Vienna remains the world's most liveable city for a 3rd year according to the EIU rankings. The Economist Intelligence Unit scored 173 cities on healthcare, culture, stability, infrastructure and education. Vienna excelled with perfect scores in stability, healthcare, education and infrastructure but lacked in major sporting events. Western Europe did well with 30 cities averaging 92 out of 100 but saw a dip in stability due to protests and crime. North America scored high in education but faced challenges in infrastructure due to housing issues in Canada. Asian cities like Hong Kong and those in the UAE improved their rankings. Tel Aviv dropped significantly due to ongoing conflict. Damascus remains the least liveable city.
According to the latest rankings in the prestigious Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) annual survey, Vienna, the captivating capital of Austria, retains its crown for the third year in a row, holding the title of the world's most liveable city.
The EIU, affiliated with The Economist magazine, evaluates 173 cities worldwide based on key factors like healthcare, culture and environment (scored together), stability, infrastructure, and education. Vienna excelled in four out of five categories, receiving perfect scores in stability (100), healthcare (100), education (100), and infrastructure (100). While Vienna's vibrant culture scene is undeniable, a lack of major sporting events slightly lowered its cultural and environmental score to 96.
Denmark's charming Copenhagen continues its reign in second place, while Zurich, Switzerland, makes a significant jump from sixth to third. Notably, Western Europe performed well overall, with 30 cities achieving an average score of 92 out of 100. However, researchers noted a slight decline in stability scores within the region (average 91), attributing it to an increase in protests and crime.
North America, while having the highest average score for education (97), encountered challenges in other areas. Canada, in particular, faced an "acute housing crisis" in several regions, resulting in lower infrastructure scores (88) compared to previous years. This impacted major Canadian cities like Vancouver, which dropped slightly to seventh place, and Toronto, which fell out of the top 10 entirely, landing at 12th.
Looking across the Atlantic, London, the bustling capital of the UK, came in at 45th. Meanwhile, Asian cities witnessed significant improvements. Hong Kong saw the most dramatic rise, jumping from 61st to 50th place due to advancements in stability (89) and healthcare (92). Several cities in the United Arab Emirates, including Abu Dhabi and Dubai, also climbed the ranks, alongside Saudi Arabian cities like Riyadh and Jeddah.
However, not all news is positive. The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas resulted in a significant decline for Tel Aviv, which dropped a staggering 20 places to 112th.
The bottom of the list remains largely unchanged. Damascus, Syria, retains its dubious distinction as the least liveable city globally, with Tripoli in Libya, Algiers in Algeria, and Lagos in Nigeria following close behind. The report highlights that none of these bottom four cities have shown any improvement in their overall scores since the 2023 rankings.
This annual study by the EIU offers valuable insights for individuals and businesses alike, providing a clear picture of the most liveable and well-developed cities worldwide.
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