Singapore ranked as the world’s second-richest country in 2025 by gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, though its position slipped when working hours were factored into the comparison.
With a GDP per capita of US$90,700, Singapore was second only to Switzerland at $100,000. In the third place was Norway at $86,800, according to a recent ranking by the British publication The Economist.
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People take pictures on the boardwalk in front of the Apple Store at Marina Bay in Singapore on September 26, 2024. Photo by AFP |
Once hours worked are factored in, Norway emerged as the top-ranked country, followed by Qatar and Denmark. Singapore was in the eight place behind the Netherlands.
Data from the Ministry of Manpower shows that employees in Singapore worked an average of 43.3 hours per week in 2024.
By comparison, workers in Norway averaged 33.2 hours per week that year, according to the International Labour Organisation.
In August, Singapore was placed 25th out of 60 countries in Remote.com’s 2025 Global Life-Work Balance Index, scoring 57.85 out of 100.
New Zealand, Ireland and Belgium topped the index with scores of 86.87, 81.17 and 75.91 respectively. Singapore nonetheless ranked as the highest-placed Asian country for work-life balance.
