What are the 11 most livable cities in the world? The adjective “livable” is a little broad and hard to define; after all, what’s livable to one person may be the absolute opposite to another. In coming up with the ranking of most livable cities in the world, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and the Mercer Information Solutions use certain quantitative and qualitative factors to measure what makes ideal living conditions for all of the city’s citizens across different age groups, social classes, race, and occupations. These factors include governance, infrastructure, healthcare services, political stability, education, socio-cultural environment, and public transportation among others.
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Notably, no US city made it to the top 10 of this list, despite the United States being part of the 7 most livable countries in the world. It is also quite notable that London and even Paris are missing from the list; this is largely due to the recent incidents of social unrest and heightened terror threats in these particular cities.
The two separate surveys, which were conducted during the latter part of 2014 and the first quarter of 2015, are almost identical except for the fact that Mercer’s was designed with special emphasis on the quality of life the cities offer for expatriates. The results on this list were the combined ranking average from both survey results.
So, which cities stood out from the rest, and which one should you consider moving to? Check out this list!
11. Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen has always consistently ranked in the top 5 of most every top city lists, but it fell down the ranks this year because of the infamous 2015 Copenhagen shooting. But in all other aspects, including public safety, Copenhagen remains to be one of the best cities not only in Europe but also in the world.
Their environmental policies will delight the biggest of ecological groups; whilst these policies have greatly discouraged car use, they have a very impressive and convenient public transport system that solves everything else. There is much to be had in the culturally diverse scenery and the economy is stable.
10. Perth, Australia
Perth is one of the several Australian cities that dominated this year’s list of most livable cities. While the cost of living is relatively high and second only to Melbourne, Perth possesses a solid job market and strong purchasing power to compensate for the expensiveness of the city.
The Western Australian capital city delights its citizens with diverse cultural scenery, and has a wide range of world-class universities to choose from.
9. Frankfurt, Germany
What Frankfurt lacks for in crime safety levels, they make up for in trade opportunities, availability and diversity of jobs, and cultural diversity. Most of the jobs are related to the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, named the tenth largest in the world. Frankfurt is also an ideal city for expats, as is proven by the fact that a third of all its citizens are not German passport holders.
8. Geneva, Switzerland
Crime-free streets, free education, stable local governance – what’s not to love about one of Switzerland’s most scenic cities? If there is one thing that makes Geneva absolutely stand out in keeping its citizens satisfied, it has to be their unmatched precision.
Being one of the watchmaking capitals in the world, Geneva’s dedication to timeliness is evident in the ease of traffic, the promptness of public services especially public transportation, and orderliness in general lifestyle in Geneva.
5. Toronto, Canada
Toronto is one of the only two North American cities on the list. The most populous city in Canada has no problem providing top notch lifestyle and services to its citizens despite the dense population. The city ranks as the safest city in North America and one of the safest in the world.
Despite a rather harsh climate (especially in the cold months), Toronto never fails to provide its residents with enough activities for recreation and culture. There’s much to do in the outdoors without having to leave the city as Toronto boasts of its over 1000 parks that are impeccably maintained and placed close to much every neighborhood.
5. Sydney, Australia
Sydney shares the fourth rank on this list with another major Australian city, Melbourne. The biggest city in Australia is also the most expensive when it comes to real estate rates. But the satisfaction and livability of Sydney residents comes from theirs highly diverse culture and wide expanse of outdoor recreation. The city has a wide range of suburban beaches, parks, and a pleasantly warm temperature to go with it.
But perhaps the crowning glory of Sydney is in the infrastructure and government services that complement and maintain the quality of its natural resources.
5. Melbourne, Australia
Melbourne is a consistent top-notcher in the world’s most livable cities. Safety is one of the biggest factors for its high ranking, due to the fact that the city has maintained its low crime rates despite the rise in crime rates in its neighboring cities.
Melbourne also bagged top ranks due to its impressive infrastructure, public service, healthcare, and education. Melbourne, a highly culturally diverse community, also has one of the best international academic environments. The city boasts of some of the best universities that are a favored choice for international students.
3. Zurich, Switzerland
The city is tied on this list for third place with Auckland, New Zealand. Zurich is not just one of the most consistent names on every top city lists; Zurich was a consistent number 1 city on Mercer’s list from the year 2001 to 2008. Thanks to its impressive, stable government system, infrastructure, the level of education, cleanliness, as well as cultural highlights that delight both its visitors and residents.
The quality of Zurich’s air and water are also beyond compare, making the rather high cost of living tolerable. There is also not a shortage of jobs and business opportunities in Zurich, making it a favorite among expats as well as international business owners.
3. Auckland, New Zealand
As is true with most every New Zealand city, Auckland’s best quality is most likely the quality of its water. They also fared well in the top ranks thanks to their safety rates, healthcare, political stability, and ease in telecommunications.
The city also does not fall short on job availability as well as ease in starting and running a business. The only thing that Auckland lacks is solid infrastructure projects; despite that, Auckland has earned top honors in the past two years on world city rankings.
2. Vancouver, Canada
Coming in at a very close second, Vancouver beat out every other North American city (including close neighbor Toronto) in the most livable cities list. Its biggest advantage against Toronto is its milder weather.
Despite its high cost of living especially its real estate rates, Vancouver is still one of the most livable cities on merits of its safety, political stability, infrastructure, and cultural openness. They also don’t run short on recreational facilities both indoor and outdoor.
1. Vienna, Austria
For the nth time in a row, Vienna beat out every other city in the world thanks to the high quality of life it offers. Vienna’s best qualities do not just lie in its scenic sights although the views from all over the city – from its ancient palaces, quaint little cafes, and irresistible gastronomic offerings – are hard to match. What makes Vienna one of the best places to live in the world is a combination of its warm, friendly people, quality of education, very low crime rate, and environmental merits.
Public transportation in Vienna is not only cheap; it is also efficient and prompt; the culture is well-preserved but is never unwelcoming to visitors, and everything from healthcare to recreation are of the highest quality.
So, which of the 11 most livable cities in the world appeal to you the most and which has the potential to be your next home address?
