Australia and Canada, home to some of the world’s most liveable cities, are experiencing a decline in rankings due to severe housing shortages, a challenge faced by governments globally.
For the third consecutive year, Vienna has been named the world’s most liveable city, thanks to its robust public housing policies. It is followed by Copenhagen and Zurich.
The cost of living has become a crucial factor for the top-ranked cities, especially after recent inflation spikes. However, the most significant factor affecting the rankings is stability. Western Europe’s overall score has dropped due to declining stability, with Germany seeing six of its cities among the largest decliners due to more frequent disruptive protests. Tel Aviv experienced the steepest decline following last year’s Hamas attack and the subsequent war in Gaza.
Hong Kong saw the most significant improvement in 2024, climbing to 50th place, boosted by better stability and healthcare. Eastern European capitals also made gains.
At the bottom of the list are Damascus, Syria, and Tripoli, Libya, plagued by crime, conflict threats, and poor healthcare.
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) ranks 173 cities based on five categories: stability, education, infrastructure, culture and environment, and healthcare.
