Singapore ranks first for city infrastructure, according to the Mercer survey.
Singapore has emerged as the best place to live in Asia for expatriates, and 25th globally, according to Mercer’s 19th annual Quality of Living survey.
Austria’s capital, Vienna, topped the list for the eighth consecutive year, followed by Zurich in Switzerland and Auckland, New Zealand.
In Asia, Singapore is followed by the Japanese cities of Tokyo, Kobe, Yokohama and Osaka, which were ranked 47th, 50th, 51st and 60th globally, respectively.
The city-state also topped the city infrastructure ranking.
In a statement, Mercer noted that city infrastructure plays an important role when multinationals decide where to establish locations abroad and send expatriate workers.
“The success of foreign assignments is influenced by issues such as ease of travel and communication, sanitation standards, personal safety, and access to public services,” said Slagin Parakatil, Principal at Mercer and responsible for its quality of living research.
“A city’s infrastructure, or rather the lack thereof, can considerably affect the quality of living that expatriates and their families experience on a daily basis,” he said.
“Access to a variety of transport options, being connected locally and internationally, and access to electricity and drinkable water are among the essential needs of expatriates arriving in a new location on assignment. A well-developed infrastructure can also be a key competitive advantage for cities and municipalities trying to attract multinational companies, talent, and foreign investments.”
Romesh Navaratnarajah, Senior Editor at PropertyGuru, edited this story. To contact him about this or other stories, email romesh@propertyguru.com.sg
