Singapore’s soaring cost of living, salaries top of residents’ concerns: survey

In a poll of more than 1,500 residents ranking 25 community issues published by Blackbox Research, 59 per cent selected cost of living as their first or second choice, with salaries taking the second spot overall at 17 per cent.

While 73 per cent view current national economic conditions positively, most were dissatisfied with the government’s handling of the wealth gap, wages and the prices of homes and cars.

While observers say the result in the non-partisan contest can largely be attributed to Tharman’s own popularity, what’s less clear is how recent events will affect the timing of a general election that must be called by 2025.

Tharman Shanmugaratnam sworn in as Singapore’s ninth president

A good-governance meter tracked by Blackbox returned a score of 63 per cent, indicating broad satisfaction among the community in the government’s functioning.

The Blackbox results released as part of a new data platform shows that just 36 per cent of those surveyed expect economic improvement at the national level in the next year, while 37 per cent anticipate further deterioration. Nevertheless, nearly four in five believe Singapore is heading in the right direction.