Hong Kong falls 19 places to 77th in latest liveability rankings

COVID-19 restrictions and tightened press freedom contributed to the dip in the list. 

The latest liveability rankings released by ECA International revealed that Hong Kong dipped 19 places in their list to 77th place.

“Hong Kong has seen a significant drop in our latest liveability rankings partly as a result of the increasing censorship of local news and media, impacting on the ‘freedom of news and media’ aspect of the overall livability score,” explained Lee Quane, Regional Director - Asia, ECA International. 

Factors assessed in the rankings include climate, availability of health services, housing and utilities, natural phenomena, isolation, and access to a social network and leisure facilities. 

Similarly, other Asian locations, such as Taipei, Macau, and Seoul also slid due to the impact of COVID-19 restrictions.

Meanwhile, topping the list was Singapore, which retained its top ranking from the previous year.