ECA International’s 2022 Location Ratings survey has ranked Singapore as the number one most liveable city for expats for a consecutive year. Meanwhile Hong Kong saw its rating slide to 77th place to be tied with Taipei in part due to its continued COVID-19 restrictions. The annual survey assesses 490 locations worldwide and scores them on a range of factors including climate, health services, housing and utilities, personal safety and infrastructure.
Despite Singapore’s score worsening due to strict lockdown measures and increased internet censorship, the Asian business hub retains its spot at the top of the ranking due to outstanding scores in areas such as international schooling, infrastructure and housing. In this year’s survey, both second place Wellington, and joint-third Osaka and Tokyo put up a fierce fight and closed ranks on the little red dot.
A slippery slope
On the other hand, Hong Kong slid down the rankings to 77th place to be tied with Taipei due to its tough COVID-19 restrictions. Lee Quane, Regional Director – Asia, ECA International, commented, “Hong Kong has seen a significant drop in our latest liveability rankings partly as a result of the increasing censorship of local news and media, impacting the ‘freedom of news and media’ aspect of the overall score. At the same time, many locations which were ranked below Hong Kong last year have relaxed COVID-19 measures causing them to move up our global rankings and overtake the city.”
Other Asian locations similarly saw a downward trend in their rankings with locations such as Taipei and many of those in India and China also seeing their scores slide. Quane supplemented, “These locations have witnessed a continued disconnection from the world as they have suspended direct air connections with international cities.” According to the survey, Shanghai is the highest ranked mainland Chinese city, sitting at 117th place whilst Zhengzhou saw the biggest fall to 194th place overall.
Nine out of the top twenty locations were in Asia Pacific, Australia or New Zealand with European cities rounding out the remainder of the top of the list.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
