Why Quality of Life in Singapore Is One of the Best in the World

Singapore’s consistently high marks for quality of life stirs a lot of discussion among academics and policymakers. Intuitively, the country’s small size and lack of natural resources would have made it difficult for the country to provide high living standards for its people. Yet, for decades Singapore has nevertheless consistently ranked at the top of most global lists ranking quality of life.

 The country’s exceptional performance in these indices is no accident. It’s largely due to the people’s shared values and the government’s decades-long focus on providing a quality of life that’s befitting of its phenomenal economic growth.

 Here are just a few reasons for Singapore’s high living standards:

1.) Accessible Lifelong Learning Opportunities

 The quality of a country’s educational system has a direct impact on the quality of life enjoyed by its residents. Singapore’s advanced public education system is especially notable for providing subsidised adult education through various initiatives. SkillsFuture funded courses, for example, are typically designed to help new and seasoned employees update their skills, especially if they work in industries that are deemed by the government to be very important for the country’s future economic development. That being said, they are also popular with older learners who cannot find the time to take on conventional graduate studies.

2.) An Effective Low-Cost Healthcare System

 Singapore has a unique tiered healthcare system where citizens, permanent residents, and the state share the cost of healthcare. The government also actively takes steps to ensure that the cost of delivering high-quality healthcare consistently remains low. 

 The way the system is implemented makes it a unique alternative to both conventional universal healthcare systems and privatised care. Healthcare outcomes in Singapore consistently remain among the best in the world, even with the country’s relatively low healthcare spending, significantly contributing to the nation’s high quality of life.

3.) Convenient Mass Transit System

 While cars are incredibly expensive to own in Singapore, owning one is not at all necessary. Most of the country is accessible through several mass transit lines. The Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) has several lines providing affordable access to all inhabited districts in the city-state. Supplementing this system are licensed taxis and an expanding network of bicycle paths, both of which offer access to the few places you couldn’t get to without a car.

4.) Easy Access to Parks and Green Spaces

 Green spaces aren’t just pretty to look at. They can provide a boost to our mental health as well. Singapore is specifically laid out so that every resident is within a short walk of a public park, garden, or other green space. The country is also covered with wildlands, national parks, and other natural spaces that have been intentionally left unurbanised, improving the country’s air quality and giving residents with many opportunities to commune with nature.

5.) World-Class Recreation and Cultural Attractions

 Singapore offers a wide selection of highly-rated recreation options and cultural attractions. The country has a huge selection of nightclubs, dining destinations, and shopping districts. It also hosts world-renowned resorts, casinos, theme parks, and international sporting events. Singapore’s zoos, botanical gardens, museums, and art galleries are also some of the best in Asia and a few of them are regular stops for some of the world’s most popular touring exhibits. Needless to say, you won’t be lacking things to see or do in the country.

6.) Policies That Attract and Cultivate World-Class Talent

 Singapore’s government has long invested billions into continuously improving its human development index (HDI), putting it near the top of the world in this area. The country also actively courts the world’s top talents and entrepreneurs, taking measures to encourage extraordinary individuals to create value within the country. These policies ensure that the country enjoys a vibrant talent ecosystem that contributes to innovation and high living standards within the city-state.

7.) World-Leading Infrastructure

 The quality and breadth of public infrastructure have a direct impact on the quality of life enjoyed in the country. It may come as no surprise that Singaporean public infrastructure consistently ranks among the best-regarded in Asia and the world. The country’s transportation infrastructure, schools, recreational spaces, utilities, and digital frameworks are often used as exemplars of how these public assets should be built and managed.

8.) Low Crime Rates

Singapore residents enjoy one of the lowest crime rates in the world. While criminal activity isn’t entirely absent, the incidences of petty crimes like theft are so low that some stores don’t even bother locking up at night. 

Several factors contribute to the lack of the types of petty crimes common in other major urban centres. Singapore’s culture and its social support systems do much to prevent disadvantaged individuals from turning to criminality. Likewise, the country’s strategy of crime deterrence through strict penalties and the abundance of police cameras in public spaces all ensure that residents and tourists alike can enjoy Singapore’s environs in relative safety.

9.) A Stable, Tropical Climate

If you hate being stuck at home during winter, you might enjoy Singapore’s abundance of sunny weather. The country enjoys a sunny albeit humid climate all year round. Being close to the equator, Singapore only has two seasons, a dry season lasting from around March to August, and a wet season from around September to February. 

 Though torrential rains do occur during the wet season, extreme weather events such as tropical cyclones and floods are also exceedingly rare in Singapore. This means the country is not constantly forced to spend on reconstruction and disaster relief, which allows it to spend more on other areas important for maintaining high living standards.

 Apart from its modest geographical advantage, the biggest reason for Singapore’s high living standards is its culture. Singapore was able to successfully channel its communitarian culture to build a nation that is extraordinarily responsive to the needs of its people.

 While all of these may be great for Singapore, it means that other nations seeking to emulate its formula for success have the difficult task of reconfiguring it to suit their own culture. Despite this, the country’s singular strategy for uplifting its people is likely to inspire policymakers elsewhere for generations to come.