Singapore ranks 6th on world’s best cities list for 2026

SINGAPORE: In Resonance Consultancy’s yearly list of the best cities across the globe, Singapore remains in the top 10, falling from fifth to sixth place. The Spanish capital Madrid edged out Singapore, largely due to sustainability-driven investments that are seeking to transform and improve the city amid higher temperatures the world over.

Resonance looks into three main factors for its ranking: liveability, loveability, and prosperity.

This year’s top three cities are exactly the same as last year’s: London, New York, and Paris have taken the top spots yet again.

London, which has topped the list for the 11th year in a row, has seen a substantial rebound in post-pandemic visitors. Investments have been pouring in as well. The city ranked number 1 for airports and large companies in Resonance Consultancy’s list.

New York, meanwhile, is the only city in the United States in the top 10, and Resonance Consultancy calls it “the perpetual heartbeat of America.” It drew international attention recently after the unprecedented win of Zohran Mamdani as mayor earlier this month, and it is expected that all eyes will be on the Big Apple for some time to come. New York ranked number 1 for Google Trends and number 2 for the Theaters & Concerts subcategory.

Paris, on the other hand, is referred to on the list as “the most compelling urban symphony on the planet – at once historic and progressive, elegant and gritty, intimate and global.”

The list also highlights the various transformations ongoing in Paris, including more pedestrian-only spaces and improvements to cultural and airport infrastructure. Paris ranks number 3 for Museums and number 4 in the list’s overall Prosperity index.

Here are the rest of the top 10: Tokyo (4th), Madrid (5th), Singapore (6th), Rome (7th), Dubai (8th), Berlin (9th), and Barcelona (10th).

As for Singapore, the Little Red Dot ranked number 1 for standard of living and number 4 for universities on this year’s list. It also placed ninth in nature and parks, eighth for unemployment rate, and is in the top 5 for overall prosperity.

“Singapore may top our Standard of Living subcategory, but the city is pursuing so much more. Orchard Road continues its reinvention with the opening of mixed-use luxury towers and retail concepts blending sustainability and experience-first shopping (ranking #28), while the long-anticipated QT Singapore, which debuted in late 2024 in a historic 1927 building, is already buzzing as a nightlife anchor.

AIR CCCC, the city’s experiment in circular gastronomy, keeps drawing global attention with its mix of culinary innovation and sustainability education, underscoring how food culture here is as progressive as it is indulgent, helping with the #14 Restaurants ranking,” Resonance Consultancy says.

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