Singapore Ranked Most Liveability City in Asia for Expats
According to a new survey, Singapore is the most liveable city for Asian expatriates for the 14th consecutive year. Due to disruption and damage caused by Typhoon Mangkhut in September, Hong Kong’s ranking slid to 41st place, ranking the lowest in the past five years. The cost of the damage to buildings and infrastructure amounted to an estimated $1 billion (S$1.35 billion). In addition, air pollution saw Hong Kong fall to 29th place in 2017 and 28th in 2016, accelerating its steady slide since its best ranking at 11th place in 2013. Despite the sharp decline, Hong Kong still ranks first in the Greater China region.
Among the mainland Chinese cities, Shanghai ranked first at 114th place. The livability rankings of many cities in mainland China have been rising for many years, and cities such as Beijing, Nanjing and Xiamen have scored higher this year due to rapid improvements to infrastructure despite excessive levels of air pollution negatively impacting the quality of life. The Chinese authorities in recent years have introduced a number of measures to combat air pollution, and these efforts have yielded results.
Most Malaysian and Thailand cities have also increased in rankings. Bangkok ranks 89th, Penang's Georgetown ranks 97th, and Kuala Lumpur ranks 98th.
Outside of Asia, Australia and New Zealand cities provide the best quality of life for expatriates in Asia, with Brisbane and Sydney ranking second.
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Singapore has consistently ranked top among the most liveable cities for expats in Asia since 2005, its ranking is attributed to excellent medical service facilities, low crime rates, clean and green environment, and quality education system. While many cities in Asia offer similar benefits to expats, Singapore remains the most popular city and Singapore’s potential will continue to strengthen in the future.
1) Optimistic Real Estate Investment Prospects
South Beach Residence
Singapore’s property market remains attractive to many local and foreign investors that on average in 2017, foreigners accounted for about 25 per cent of total private home transactions. Singapore is also one of the top global financial centres in Asia. In recent years, the rapid development has made Singapore the most competitive city in Asia for many years.
2) Quality Education; Strong Bilingual Foundation
Singapore has a world-leading education system; many international students choose to pursue education in Singapore, which makes it one of the most popular countries to study abroad. For students who aspire to further their studies in Europe or America, Singapore is a great springboard as Singapore is a member of the Commonwealth and preserves good international connection with other countries. Being a culturally-rich country and Chinese taking up 76.2% of the population, English and Mandarin are highly used in Singapore schools. The importance of learning Mandarin Chinese is significant in Singapore as it helps international students achieve a competitive edge.
3) Green, Clean and Safe Environment
Safe environments and secure borders are fundamental to the existence and progress of any nation. Singapore has been ranked first in Asia and eighth globally in Mercer’s personal safely ranking. Ensuring security and personal safety for expats and their families has made Singapore a popular destination for international relocation. Expatriates continue to cite safety as one of the most attractive features of living in Singapore.
4) High Employment Rate
New poll conducted by Gallup has revealed that Singapore has the highest percentage of adults in full-time employment in Asia region. On the global scope, Singapore is on the third place in terms of percentage of total adult population that are employed full-time and engaged at work. The U.S and Russia tie for the first place with 13 percent, while the United Arab Emirates is in second place with 12 percent.
5) Strong Economic Growth
The economy in Singapore has good reputation. Its strong growth has earned the small country the nickname “Asian Tiger”. Singapore boasts a competitive, corruption-free, open business environment that attracts global professionals and investors.
