According to the latest 2025 World Happiness Report, Singapore ranks 34th out of 147 countries and regions, dropping four places compared to last year. However, it remains the happiest country in Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, Taiwan has surpassed Singapore, becoming the happiest place in Asia.
Other Asian countries in the top 50 include Vietnam (46th) and Thailand (49th). Notably, Japan ranks 55th, the Philippines 57th, and South Korea 58th.
Nordic Countries Continue to Dominate Global Happiness Rankings
For the eighth consecutive year, Finland remains the happiest country in the world, followed by Denmark, Iceland, and Sweden—all maintaining their rankings from the previous year. Meanwhile, Afghanistan remains the least happy country. Overall, Nordic countries continue to lead in global happiness rankings.
How the World Happiness Report Measures Happiness
Since 2012, the World Happiness Report has been published annually on March 20, the International Day of Happiness. The rankings are based on Gallup World Poll data and consider six key factors:
- Income level (GDP per capita)
- Social support
- Health (life expectancy)
- Freedom of choice
- Generosity
- Government integrity (perceived corruption in business and government)
The rankings reflect an average of survey data from the past three years (2022–2024).
Singapore’s Score Increased, Despite Lower Ranking
Despite dropping in rank, Singapore’s actual happiness score has slightly increased. Dr. Wang Shun, Associate Professor at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, explained that Singapore’s ranking shift is due to other countries improving at a faster rate, rather than a decline in Singapore’s happiness. Additionally, the differences between closely ranked countries are minimal, making small ranking shifts less significant.
Acts of Kindness and Generosity Still Higher Than Pre-Pandemic Levels
The report highlights that higher levels of kindness and generosity contribute to more evenly distributed happiness within a society. During the COVID-19 pandemic, acts of kindness—such as donations, volunteering, and helping strangers—rose globally as people needed more assistance. While these behaviors have declined slightly in recent years, they remain 10% higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Singapore ranks as follows in key kindness indicators:
- Donations: 14th place
- Volunteering: 32nd place
- Helping strangers: 35th place
In addition, Singapore was ranked 25th, 56th, and 9th when assessing the likelihood of a lost wallet being returned by a neighbor, a stranger, and a police officer, respectively.
Eating Together Boosts Happiness
A new aspect explored in this year’s report is the impact of eating meals with others on happiness. The study found that frequent social dining significantly enhances subjective well-being, with an impact comparable to income level and unemployment status.
Globally, Latin America and the Caribbean lead in communal dining, averaging nine shared meals per week, while Southeast Asia ranks fourth at eight meals per week. In contrast, South Asia ranks last, with fewer than four shared meals per week.
Despite a slight drop in ranking, Singapore’s overall happiness has not decreased, and it remains the happiest country in Southeast Asia. The report highlights social support, government integrity, and income levels as key happiness drivers while emphasizing the importance of human connection, kindness, and shared meals in enhancing overall well-being.
