SINGAPORE: Singapore has been ranked as the third-happiest city in the world for 2025, according to the Happy City Index by the Institute for the Quality of Life. The city-state was joined by two other Asian cities—Seoul in sixth place and Taipei in eighth—in the top 10.
Channel NewsAsia (CNA) reported that Singapore scored 979 points after the index evaluated 82 indicators across six key areas: citizens, governance, environment, economy, health, and mobility. According to the index, these categories “directly influence” how happy residents feel in their cities.
Copenhagen topped the list as the happiest city, followed by Zurich in second place. After Singapore in third, the next cities were Aarhus (4th), Antwerp (5th), and Seoul (6th). Stockholm came in seventh, followed by Taipei (8th), Munich (9th), and Rotterdam (10th).
The index described the city-state as “a global beacon of economic prosperity, governance, and urban innovation”.
The report highlighted education and innovation as “the heart” of Singapore’s success, noting that its universities rank among the top 50 worldwide. It also pointed to the country’s strong global connections, with over 63% of residents speaking at least one foreign language and more than half (55%) having digital skills.
The city-state was also recognised for its technological progress and innovation, granting 7.37 patents per 10,000 residents. In terms of governance and transparency, the index said Singapore had “high levels of civic engagement”.
The report noted that Singapore runs a comprehensive open data platform offering public access to 8,086 datasets. It also praised how digital governance is well integrated into Singaporeans’ daily lives, with services like fault reporting, online payments, and appointment booking.
Health is a new category in the latest Happy City Index, covering mental health, nutrition, and work-life balance. The index described Singapore’s healthcare as “accessible and efficient,” noting the city-state offers universal medical insurance and has 2.8 doctors per 1,000 people.
It also highlighted Singapore’s public health efforts, noting a life expectancy of 83 years, expanded mental health services, and a lower obesity rate. In addition, the crime rate was “minimal,” with just 3.31 incidents of public violence per 1,000 residents.
The index also praised Singapore’s mobility and transport infrastructure as one of the world’s most advanced while praising public transport vehicles as friendly to people with mobility disabilities. It noted that traffic-related deaths remain low, at 0.24 per 10,000 residents, due to stringent safety rules and efficient urban planning.
It also said that sustainability is at the core of Singapore’s urban policies, highlighting its leading role in biodiversity protection and renewable energy adoption.
This is the sixth edition of the Happy City Index by London-based global think tank Institute for Quality of Life. While no city is labelled the absolute best at keeping its people happy long-term, the index named 31 “Gold Cities”—the happiest places in the world.
Previously, the city-state ranked 34th and was replaced by Taiwan as Asia’s happiest place. /TISG