AN annual survey measuring quality of living ranked Singapore as the top city in Asia, and 26th globally out of 230 cities.
In Southeast Asia, the disparity between the top three cities is jarring. Singapore is followed by Kuala Lumpur, which comes in at a distant but respectable 86th place. Tourist haven Bangkok may be Asia’s most popular city, but its living standards are pegged at 129th globally.
Manila is at 136th place, while Jakarta is at 142nd.
Mercer, the world’s largest human resources consultancy, released the rankings on Monday. The Quality of Living survey compiles and crunches data to assess living conditions in different cities, primarily for the benefit of expatriates and multinational employers.
In East Asia, Tokyo heads the pack at 44th globally. Hong Kong comes in at 70th, Taipei at 84th, Shanghai at 101st, and Beijing at 118th.
With terrorism constantly in the headlines, the survey also shone a spotlight on the security situation in different cities. Predictably, Singapore is ranked the safest city in Asia at 8th place globally.
Safety-wise, the two other cities of note are Jakarta and Bangkok, which are ranked at a dismal 172nd and 173rd respectively. Jakarta most recently saw a terrorist attack, involving blasts and gunfire, in mid-January.
Likewise, Bangkok was the victim of a high-profile terrorist bombing last year when an explosion occurred at a popular shrine in the city. Political uncertainty in Thailand over the last few years also has not helped the city’s ranking.
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