For the third consecutive year, Vienna has been crowned the most liveable city in the world by The Economist's Global Liveability Index, solidifying its position as a global benchmark for urban quality of life. This year, Vienna achieved perfect scores in four out of five categories, further emphasizing its exceptional liveability.
While Western European cities dominated the top rankings, with Vienna, Copenhagen, and Zurich claiming the top three spots, the overall score for the region slipped slightly due to increased instability in some countries. Eastern Europe saw significant improvement, with cities like Budapest and Belgrade climbing the ranks.
Key factors influencing the rankings included stability, healthcare, education, culture and environment, and infrastructure. Rising inflation, housing crises, and the impact of the war in Gaza significantly impacted liveability scores for some cities.
Despite facing challenges such as housing affordability, Canadian cities like Vancouver and Calgary maintained strong positions in the top 10. However, Australian cities like Sydney and Melbourne experienced a slight decline due to housing affordability issues.
The 2024 index highlights the importance of factors like stability, healthcare, and education in creating a high quality of life for urban residents. While Vienna continues to set the standard, the rankings also reveal the ongoing challenges facing cities worldwide, including rising costs of living, geopolitical instability, and the impact of climate change.
