‘Vienna, most liveable city': Economic Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index report
3 min read 22 Jun 2023, 03:32 PM ISTThe report highlights an overall increase in liveability scores due to improvements in healthcare, education, culture and entertainment, and infrastructure. However, stability declined slightly due to civil unrest and rising crime rates.
PremiumThe Global Liveability Index by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has revealed that Vienna as the most liveable city in the world., Despite slipping in the rankings during the pandemic in 2021, Vienna bounced back and reclaimed the top spot in 2022, maintaining its position in 2023. The city's exceptional combination of stability, well-developed infrastructure, quality education and healthcare services, and rich cultural and entertainment offerings contributed to its continued success.
Austria, has retained its position as the most liveable city in the world. Denmark's Copenhagen, secured the second spot, while Melbourne and Sydney, Australia, ranked third and fourth, respectively. While Canada's Vancouver occupied the fifth spot.
“The removal of covid-related restrictions has overall boded well for global liveability in 2023. Education has emerged stronger with children returning to schools alongside a significantly reduced burden on hospitals and healthcare systems, with some notable improvements in cities across developing economies of Asia and the Middle East," the report stated.
The top ten also includes three cities from Canada, two from Switzerland, and two from Asia (one from New Zealand and one from Japan), sharing the tenth position.
Average liveability score
This year's index highlighted that the average liveability score has increased from 73.2 to 76.2 out of 100 compared to the previous year. Healthcare scores demonstrated the most significant improvement, followed by gains in education, culture and entertainment, and infrastructure. However, stability experienced a slight decline due to civil unrest and a rise in crime rates in some cities.
Asia-Pacific cities
Asia-Pacific cities displayed notable progress, with eight of the top ten cities showing improvements, driven by economic recovery from the pandemic. Wellington and Auckland in New Zealand, along with Hanoi in Vietnam, were among the cities that climbed the rankings.
Middle Eastern cities
The Middle East also saw increased liveability, primarily attributed to advancements in healthcare and education. Riyadh and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia achieved notable progress.
European cities
The top ten fallers in the Global Liveability Index are predominantly European cities, with two cities from the United States also included. Edinburgh, which entered the survey in a respectable 35th position in 2022, has experienced a significant drop to 58th place. Stockholm in Sweden is the second largest faller, declining by 22 places.
American cities
US cities of Los Angeles and San Diego both fell by 17 places. While these cities have not experienced a drastic decline in their index scores, they have been overtaken by other cities that have shown greater improvement over the past year.
Cities in the bottom ten
Damascus in Syria and Tripoli in Libya remained at the bottom of the rankings due to ongoing social unrest, terrorism, and conflict. However, some cities in the bottom ten witnessed improvements as the impact of the pandemic diminished. The report also emphasized the shifting global axis toward the East, suggesting that cities in Asia and the Middle East will likely continue to make progress in future liveability rankings.