# Singapore ranks highest in Asia in Savills global talent cities ranking

- **Source:** Real Estate Asia
- **Published:** 2026-07-09T00:05:00.000Z
- **Author:** Staff Reporter
- **Original:** https://realestateasia.com/commercial-office/news/singapore-ranks-highest-in-asia-in-savills-global-talent-cities-ranking
- **Topics:** Commercial & Industrial, Investment & Capital Markets, Regional Markets

## Featured rationale

Its talent depth and multinational base may support prime-office demand, while high costs and retention challenges could encourage companies to diversify into wider office networks.

## AI summary

Singapore ranked third globally and highest in Asia in the Savills 2026 Global Talent Cities Index, behind London and New York.

## Original article

Talent-first strategies are reshaping global office demand.

London, New York and Singapore have been ranked the top three cities in Savills 2026 Global Talent Cities Index, underscoring the growing dominance of established global hubs in attracting capital, companies and skilled workers, according to Savills.

Singapore was also ranked the highest-performing city in Asia, reflecting its continued role as a key global command centre for multinational corporations. Savills said the results highlight how “talent-first” location strategies are reshaping corporate real estate demand and accelerating the evolution of global business hubs.

The Savills Talent Cities Index assesses leading global cities across five pillars: talent pool, liveability, competitive landscape, economic resilience, and cost efficiency, including salaries and real estate costs. Savills said cities at the top of the ranking continue to function as command hubs for capital and decision-making, supported by deep talent pools, strong venture capital ecosystems and high-quality office stock.

However, the consultancy noted that Singapore and other top-ranked global hubs face rising challenges, including high operating costs, intense competition for skilled professionals and increasing difficulties in talent retention.

Alan Cheong, Executive Director of Savills Research and Consultancy, said Singapore’s success is underpinned by its strong legal and business environment.

“Singapore’s strengths in protecting intellectual property and providing a safe environment for expatriates to live has attracted a critical mass of multinational companies to set up a regional base,” Cheong said. He added that this ecosystem has reinforced itself over time by attracting regional talent and supporting expansion across Asia.

Savills said the index also highlights a growing trade-off between talent depth and cost pressures. Cities with the deepest talent pools tend to be among the most expensive globally, intensifying competition for skilled labour and increasing retention challenges. In contrast, more liveable cities often benefit from stronger retention and employee satisfaction, despite having smaller talent pools.

Sarah Brooks, Associate Director in Savills World Research, said the traditional concentration of corporate activity in a small group of global cities is evolving into a broader network model.

“Major global cities remain crucial for senior decision makers, but they’re now part of wider office networks that support growth, provide access to talent and improve cost efficiency,” Brooks said. She added that this shift is driving demand for prime office space in top-ranked cities, while also increasing requirements for flexible and specialised workspace in emerging locations.

Michelle Needles, Global Head of Enterprise Solutions, Global Occupier Services at Savills, said companies are increasingly relocating to where talent is available rather than expecting workers to move.

She noted that competition for talent can become less efficient in oversaturated cities, leading to wage inflation and reduced flexibility for employers, with firms increasingly looking to diversify location strategies to maintain access to skills and reduce operational risk.

## Chinese translation

> Translation model: grok

### 新加坡在第一太平戴维斯全球人才城市排名中位居亚洲第一

伦敦、纽约和新加坡位列第一太平戴维斯2026年全球人才城市指数前三，凸显成熟全球枢纽在吸引资本、企业和技能人才方面日益增强的主导地位。

“人才优先”战略正在重塑全球写字楼需求。

据第一太平戴维斯（Savills）称，伦敦、纽约和新加坡位列其2026年全球人才城市指数（Global Talent Cities Index）前三，凸显成熟全球枢纽在吸引资本、企业和技能人才方面日益增强的主导地位。

新加坡同时是亚洲表现最佳的城市，反映其作为跨国企业关键全球指挥中心的持续角色。第一太平戴维斯表示，结果凸显“人才优先”的选址策略如何重塑企业房地产需求，并加速全球商业枢纽的演进。

第一太平戴维斯人才城市指数从五大支柱评估主要全球城市：人才池、宜居性、竞争格局、经济韧性，以及包含薪资与房地产成本在内的成本效率。该行称，排名靠前的城市仍是资本与决策的指挥枢纽，依托深厚人才池、强劲的创投生态以及优质写字楼存量。

不过，该咨询机构也指出，新加坡及其他顶尖全球枢纽正面临日益严峻的挑战，包括运营成本高企、技能人才竞争激烈，以及人才留存难度加大。

第一太平戴维斯研究与咨询执行董事张昌佳（Alan Cheong）表示，新加坡的成功根基在于其强有力的法律与商业环境。

他说：“新加坡在知识产权保护，以及为外派人士提供安全生活环境方面的优势，吸引了大量跨国企业在此设立区域总部。”他补充称，这一生态随时间自我强化，持续吸引区域人才并支持其在亚洲的扩张。

第一太平戴维斯表示，该指数亦凸显人才深度与成本压力之间日益明显的取舍。人才池最深的城市往往也是全球成本最高的城市之一，从而加剧技能劳动力竞争并加大留存压力。相比之下，宜居性更高的城市往往在留存和员工满意度方面更具优势，尽管人才池规模较小。

第一太平戴维斯全球研究副董事Sarah Brooks表示，企业活动传统上集中于少数全球城市的格局，正演变为更广泛的网络模式。

她说：“主要全球城市对高层决策者仍至关重要，但如今它们已成为更广泛写字楼网络的一部分，以支持增长、获取人才并提升成本效率。”她补充称，这一转变正推高顶尖城市对甲级写字楼的需求，同时增加新兴地点对灵活与专业化办公空间的要求。

第一太平戴维斯企业解决方案全球负责人、全球租户服务Michelle Needles表示，企业越来越多地迁往人才所在地，而非指望员工迁就搬迁。

她指出，在过度饱和的城市，人才竞争可能变得低效，导致薪资通胀、雇主灵活性下降；企业正日益寻求多元化的选址策略，以维持技能获取能力并降低运营风险。