Most people in Asia and around the world would admit to be a little envious of Singapore. It is wealthy, safe, environmentally aware, technologically advanced and has great food.  But Singaporeans themselves still have worries, despite admitting they live the good life.

A recently released study conducted over nearly two years by two National University of Singapore (NUS) professors show there are some concerns in the Lion City.

The findings were unveiled as part of a book launch for “Happiness, Wellbeing and Society – What matters for Singaporeans” by Business School associate professors Siok Kuan Tambyah and Tan Soo Jiuan shows the stresses of modern day Singaporeans.

Singaporeans ranked the affordability of cars as being the area they were the least satisfied with, followed by the affordability of properties, cost of living, ratio of locals to foreigners, and affordability of healthcare. On the other hand, Singaporeans were the most satisfied with the level of safety and security in Singapore, followed by availability of public services, quality of law enforcement and education, the convenience of public transport, and quality of infrastructure.

The survey found that Singaporeans generally were less happy, enjoyed life less, and felt a decreased sense of achievement, compared with the findings in previous reports. This means that the good life in Singapore comes with a price.  The high cost of living and taxes clearly weighs heavily on Singaporean’s minds.