Followed by Switzerland, Japan & South Korea, Singapore is without a doubt, the most expensive city on earth. It is one of the most exceptional and amazing places on this planet.
Singapore is a small island country. It has a population size of over 5.5 million people and is a very crowded city, second only to Monaco as the world's most densely populated country. It is a microcosm of Asia, populated by the people of different nationalities, including Malays, Chinese, Indians, and a large group of workers and expatriates from all across the globe.
It is an exceptional place in a way that it is in itself, a city, a province and a country, like a singular entity. It has a well adjusted & strong government. The government directs the economy of the country by applying a number of strategies like that of light-touch & lenient regulatory system and strict policy of enforcement of contracts. As a result, the city is a hub for business magnates & has become a giant magnet that attracts various international investments and the talent pool from all over the world that follows with it.
Basically, it has a modest domestic talent pool, and thus, requires its companies to import the needed skills to compensate the deficit by expatriating expensive foreigners. Along with these foreigners, comes their taste in expensive imported foods. Meeting the needs of these high levels of foreign workers pushes demand for accommodation, which in an already over-crowded island, further escalates the living costs.
Singaporean food is legendary though, with a large number of hawker centers and 24x7 coffee shops, it offers cheap food from all parts of Asia, and the voracious shoppers can fill up their shopping bags in shopping centers like Orchard Road and Suntec City.
It is filled up with amusements like dancing on bar tops all night long & adventures like bungee jump, etc. Alcohol is still very pricey and chewing gums are only available at pharmacies for medical use.
It also has two casino complexes. However they are referred to as "Integrated Resorts" in the country. They are situated in Sentosa and Marina Bay as part of Singapore's new Fun and Entertainment drive, its aim being to increase the number of tourists visiting the place and prolonging their time of stay within the country. Aside from being known as the most expensive places, it really is one of the most amazing countries in the world.
