What Taylor Swift tells us about Singapore vs Hong Kong

TWO topics prompt impassioned discussion over inflation at expat dinner parties in Singapore at the moment: how much your rent has increased and Taylor Swift.

The first is met with a round of commiseration or begrudging congratulations, depending on whether you are closer to 100 per cent (most people) or a mere 20 per cent (a lucky few). The second sets off fierce debate on a favourite subject: the merits of Singapore versus Hong Kong.

Swift, like Harry Styles and Coldplay, is performing in Singapore but skipping Hong Kong for next year’s international tour. The American pop star – who performed in the Chinese special administrative region on a 2011 tour – is holding six concerts in Singapore, a city-state of over five million people. This is more than for Sydney, Tokyo or Mexico City.