Air-conditioning, foreign holidays, eating out essential for Singaporeans: survey

A majority of Singaporeans say that having smartphones, being able to dine out regularly, and flipping on the air-conditioning are all must-haves for living in the tropical, humid and expensive city state.

Digital connectivity was listed among the essentials, while holidays, dining out, and staying cool all ranked highly as well, according to a study by the Singapore Management University and the Institute of Policy Studies.

Among the findings from the university survey, which was based on 4,000 participants: 64 per cent said air-conditioning was essential; 62 per cent needed to go to a restaurant at least once a month; and more than half required a trip to a Southeast Asian country every year.

More than nine in 10 listed a smartphone. In a country with one of the highest home-ownership rates in the world, 96 per cent listed owning your own home as a basic essential.

The results come as a new Prime Minister, Lawrence Wong, needs to address rising living costs, a rapidly-ageing population, and sticky inflation in preparation for an coming election.

In 2020, the ruling People’s Action Party’s electoral performance was its worst in terms of the number of parliamentary seats won since the country’s founding, while remaining dominant.

About two-thirds of those surveyed expected the government to pay for the basic necessities of those who couldn’t afford them, and more than half also thought that the authorities should help residents with items related to healthcare, childcare, and public transport. Almost 88 per cent said regular preventive health screening was an essential.