The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), an independent business within The Economist Group providing forecasting and advisory services, publishes a report known as the EIU´s Livability Ranking. Analyzing and evaluating the livability of 140 world major cities, the ranking is based on 30 qualitative and quantitative factors spread across five areas: stability (threat of crime, terrorism etc.), infrastructure (housing, roads, energy, and other basic utilities), education (both public and private indicators), healthcare (availability of public and private care) and culture and environment (climate, sports, corruption, cultural activities etc.). A city´s livability may be a very interesting and important thing to consider when you are about to move to a new place. To find out what the most livable cities for 2015 are, take a look at our list. You might be surprised not to find some of the world´s most renowned metropolises such as London, New York or Paris in the top 25 list but as you will see, rather mid-sized cities in wealthy countries dominated the ranking. From Luxembourg and Stockholm to Vienna and Melbourne, these are 25 World´s Most Livable Cities For 2015 according to the The Economist Intelligence Unit.
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg (score: 93.3)
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The capital of Luxembourg, a little landlocked country in Western Europe, Luxembourg City is one of the wealthiest and safest cities in the world. Despite its small size (just about 100,000 inhabitants), the city has developed into a major banking and administrative centre of the region.
Stockholm, Sweden (score: 93.3)
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Home to almost 1 million people, Stockholm, the capital and largest city of Sweden, has one of the highest GDP per capita in the world. Boasting many renowned universities and a great education system, Stockholm is the cultural, political, media and economic centre of the country.
Oslo, Norway (score: 93.4)
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Another Scandinavian city that made it to the list, Oslo, the capital of Norway, regularly ranks among cities with the best quality of life. Home to many famous museums and galleries, the city is also known for its highly developed infrastructure and extensive public transportation system.
Copenhagen, Denmark (score: 93.5)
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Thanks to its stable economy, excellent education services and great social safety, Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, has ranked high on the livable chart for a number of years. Despite a top score for quality of living, Copenhagen´s scores are low for affordability as the city is very expensive.
Wellington, New Zealand (score: 93.6)
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Known as the world’s southernmost capital city of a sovereign state, Wellington was referred to as the “coolest little capital in the world” by Lonely Planet Best in Travel 2011. Apart from reliable infrastructure, great education system, varied cultural life and other benefits, the city also offers a clean and healthy environment.
Berlin, Germany (score: 94)
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With a population of 3.5 million people, Berlin, the capital of Germany is one of the largest cities on this list. The city has something for everybody – from amazing architecture and busy nightlife to prestigious universities and scientific centers. With a stable economy and low unemployment, Berlin is the 20th most livable city for 2015.
Honolulu, USA (score: 94.1)
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As surprising as it may seem to some, the only American city that made it to the list is Honolulu. The capital and largest city of the US state of Hawaii, the city is home to all-year-round warm weather, beautiful beaches and almost 400,000 happy residents. Recently, the city has also become a major financial center and hub for international business.
Brisbane, Australia (score: 94.2)
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The capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland, Brisbane is one several Australian cities featured in the ranking. Extensive transportation network, strong economy, excellent education system and thriving cultural and sport scenes are among the reasons why Brisbane has such a high quality of life.
Osaka, Japan (score: 94.5)
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Although the Osaka metropolitan area has almost 20 million inhabitants, the city itself is considered to be less hectic than Tokyo. Historically known as the “nation´s kitchen”, the city is famous for its delicious food, top-class museums, parks, gardens, ancient temples and other landmarks. No wonder it ranked as the 17th most livable city for 2015.
Tokyo, Japan (score: 94.7)
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Home to the world´s most populous metropolitan area, Tokyo ranks among the wealthiest, safest and most modern cities in the world. Particularly known for its friendly residents, busy nightlife, reliable public transportation and clean streets, the city ranked first in the “Best overall experience” category of TripAdvisor’s World City Survey in 2014.
Frankfurt, Germany (score: 94.7)
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The fifth largest city in Germany, Frankfurt is a prominent European center for commerce, culture, education, tourism and web traffic. In 2010, two thirds of the locals said they were satisfied or highly satisfied with their quality of life in the city. Frankfurt´s only drawback is its crime rate, one of the highest in Germany.
Montreal, Canada (score: 94.8)
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After Australia, Canada is the second most livable country for 2015 with four of its cities ranked in the list. Montreal, the second largest city in Canada, is one of them. Known for its high concentration of post-secondary students, the city was even ranked the 8th-best place in the world to be a university student in 2015.
Hamburg, Germany (score: 95)
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One of the most affluent cities in Europe, Hamburg boasts world-class education and health system, dependable infrastructure and stunning cultural life as the city hosts more than 40 theatres and 60 museums. An important financial center, the city is also the seat of the world’s second oldest bank.
Geneva, Switzerland (score: 95.2)
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The second most populous city in Switzerland, Geneva boasts several impressive titles such as the “world´s most complex metropolis” and the “peace capital”. A seat of numerous international organizations, the city ranks among the safest, cleanest, richest but also most expensive cities in the world.
Zurich, Switzerland (score: 95.6)
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With a score of 95.6, Zurich ranked ahead of Geneva. According to several surveys from 2006 to 2008, Zurich was named the city with the best quality of life in the world as well as the wealthiest city in Europe. One of the world leaders in environment protection, the city has highly effective public transportation and infrastructure.
Helsinki, Finland (score: 95.6)
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With 630,000 inhabitants, Helsinki is the capital and largest city of Finland. In 2011, the Monocle magazine ranked Helsinki the most livable city in the world. This year, it made it to the top ten in the EIU´s chart. Similarly to other Scandinavian metropolises, Helsinki is a very safe city with great healthcare, education and overall infrastructure.
Auckland, New Zealand (score: 95.7)
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Home to almost one third of all New Zealand´s population, Auckland is a modern multicultural city surrounded by breathtakingly beautiful nature. With its mild climate, plentiful employment and educational opportunities, as well as numerous leisure facilities and cultural events, Auckland is an awesome place to live.
Perth, Australia (score: 95.9)
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Located on the west coast of Australia, Perth regularly ranks among cities with the best living standards. Notable for its stable economy, renowned universities, accessible healthcare, plentiful parks and extensive public transport system, Perth took the 8th place in this year´s ranking of the world´s most livable cities.
Sydney, Australia (score: 96.1)
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Known for its extremely rich cultural diversity, Sydney is an affluent world metropolis where more than 250 different languages are spoken. Mild climate, picturesque beaches, hundreds of various festivals held throughout the year and generally high living standards are just some of the factors that make Sydney one of the most livable cities in the world.
Calgary, Canada (score: 96.6)
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The first Canadian city to host the Winter Olympics (1988), Calgary lies just some 80 km (50 mi) from the iconic Canadian Rockies. Regarded the country´s leader in economic expansion, Calgary boasts very low unemployment rate and high GDP per capita. The city is a major transportation, financial and technological center of central and western Canada.
Adelaide, Australia (score: 96.6)
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When it comes to livability and high living standards, Adelaide is another Australian mainstay. The capital of the state of South Australia, Adelaide is noted for its many festivals and sporting events, delicious food and wine, long beachfronts, iconic tree-lined boulevards and large Victorian parklands.
Toronto, Canada (score: 97.2)
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One of the world´s most diverse cities, Toronto is a leading international center of business, finance, arts, and culture. Its strong economy, safety, highly developed infrastructure and varied cultural life makes it a perfect place to live. From monumental skyscrapers to little classy restaurants and fine art galleries, Toronto has it all.
Vancouver, Canada (score: 97.3)
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The largest city in British Columbia, Canada, Vancouver is one of few cities to rank among the top-ten of the world’s most livable cities for five consecutive years. Surrounded by beautiful nature, the city boasts a busy cultural life, numerous tourist sites and inspirational eco-friendly policies, which makes living in this city a real pleasure.
Vienna, Austria (score: 97.4)
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The capital and largest city of Austria, Vienna has been considered one of the world´s most livable cities for a number of years. In 2013, the “City of Music” was even proclaimed the most prosperous city in the world by UN Habitat. Living in Vienna is expensive but if you can afford it, you can enjoy a wide range of benefits this amazing metropolis offers.
Melbourne, Australia (score: 97.5)
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Highly rated in all categories including education, entertainment, health care, employment, research and development, tourism, sport etc., Melbourne has been the world´s most livable city for five consecutive years. Referred to as Australia´s cultural capital, the city provides excellent conditions for living a happy life.
