Year after year, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) endeavours to tackle the pressing question that occupies many homeowners’ and travellers’ thoughts – where truly is the finest place to reside globally?
The answer has been revealed in its eagerly awaited Global Liveability Index, though the cities securing the highest positions might come as a shock.
The ranking assesses up to 173 cities worldwide, employing numerous crucial indicators that consider each area’s stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure.
With these primary categories considered, cities received an overall rating out of 100.
The city claiming the top position achieved an outstanding 98, reports the Express.
Securing first place as the most coveted location to call home was Copenhagen in Denmark.
According to the EIU, the three areas where this city achieved perfect scores were stability, education and infrastructure.
It succeeded in overtaking Vienna for the premier position, with a rating of 97.1, despite the Austrian capital having been the consistent champion annually since 2022.
The report’s authors state: “Western Europe remains the best-performing region for liveability, having achieved the top scores in four of the five categories.”
Copenhagen has long been regarded as a top-tier destination to call home owing to its exceptional quality of life, superb infrastructure and unwavering dedication to environmental responsibility. Denmark’s capital provides a flourishing culture that champions work-life balance and offers residents the opportunity for enhanced wellbeing through its readily available green spaces, outstanding cuisine and pristine water supply.
Another region scoring highly in the rankings is the Asia-Pacific area, with nine cities securing spots in the top 20 list. Remarkably, it also displays the greatest variation, featuring cities at both the pinnacle and the bottom of the rankings.
The authors add: “Its most liveable city, Melbourne, came fourth in the rankings this year, while its least liveable, Dhaka, came 171st.”
Meanwhile, the U.S. may have been shut out of the global top 20 again; cities ranking well are Honolulu in Hawaii, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Seattle and Washington.
Throughout the UK, our cities fail to achieve scores high enough to be deemed amongst the most appealing places to reside. This is believed to stem from social unrest and escalating crime levels.
Nevertheless, several of its major cities still featured within the 173, including the capital London, Manchester and Edinburgh. There has been a general transformation in the rankings due to worldwide deteriorating security conditions, according to the EIU, stemming from numerous terrorism risks combined with social disorder, accommodation shortages and additional international political strains.
It notes: “In several West European cities, terrorist attacks and threats, as well as a rising incidence of crime and xenophobia, continue to undermine stability.”
The 20 best cities to live in the world.
1. Copenhagen, Denmark.
2. Vienna, Austria (tie).
2. Zurich, Switzerland (tie).
4. Melbourne, Australia.
5. Geneva, Switzerland.
6. Sydney, Australia.
7. Osaka, Japan (tie).
7. Auckland, New Zealand (tie).
9. Adelaide, Australia.
10. Vancouver, Canada.
11. Luxembourg.
12. Toronto, Canada.
13. Helsinki, Finland.
14. Tokyo, Japan.
15. Perth, Australia.
16. Brisbane, Australia.
17. Frankfurt, Germany.
18. Calgary, Canada.
19. Amsterdam, Netherlands.
20. Wellington, New Zealand.
