Singapore has been ranked 177th out of 193 countries in the 2026 Global Outsourcing Talent Index, published by Ataraxis. The index evaluates countries based on labour cost, English proficiency, talent availability, digital infrastructure, and political stability. Singapore’s position is the lowest among Southeast Asian nations, with the Philippines and Malaysia taking the top two spots.
The primary factor dragging down Singapore’s ranking is its labour cost, scoring 46 out of 100, placing it 186th globally. This positions Singapore among the world’s most expensive economies, alongside the United States, Switzerland, and Monaco. If Singapore’s labour cost were comparable to China’s score of 90, it would leap to 18th place globally. Despite its world-class scores in English proficiency (100), infrastructure (70), and stability (80), the high labour cost significantly impacts its overall competitiveness.
Additionally, Singapore’s talent availability score is 30, indicating that 114 countries have more abundant talent pools. This further contributes to its low ranking in the index. Comparatively, Singapore’s labour cost is lower than that of Germany, Japan, and the UK, but slightly higher than the US.
The findings highlight the challenges Singapore faces in the global outsourcing market, primarily due to its labour cost. The comprehensive index and methodology can be explored further on the Ataraxis website.
