Can you guess? These two Asian cities are officially among the happiest in the world

Time Out

07-05-2025

Happiness is one of the hardest things in the world to quantify, but that's not stopping the folks behind the Happy City Index. Every year, they evaluate and rank global cities on themes like governance, environment, economy, and health to determine which have the policies – and are actually taking action – to improve citizens' quality of life and happiness.
In 2025, Singapore emerged as the happiest city in Asia, ranking third on the global list. The report lauds it as "a global beacon of economic prosperity, governance, and urban innovation", highlighting Singapore's world-renowned universities, high levels of voter turnout, and its commitment to smart urban development. There's a lot else going for the city, like its fantastic public health system, efficient public transport infrastructure, not to mention charming parks in every neighbourhood and an ever-evolving roster of things to do.
Seoul is the only other Asian city on the Gold Cities list, ranking No. 6. Like Singapore, it excels in education, innovation, and governance. But where it really stands out is in sustainability, which the report states is "deeply integrated into Seoul's urban framework" via renewable energy solutions, strong biodiversity protection, efficient waste management, high recycling rates, and low pollution. Anyone who's been to Seoul will also know it's remarkably green, with sprawling parks like Namsan Park and Banpo Hangang Park.
What's notable is the number of Taiwanese cities that appear on the Happy City Index. Three of its cities made it to the Silver Cities list, while five are in the Bronze Cities list – which tracks with the World Happiness Report 2025, which named Taiwan the happiest country in the world. It's matched by China, which also totals eight cities on the Happy City Index, led by its capital, Beijing, at No. 54.
Besides Singapore, Southeast Asia is represented by Kuala Lumpur (No. 167) and Petaling Jaya (No. 183) in Malaysia, as well as a handful of cities in the Philippines, like Quezon City (No. 169), Cebu City (No. 174), and Makati City (No. 193).
Curious about how the rest of the world fared? Check out the full Happy City Index 2025 here.
Here's how cities in Asia ranked on the 2025 Happy City Index
Gold "Happiest" Cities in Asia (1-31):
3. Singapore (979 points)
6. Seoul, South Korea (942 points)
Silver Cities in Asia (32-100)
42. Tokyo, Japan (814 points)
54. Beijing, China (784 points)
55. Busan, South Korea (782 points)
59. Ulsan, South Korea (776 points)
72. Incheon, South Korea (756 points)
75. Hsinchu, Taiwan (754 points)
87. Changhua, Taiwan (773 points)
91. Kaohsiung, Taiwan (725 points)
Bronze cities in Asia (101-200)
110. Wuhan, China (700 points)
113. Taichung, Taiwan (698 points)
115. Taoyuan, Taiwan (695 points)
128. Shanghai, China (677 points)
129. Osaka, Japan (675 points)
134. Tainan, Taiwan (669 points)
136. Dalian, China (658 points)
137. Jinan, China (654 points)
153. Sapporo, Japan (620 points)
155. Suzhou, China (618 points)
164. Kobe, Japan (606 points)
167. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (602 points)
168. Chengdu, China (601 points)
169. Quezon City, Philippines (598 points)
172. Chiayi, Taiwan (591 points)
172. Keelung, Taiwan (591 points)
174. Cebu City, Philippines (586 points)
183. Petaling Jaya, Malaysia (573 points)
190. Kunming, China (562 points)
193. Makati City, Philippines (556 points)