Singapore is one of the world’s top 10 nature-first cities – and the only one in Asia

Singapore doesn’t get called a green city for nothing, and this latest ranking proves it. Our city has been named one of the top 10 nature-first cities in the world in a new global ranking by travel experts at Iglu Cruise. 

Released in early February, the list looks at cities where nature isn’t treated as a bonus feature but part of how the city actually works. It’s built on Iglu Cruise’s new Green City Index, created in response to a surge in demand for cities that are easy to walk through, comfortable to spend time in, and less overwhelming day-to-day.

So how did Singapore make the cut? The index looks at three core factors: the amount of greenery in a city, the accessibility of public green spaces, and air quality. 

Taking all that into account, Singapore holds its own impressively. Despite being one of the most compact and densely built cities on the list, greenery here isn’t treated as an afterthought. You don’t have to look hard to spot it. Parks are stitched into neighbourhoods, green corridors run across the city, and most of us are minutes from something leafy. When space runs out on the ground, the city goes upwards, folding rooftops and buildings into the landscape.

With that, you can see why Singapore lands in the same bracket as Oslo, Helsinki and Vienna, even with far less room.

Here are the top 10 nature-first cities in the world as of 2026, according to Iglu Cruise:

1. Oslo, Norway
   
   
2. Vilnius, Lithuania
   
   
3. Helsinki, Finland
   
   
4. Vienna, Austria
   
   
5. Canberra, Australia
   
   
6. Sydney, Australia
   
   
7. Stockholm, Sweden
   
   
8. Singapore
   
   
9. Reading, United Kingdom
   
   
10. Munich, Germany

Find the full report here.

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