Have you ever been curious about the most livable cities in the world? The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) recently revealed its highly anticipated list of the ‘Most Liveable Cities in the World 2023’. By assessing healthcare, culture, environment, education, and stability, this ranking provides insights into cities that excel in offering an exceptional quality of life.
The International Capital of Music “Vienna” Tops the List Again
This year, the index encompassed 172 cities, and for the second consecutive year, Vienna, Austria, has been recognized as the best city to reside in globally. The Global Liveability Index 2023 attributes Vienna’s success to its unparalleled combination of stability, well-developed infrastructure, robust education and healthcare services, and abundant cultural and entertainment opportunities.
Another day, another slay! 🙌🏻 The renowned British news magazine @TheEconomist has chosen #Vienna as the world's most liveable city for the fourth time in a row! 💯 https://t.co/4OQ9GYdbG0 #ViennaNow pic.twitter.com/VBtsoglDVf
— Vienna (@ViennaInfoB2B) June 22, 2023
Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, also maintained its second-place position on the list. Following closely are two Australian cities, Melbourne and Sydney, respectively. The authors of the report note that these Australian cities, which experienced fluctuations in rankings during the pandemic, have now secured third and fourth place. They have witnessed improvements in the healthcare category since last year when they were still grappling with the impacts of Covid outbreaks on their healthcare systems.
Vancouver, Calgary, and Toronto, three cities in Canada, have also earned positions in the top ten list. Osaka, representing Asia, holds the tenth spot in the rankings.
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) reported that the index reached its highest point in 15 years last year as the world made strides in recovering from the pandemic. The average index score has risen to 76.2 out of 100, compared to 73.2 the previous year. Despite the overall growth in the index score, there has been a slight decline in stability.
Barsali Bhattacharyya, Industry Research Manager at EIU, stated that out of the five categories covered by the index, only stability has experienced a decline. Instances of civil unrest in many cities, along with a cost-of-living crisis and an increase in crime rates in certain areas, have contributed to this decline. The EIU also highlighted that cities in Western Europe, in particular, have slipped in the rankings due to an increase in workers’ strikes, failing to keep up with the progress made by cities in Asia and the Middle East.
Check out the list of the top 10 cities in the world in 2023:
1. Vienna, Austria
2. Copenhagen, Denmark
3. Melbourne, Australia
4. Sydney, Australia
5. Vancouver, Canada
6. Zurich, Switzerland
7. Calgary, Canada
7. Geneva, Switzerland
9. Toronto, Canada
10. Osaka, Japan
The Diametric Opposite
The cities that continue to face ongoing civil unrest, military conflicts, and various other issues have maintained their positions at the bottom of the list. Algiers in Algeria, Tripoli in Libya, and Damascus in Syria were ranked as the three least liveable cities in the world. Damascus, in particular, has consistently received low rankings in the survey and has shown no signs of improvement in its liveability scores this year.
