News

Economy

Gerv Tacadena

, Singapore

Published:

9 years ago

Is Singapore beating Hong Kong as the best city for expats?

In terms of salaries, the rival city offers more.

In the race to lure talent for global firms’ regional headquarters, Hong Kong and Singapore have long been neck-and-neck, according to Bloomberg.

Bloomberg reported that back before Hong Kong’s handover to Chinese rule in 1997, Hong Kong had an edge due to expectations of the opening of China’s economy, the city’s role as the entrepot on the border, and the banking industry poised to capitalize on it. Now, Singapore’s push into innovation and technology has the Lion City on an upswing, said Karen Koh of recruiting and consultancy firm HRnetOne, who works in the Singapore-based company’s Hong Kong office.

The top salaries in Hong Kong for jobs in the financial industry are about 25 percent higher than in Singapore on average, according to data compiled by Bloomberg from the 2017 salary survey of recruitment firm Robert Walters Plc.

Check out the ultimate Hong Kong versus Singapore guide here.

The people you want to reach are already in this room.

Every quarter, SBR lands on the desks of the founders, CFOs, and directors running Asia's most consequential companies. Every day, they open our newsletter and read our website. It's a room that took twenty years to build — and it's the one most of our partners are trying to get into.

The good news is that the door is open. We work with companies on thought leadership articles, sponsored content, industry summits across Southeast Asia, regional awards programmes, podcasts, and media placements in print and digital. The shape of the right partnership depends on what you're trying to do, which is why we'd rather start with a conversation than send a rate card.

If you have something this room should know about, tell us. We'll tell you honestly whether we can help, and how.

No rate cards until we understand the brief. It's a better use of everyone's time.

Book a meeting

| Or download the media kit (PDF)

240,000 senior readers quarterly in print Top 1,700 Singapore companies reached

7 markets across Southeast Asia

Top News

Golden Mile Tower strata cinema enters market at $31m

It has a strata area of 104,991 sq. ft.

Commercial Property

13 hours ago

Maritime market to hit $24.47b by 2031 as automation reshapes ports

Tuas Port eyes 65 million TEUs of annual capacity by the 2040s.

Shipping & Marine

14 hours ago

Balestier Centre launched for $180m collective sale

It will have no land betterment charge payable.

Commercial Property

14 hours ago

Singapore’s AI tool analyses heart attack damage within one minute

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in Singapore.

Healthcare

14 hours ago

Exclusives

Monday.com picks Singapore for Southeast Asia expansion

Its in-house designers created Singapore-inspired artwork in the company's colors.

3 days ago

Tsuklio targets dual-income families in Singapore expansion

The Japanese meal subscription platform logged 3,000 pre-registrations before launch.

Food & Beverage

5 days ago

Firms cut senior hiring costs with fractional executives

$Firms cut senior hiring costs with fractional executives$

Firms cut senior hiring costs with fractional executives

Companies report 50% to 70% lower costs than full-time senior hires.

HR & Education

5 days ago

Choosier Asia buyers steer auctions toward rare art

Collectors are bidding harder for works with clear ownership histories.

6 days ago

Event News

Co-Written / Partner Finweek KL 2026: Where European capital meets ASEAN scale

The premier EU–ASEAN institutional fintech summit brings 1,000+ delegates to PARKROYAL Collection Kuala Lumpur on 11 to 13 November 2026 for three days of cross-border deal-making.