What Worries Asia - Update Oct 23

As inflation is now the longest running number one issue globally in What Worries the World survey, we look at concern for the cost-of-living crisis across Asia.

Every month we ask people in eight countries across Asia what are the most pressing issues for them in their country as part of our What Worries the World survey. The survey which has over ten years of data offers the potential to place the latest scores in context.

This wave was conducted between September 22nd – October 6th, 2023, prior to the war in Gaza.

Key Takeaways:

• Inflation is the number one concern in Asia Pacific with 38% choosing it as an issue, down three percentage points compared to last month.
• Concern is highest in Singapore with 57% saying it is a worry.
• Worry about unemployment is up 3pp in October to 34%.
• Poverty and inequality (31%), Corruption (28%), Crime & Violence and Climate Change (both 23%) make up the rest of the top five worries.

Concern about rising prices has been the biggest concern globally for the last 19 months, the longest we have had a single issue be the number one worry in our study.

Asia Pacific is not immune to these issues either and inflation is the number one concern in the region. Thirty-eight percent choose it as top worry in their country, down 3pp on September’s score, similar to the global average of 39%.

Concern is highest in Singapore, with 57% saying the cost of living is a worry. While the level of Singaporeans’ worry about inflation looks to have peaked in January this year (64%), concern has reminded stubbornly high.

Since Singapore was added to What Worries the World in November 2022, it has been one of the most consistently concerned countries about inflation both in the region and globally. In the last 12 months, it has been the most concerned country about inflation in Asia Pacific for all but two months (April and September 2023) and is the second most worried country globally (behind Argentina).

Concern for rising prices is also above one in two in Australia, with 51% picking inflation as one of the three most important issues in the country. Australia has been one of the most concerned countries about rising prices for the last 18 months, with inflation being Australians number one concern in What Worries the World since May 2022. Looking at what is causing the cost-of-living crisis, Australians believe interest rates are having the biggest impact. Eighty-three per cent of Australians say rates are contributing to inflation, the second highest of the 29 countries surveyed in our Ipsos Global Inflation Monitor.

Top concerns in Asia

As mentioned before inflation remains the top concern in Asia Pacific with 38% choosing it as a worry, down 3pp compared to last month. Thirty-four percent choose unemployment as an issue, a 3pp rise in October. Singapore, India and Indonesia, the second, third and fourth most worried countries about jobs globally, have seen notable increases this month..

Thirty-one percent choose poverty and inequality as a worry in Asia Pacific (+1pp this month), corruption is the fourth biggest issue (no change in October), and joint fifth is crime and climate change, both 23% (+1pp and no change respectively).