Singapore drops out of global top 10 in 2026 Global Cities Index, ranks second in Asia

SINGAPORE: Singapore ranked 29th worldwide out of 1,000 in the recent 2026 Global Cities Index released by Oxford Economics on Sept 15. Although the country did not reach the top 5, Singapore ranked second among Asian cities, only behind Tokyo, and also jumped to third place globally in the quality of life category.

The index scores Singapore across five dimensions, namely economy, human capital, quality of life, environment, and governance. With Singapore ranking third in the category under quality of life, it highlights the key advantages shown by the country in terms of high income, low crime rate, and excellent healthcare. These factors are indeed credible reasons as to why many people choose to live and work in Singapore. 

However, it is also revealed that Singapore is facing two major challenges—high housing costs and a rapidly ageing population. In the country, HDB flat prices have been rising year after year, and it is one of the fastest-ageing countries in the world, resulting in increased pressure on healthcare and elderly care. 

Regardless of the results, Singapore is still highly competitive in the Asian market, holding second place behind Tokyo, which ranked ninth globally. Tokyo is the only Asian city to make the top 10 and ranked third globally in human capital. 

Furthermore, the top ten global cities are dominated by European and American cities. New York, London, and Paris have held the top three spots for the second consecutive year, while Seattle, San Francisco, Dublin, Boston, and San Jose are ranked fourth to eighth, respectively. Zurich is ranked tenth.

Some Asian cities performed well, including Taipei that jumped 12 places to 48th, and Kuala Lumpur soared 14 places from 79th to 65th. Experts predict that more Asian cities will continue to gain more weight in the global rankings as GDP growth drives up living standards.

The report also listed a number of "cities to watch," with five cities from the Asia-Pacific region making the list, namely Bangalore, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur, Shenzhen, and Tashkent.

Overall, Singapore maintains its position as the second-largest economy in Asia and continues its upward trajectory as the country addresses its challenges in housing prices and its ageing population in the years to come. 

In other related news, there was a report that Singapore’s healthcare system has a comprehensive framework called the National Adult Immunisation Schedule (NAIS), which provides vaccination recommendations for adults based on various factors such as their age, medical condition, and occupational risks.

With this, Singaporeans may be asked about their vaccination history by a doctor, and it is primarily due to check whether they have missed any recommended vaccines.

Read more about the news story here.