The ranking is part of the publication’s 2026 Best Countries study, which evaluated 100 economies using data-driven methodology covering areas such as governance, health, economic development, civic health, and infrastructure.
It considers a wide range of factors, including transportation metrics like road density, public transit efficiency, road traffic injuries, and logistics performance.
Tourists enjoy the view at Marina Bay, Singapore, May 2023. Photo by Dang Le |
The study also weighs energy and climate security, digital connectivity, and access to basic needs such as drinking water, electricity and sanitation.
Singapore stood out globally for its highly developed transportation network, world-class airport infrastructure, reliable utilities and robust digital connectivity, according to the report.
The nation is widely recognized for its large-scale infrastructure projects and integrated urban planning, despite its limited land area. Its public transport system, including the MRT rail network and Changi Airport, is frequently ranked among the best in the world.
The top placement comes as Singapore continues to invest heavily in smart-city technologies, sustainable development and transport expansion projects aimed at supporting long-term economic growth.
Beyond infrastructure, the country has also performed strongly in categories such as economic stability, innovation and quality public administration in several international indices published in recent years.
The Southeast Asia’s city-state was named the richest country in Asia and sixth in the world in the 2026 Prosperity Index released by insurance comparison platform HelloSafe, which builds the index from five indicators drawn from the IMF, the World Bank, the UNDP and the OECD: GDP per capita in purchasing power parity, gross national income per capita, the Human Development Index, the Gini measure of income inequality, and the relative poverty rate.
Earlier this year it was ranked by the Economist the world’s second richest country after Switzerland in terms of GDP per capita.
Europe dominates the rest of the global top 10 for infrastructure, with Denmark ranking second.
The Scandinavian nation is followed by Luxembourg, Finland, Estonia, the U.K., the Netherlands, Spain, and Germany.
Qatar is the only other country outside of Europe to make the top 10 in the infrastructure category.
Switzerland ranked first overall in the broader 2026 Best Countries rankings, while Nordic countries dominated categories related to quality of life and civic health.
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