In the report, Singapore sustained its position as the most liveable city in Asia for foreigners. Japan's Tokyo and Osaka ranked second and fifth respectively.

In Southeast Asia, there have been small but significant improvements in transport infrastructure, health services and recreational facilities in several locations. These cities have become more attractive to expats, for examples, Jakarta (Indonesia) moving up from 213th to 196th spot, Phnom Penh (Cambodia) from 200th to 184th and Ha Noi from 160th to 144th.

The ECA's Location Ratings evaluate cities worldwide to assess the overall quality of living for expats in over 500 locations across the globe.

The ranking is based on various liveability factors, including availability of health services, housing and utilities, access to a social network, recreational and leisure facilities, infrastructure, climate, personal safety, socio-political tensions.

Earlier, Ha Noi moved up 20 places to 129th in a global ranking of the world's most liveable cities of EIU, the research and analysis division of the Economist Group.

Known as the political center of Viet Nam, Ha Noi has long been famed for its low violent crime rates, making it an ideal destination for inbound tourists.

Ha Noi is also home to a string of cultural destinations such as UNESCO heritage site the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, the Temple of Literature – Viet Nam's first university, and the Old Quarter./.