Singapore Is Global Third Happiest City

In an increasingly uncertain and volatile world, how happy its citizens are is a useful metric to inform a government in its policymaking. Given that what makes one happy will differ from person to person, the Happy City Index, by think tank Institute for Quality of Life, injects a degree of objectivity into a city’s development by examining 82 indicators across 26 areas of activity. The findings are intended to equip leaders, planners and stakeholders with the requisite tools and strategies to implement effective and sustainable solutions for enhancing well-being.

In the 2025 index, Singapore, along with 30 other cities in the “gold” category, was lauded for doing well in “aspects such as education, inclusive policies, the economy, mobility, environmental protection, access to green spaces, and innovation … (which) are also reflected in the implemented solutions that directly enhance residents’ quality of life”, says the report. The index groups the cities according to “gold”, “silver” and “bronze”.

Singapore, which chalked up 979 points, emerged as the happiest city in East Asia and third happiest globally. The nation-state scored well for its economic prosperity, government transparency and quality education. Ahead of Singapore were Copenhagen, Denmark (1,039 points), and Zurich, Switzerland (993 points). Only two other Asian cities made it into the “gold” category – Seoul, South Korea (942 points); and Taipei, Taiwan (936 points).

Singapore’s high score is unsurprising as it has consistently ranked among the top locations across a variety of factors. These span the city-state’s welcoming environment for expatriate workers, conducive and robust ecosystem for innovation, clean and transparent government, and much-lauded good and safe place to live, work and play. These rankings have been featured in CA Lab.

Since every city is a dynamic landscape, their activities must be periodically reviewed, especially with regard to the quality of public services provided, and the application of place-based knowledge in response to new challenges that arise, indicates the report. Thus, the updated findings will be published annually.

The think tank points to the inevitable highs and lows in a rapidly evolving world, and calls attention to the past year’s notable happenings. These range from the debates relating to artificial intelligence, geopolitics and global/regional polarisation, and aftershocks of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The challenges of today’s world are complex, requiring a holistic approach and tailored solutions. We all know it’s better to prevent than to cure. Strong leadership in the implementation of well-being policies is more crucial now than ever,” highlights the report. Policymakers, especially local governments, “have a direct and significant impact on people’s everyday lives and, consequently, their happiness – our shared fundamental human goal”; the report is designed to deliver the pertinent information to support policymaking.