Singapore beats Hong Kong in liveability rankings for first time

Hong Kong is officially less liveable than Singapore, according to the latest Economist Intelligence Unit survey, with the Lion City coming out ahead for the first time thanks to improvements in education.

Melbourne was named the world’s most liveable city for the seventh successive year, while Damascus in Syria languished at the bottom of the list of 140 cities surveyed.

Roxana Slavcheva, one of the report’s authors, said the surge up the rankings was a major feat for Singapore, noting that the city was at its highest ever position in the global rankings.

But she said there was still little separating the two Asian rivals.

“In fact, it is worth remembering that, although 10 ranking places now separate Hong Kong and Singapore, the difference between them is marginal at just 1.6 per cent, and both comfortably sit in the top tier of liveability where there are few, if any, challenges to lifestyle,” Slavcheva said.