Top 10 Cities Worldwide for Quality of Life

Every year, Mercer (a global consultancy branch of Marsh & McLennan) releases a list of the world’s best cities for living. Cities are ranked based on thirty-nine factors, including health care, education, crime, political stability, affordability of real estate, nightlife, cuisine, recreation, and many others. The cities topping the list may not be the most exciting or glamorous on the planet, but they do represent some of the best cities to actually live on a day to day basis.

1. Vienna, Austria
Vienna boasts a population of 1.66 million people, ancient buildings, strong public transportation, and general old-world charm.

2. Zurich, Switzerland
A perennial favorite that appears on many lists, Zurich’s low crime rate and comparatively reasonable real estate and rental lease rates combined with excellent public services make Zurich a wonderful place to live.

3. Geneva, Switzerland
Geneva clocks in with only 187,000 residents, but those residents tend to be among the happiest in the world according to mental health and satisfaction surveys.

4. (tie) Vancouver, British Columbia
With a life expectancy of 82.2 years, Vancouver’s residents survive the rainy season and costly rental lease rates with great public transportation and health care.

4. (tie) Auckland, New Zealand
Auckland boasts pleasant weather, low crime, and strong economic fundamentals that keep residents plenty pleased.

6. Dusseldorg, Germany
Great health care, education, and other public services make Dusseldorf a great place to live, despite long winters and oft-overcast skies.

7. (tie) Frankfurt, Germany
Frankfurt is green, modern, and features all of the amenities that one would expect of a thriving German city.

7. (tie) Munich, Germany
Beer festivals, history, modern German public services, and roughly twice the population of Frankfurt all make Munich a pleasant city for the young and old alike.

9. Bern, Switzerland
Bern is large for a Swiss city, with almost a million residents, who tend to live long and healthy lives (life expectancy sits at 81.7 years), due in large part to the cleanliness of the city, the fitness of the populace, and the quality of Swiss health care.

10. Sydney, Australia
Sydney is the largest city among the top ten, with over 4.5 million residents. Don’t expect a cheap rental lease in downtown Sydney, but the city can’t be beat for Australian friendliness, nightlife, and entertainment.

If you’re wondering how far down on the list the first U.S. city is, you’d have to go down to the thirty-first slot, to Honolulu (followed immediately by San Francisco). And at the bottom of the list? Somewhat predictably, Baghdad bottoms out the last, at the 420th position. The U.S. has many charms, but it appears that Europe’s top choices remain more livable than the top cities in America.

Brian is a real estate investor who tracks worldwide and nationwide real estate trends. He also manages EZ Landlord Forms, an online resource for landlords offering state-specific rental lease forms.

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