--- title: "Singapore vs Sydney: Class A office comparison" description: "Side-by-side Class A office comparison for Singapore and Sydney — rent, vacancy, talent, tax, lease norms, transit, and top submarkets." canonical: https://classa.info/compare/singapore-vs-sydney pageType: comparison lastUpdated: 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z license: "CC BY 4.0 with attribution to Class A Atlas (https://classa.info)." --- > Singapore ($102/sqft, 5.4% vacancy) and Sydney ($89/sqft, 12.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: Singapore on talent depth and Sydney on rent and tax. ## TL;DR - Class A rent: Singapore $102/sqft vs Sydney $89/sqft. - Vacancy: Singapore 5.4% vs Sydney 12.6%. - Talent index: Singapore 92 vs Sydney 85. - Corporate tax: Singapore 17% vs Sydney 30%. - Premium flex/seat/month: Singapore $1,180 vs Sydney $990. # Singapore vs Sydney: Class A office comparison **Singapore ($102/sqft, 5.4% vacancy) and Sydney ($89/sqft, 12.6% vacancy) compete on different axes: Singapore on talent depth and Sydney on rent and tax.** ## TL;DR - [Class A](/glossary/class-a) rent: Singapore $102/sqft vs Sydney $89/sqft. - Vacancy: Singapore 5.4% vs Sydney 12.6%. - Talent index: Singapore 92 vs Sydney 85. - Corporate tax: Singapore 17% vs Sydney 30%. - [Premium flex](/topics/lease-vs-flex)/seat/month: Singapore $1,180 vs Sydney $990. ## Market data side-by-side | Metric | Singapore | Sydney| | Region | APAC | APAC| | Country | Singapore | Australia| | Class A rent (USD/sqft/yr) | $102 | $89| | Class A rent (local) | 11.5 SGD | 1480 AUD| | Vacancy | 5.4% | 12.6%| | Trend | rising | flat| | Prime yield | 3.6% | 5.5%| | Premium flex / seat / month (USD) | $1,180 | $990| | Submarkets covered | 6 | 6| | Corporate tax | 17% | 30%| ## Lease norms | Metric | Singapore | Sydney| | Typical term | 4 yrs | 7 yrs| | Typical rent-free | 6 mos | 30 mos| | Lease norms | 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. | Standard 5-10 year lease. Gross or net structure (both common). Australian leases distinguish 'face rent' (headline) from 'effective rent' (face minus incentive). Incentives of 30-40% are now standard — typically structured as rent abatement, fit-out contribution, or both.| | Tax note | 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. | Federal corporate tax 30%. NSW payroll tax applies. No state corporate income tax.| ## Talent | Metric | Singapore | Sydney| | Talent index (0–100) | 92 | 85| | Talent note | Premium APAC talent hub. Average all-in compensation indexes 92 vs. New York's 100. | Australia's deepest financial-services, technology, and professional-services talent pool. Average all-in compensation indexes 85.| ## Transit & commute **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. **Sydney:** Sydney Metro and Sydney Trains converge at Wynyard, Town Hall, and Central. The new Sydney Metro City & Southwest line transformed core CBD commute capacity. ## 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 ## Top submarkets — Sydney - [**Circular Quay & Bridge**](/cities/sydney/circular-quay-bridge) — trophy tier · A$1,620/sqm/yr · ≈ $97.8 PSF/yr USD - [**Core CBD**](/cities/sydney/core-cbd) — trophy tier · A$1,500/sqm/yr · ≈ $90.6 PSF/yr USD - [**Barangaroo**](/cities/sydney/barangaroo) — trophy tier · A$1,450/sqm/yr · ≈ $87.6 PSF/yr USD ## Decision criteria ### Pick by cost Sydney 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%). Local incentives can change the effective rate materially. ### Pick by lease optionality Singapore typical term is 4 years with 6 months free; Sydney runs 7 years with 30 months free. ### Pick by transit 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. Sydney: Sydney Metro and Sydney Trains converge at Wynyard, Town Hall, and Central. The new Sydney Metro City & Southwest line transformed core CBD commute capacity. ## Run a 4-city comparison Score Singapore, Sydney 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 Singapore or Sydney?**** : Sydney is cheaper on a USD basis: $89/sqft vs $102/sqft. ****Which has better talent depth, Singapore or Sydney?**** : Singapore indexes higher on talent depth (92 vs 85). ****Which has more sublease availability, Singapore or Sydney?**** : Sydney carries higher vacancy (12.6% vs 5.4%) and therefore typically more sublease overhang. ****What lease term should I expect in Singapore vs Sydney?**** : Singapore typical term is 4 years with 6 months rent-free; Sydney typical term is 7 years with 30 months rent-free. ****How does transit and commuter access compare?**** : 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. Sydney: Sydney Metro and Sydney Trains converge at Wynyard, Town Hall, and Central. The new Sydney Metro City & Southwest line transformed core CBD commute capacity. ## 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) --- Citation: Source: Class A Atlas (https://classa.info/compare/singapore-vs-sydney), updated 2026-04-15T00:00:00.000Z.