For the last seven years, Melbourne, Australia, has topped Economist Intelligence Unit’s list of the most livable cities in the world. Their survey ranks 140 cities worldwide based on 5 categories: stability (including crime and terrorism), healthcare, culture and environment (this includes level of censorship, temperature, and cultural offerings), education, and infrastructure (like public transportation, housing, energy, and water).
Photo Credit: Pixabay
The cities that score best on the list tend to be mid-sized with low population densities and are typically located in wealthier countries. Big urban centers typically score well on things like food and culture, but are dinged for high levels of crime and congestion.
So, which city stole Melbourne’s title before it could take the crown for an eighth year in a row?
Photo Credit: Pixabay
Vienna, Austria.
The city scored a perfect 100 in 4 out of 5 categories, with room for improvement listed in their culture and environment – though they still scored a whopping 96.3 in that area.
It’s their first year to win the top stop, and with a score of 99.1 out of 100, I imagine they would have been hard to beat.
Photo Credit: Pixabay
In case you’re curious, here’s how the rest of the Top 10 rounded out.
- Vienna, Austria
- Melbourne, Australia
- Osaka, Japan
- Calgary, Canada
- Sydney, Australia
- Vancouver, Canada
- Toronto, Canada
- Tokyo, Japan
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Adelaide, Australia
Protip: Maybe consider a move to Canada or Australia!
Here are the 10 least livable cities, according to the survey, none of which are a big surprise.
131. Dakar, Senegal
132. Algiers, Algeria
133. Douala, Cameroon
134. Tripoli, Libya
135. Harare, Zimbabwe
136. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
137. Karachi, Pakistan
138. Lagos, Nigeria
139. Dhaka, Bangladesh
140. Damascus, Syria
It’s hard to be livable when your city has been repeatedly leveled by terrorists. Just saying.
Happy traveling (or relocating), friends!
h/t: Mental_Floss