11 Most Livable Countries in Asia

If you ever wondered which Asian countries are best to live in, then our list of most livable countries in Asia will surely answer that question. Asia is a beautiful continent with exotic countries, so don’t be surprised if you feel the urge to move there after reading our article.

From the land area to the number of people living on the continent, Asia is well ahead of the rest of the world. It is estimated that in Asia currently resides 4.4 billion people, which makes a lot of sense since some of the world’s first civilizations appeared on the territory of Asia. Since the continent is so large, it is divided into five regions: Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. Countries are grouped into regions according to their geographical position, but some other characteristics like climate, history, religion, to name a few, are taken into consideration as well.

You have to note that this division can give you a false picture. Countries may be close to each other, but have completely different livability. There are some countries that do better than others. For example, although most of the Middle East is rich with oil, several countries have some major problems like shortage of water, dry climate and turbulent history (and present) of warfare. Also in the East Asia, there is a complex political situation that has a considerable influence on peoples’ lives. If this is too much for you, maybe you should check 11 most livable countries in Europe as well.

To find out the 11 most livable countries in Asia we used Human Development Index (HDI) which represents “composite statistic of life expectancy, education, and income per capita indicators, which are used to rank countries into four tiers of human development”. To put it in a simple way, people in countries that have high HDI will live longer, have better education and higher incomes. After checking out the UNDP’s calculation of HDI, we took 11 Asian countries that had the best score and ranked them accordingly.

11. Kuwait

Human Development Index: 0.816

The fact that 2.9 million out of 4.2 million people who live in Kuwait are expatriates shows how livable this country is. According to estimations, Kuwait has the fourth-highest per capita income in the world. However, this country also suffers from political instability that threatens to slow down economic development.

10. Bahrain

Human Development Index: 0.824

If you read a few of our lists of best expats countries, you probably remember that Bahrain was always positioned among the top countries. This isn’t a coincidence. Bahrain started investing their oil incomes in the banking sector and tourism, becoming a high-income economy.

9. United Arab Emirate

Human Development Index: 0.835

One of the world’s fastest growing countries in terms of economy, United Arab Emirates are working their way to become one of the most desirable countries to live in. Besides having large oil and natural gas reserves, the country is quickly becoming one of the world’s top touristic destinations.

8. Saudi Arabia

Human Development Index: 0.837

Some may consider Saudi Arabia to be a closed and strict country but in terms of education, livability and incomes, Saudi Arabia is placing high among Asian countries. This could be explained by the fact that the country has the world’s second largest oil reserves and is one of the largest producers of oil.

7. Qatar

Human Development Index: 0.850

We are still in the Middle East with our 11 most livable countries in Asia. Qatar is the second most livable country in the Middle East and has the world’s highest income per capita. The interesting thing about Qatar is that expatriates make more than 2/3 of the country’s population.

6. Brunei

Human Development Index: 0.856

Now we move to Southeast Asia’s second most developed country. Country of Brunei rose economically in the 1990s and 2000s, largely thanks to their oil and natural gas reserves. In 2011, it was one of the two countries in the world that didn’t have public debt.

5. Japan

Human Development Index: 0.891

Land of the Rising Sun is among the most developed Asian countries. Japan represents world’s third-largest economy and is considered one of the most powerful countries. How livable Japan is, shows the fact that it has the highest life expectancy in the world.

4. Israel

Human Development Index: 0.894

Although there is still large conflict between Israel and Palestine going on, Israel managed to maintain high human development index. The most livable country in the Middle East, Israel pays much attention to education being one of the most educated countries in the world.

3. South Korea

Human Development Index: 0.898

South Korea is a country that invests largely in technology development and has been recognized as the most innovative country in the whole world. The country is also recognizable for its openness, liberal views, and ecological efforts.

2. Hong Kong

Human Development Index: 0.910

Although there is a historical political conflict between China and Hong Kong, that doesn’t affect this territory to be well ahead of other East Asian countries. Hong Kong is world’s major trade and financial center characterized by free trade and low taxation.

1. Singapore

Human Development Index: 0.912

Here you have it. Of all 11 most livable countries in Asia, Singapore is the choice number one. It is also the 11th country in the world when it comes to HDI. Few articles wouldn’t be enough to underline what makes Singapore so livable. The key factors are country’s high economic and technological development. Also, Singapore ranks highly in education, healthcare, life expectancy, quality of life, personal safety and housing. Singapore has been a longtime top destination for expats, who make over 60% of the country’s population.