island Line expansions are extending the catchment.

## Top submarkets — Osaka

- [**Umeda (Kita)**](/cities/osaka/umeda) — [trophy tier](/topics/trophy-asset-selection) · ¥27,000/[tsubo](/topics/apac-lease-conventions)">tsubo/mo · ≈ $61 PSF/yr USD
- [**Honmachi & Yodoyabashi**](/cities/osaka/honmachi-yodoyabashi) — prime tier · ¥24,000/tsubo/mo · ≈ $54.2 PSF/yr USD
- [**Nakanoshima**](/cities/osaka/nakanoshima) — prime tier · ¥22,000/tsubo/mo · ≈ $49.7 PSF/yr USD

## Top submarkets — Singapore

- [**Marina Bay**](/cities/singapore/marina-bay) — trophy tier · S$14.5/sqft/mo · ≈ $129 PSF/yr USD
- [**Raffles Place**](/cities/singapore/raffles-place) — trophy tier · S$13.2/sqft/mo · ≈ $117 PSF/yr USD
- [**Shenton Way & Tanjong Pagar**](/cities/singapore/shenton-way-tanjong-pagar) — prime tier · S$11.5/sqft/mo · ≈ $102 PSF/yr USD

## Decision criteria

### Pick by cost

Osaka is the cheaper Class A market on a USD basis.

### Pick by talent depth

Singapore has the deeper talent index (92/100 vs 85/100).

### Pick by tax

Singapore has the lower headline corporate tax (17% vs 30.62%). Local incentives can change the effective rate materially.

### Pick by lease optionality

Osaka typical term is 4 years with 2 months free; Singapore runs 4 years with 6 months free.

### Pick by transit

Osaka: Osaka Metro (8 lines), JR West (loop and radial), Hankyu, Hanshin, Kintetsu, and Nankai private rails. Osaka Station / Umeda is the world's third-busiest rail hub. KIX airport connected via Nankai and JR. Singapore: The MRT network reaches every CBD address. Changi Airport is 20 minutes by MRT or taxi. Jurong Region Line and Cross Island Line expansions are extending the catchment.

## Run a 4-city comparison

Score Osaka, Singapore and up to two more markets side-by-side on Class A rent, vacancy, talent, corporate tax, and premium flex pricing — all in USD.

[**Run a 4-city comparison →**](/tools/city-comparator)

## Frequently asked questions

****Is Class A office cheaper in Osaka or Singapore?****
: Osaka is cheaper on a USD basis: $56/sqft vs $102/sqft.

****Which has better talent depth, Osaka or Singapore?****
: Singapore indexes higher on talent depth (92 vs 85).

****Which has more sublease availability, Osaka or Singapore?****
: Singapore carries higher vacancy (5.4% vs 4.8%) and therefore typically more sublease overhang.

****What lease term should I expect in Osaka vs Singapore?****
: Osaka typical term is 4 years with 2 months rent-free; Singapore typical term is 4 years with 6 months rent-free.

****How does transit and commuter access compare?****
: Osaka: Osaka Metro (8 lines), JR West (loop and radial), Hankyu, Hanshin, Kintetsu, and Nankai private rails. Osaka Station / Umeda is the world's third-busiest rail hub. KIX airport connected via Nankai and JR. Singapore: The MRT network reaches every CBD address. Changi Airport is 20 minutes by MRT or taxi. Jurong Region Line and Cross Island Line expansions are extending the catchment.

## Editorial provenance

Reviewed by [**Kenji Watanabe**](/about/authors/kenji-watanabe) — APAC contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our [methodology](/about/methodology) and [editorial standards](/about/editorial-standards).

### Primary sources for this page

- [CBRE Marketview reports](https://www.cbre.com/insights) — CBRE
- [JLL Office Insight](https://www.jll.com/en/trends-and-insights) — JLL
- [Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat](https://www.cushmanwakefield.com/en/insights) — Cushman & Wakefield
- [Savills World Research](https://www.savills.com/research_articles/) — Savills
- [Colliers Global Office Outlook](https://www.colliers.com/en/research) — Colliers

[Full sources index](/about/sources) · [Submit a correction](/about/corrections)

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Citation: Source: Class A Atlas (https://classa.info/compare/osaka-vs-singapore), updated 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z.
