The pursuit of an ideal city has long been a topic of debate among architects and urban planners. In addition to aesthetic identity and cultural heritage, the quality of life in every city represents perhaps the most important marker in this pursuit. This year, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a sister company of The Economist, has released its Global Liveability Index 2024, highlighting the cities that excel in this ongoing quest. For the third consecutive year, Vienna ranked as the most liveable city in the world. European cities Copenhagen, Zurich, and Geneva also rank high, attributed to their smaller populations, which contribute to lower crime rates and less congestion. In comparison with the 2023 ranking, the numbers for North American and Australian cities have been dragged down by the ongoing housing crisis.

The assessment ranks 173 cities from around the world. Each city is scored based on 30 qualitative and quantitative factors evaluating 5 categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. The scores are based on external data points, in-house analysts, and in-city contributors. The category of stability has registered the biggest decline, as protests and armed conflicts increased in incidence. At the bottom of the cist, the city of Damascus, Syria, continues to be ranked as the least liveable city in the survey, followed by Tripoli, Libya, reflecting severe instability.

Globally, the average liveability score has seen minimal improvement, increasing by just 0.06 points over the past year compared to a 2.84-point increase the previous year. Recent civil unrest, including protests across Europe and the U.S., along with ongoing cost-of-living crises, particularly affecting housing, contribute to these trends, according to The Economist. While urban living quality is generally improving, disparities remain, influenced by regional economic and social challenges.

Vienna, Austria

Copenhagen, Denmark

Zurich, Switzerland

Melbourne, Australia

  Calgary, Canada

Geneva, Switzerland

  Sydney, Australia

 Vancouver, Canada

Osaka, Japan

Auckland, New Zealand

Ten Least Liveable Cities

164. Caracas, Venezuela
165. Kyiv, Ukraine
166. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
167. Harare, Zimbabwe
168. Dhaka, Bangladesh
169. Karachi, Pakistan
170. Lagos, Nigeria
171. Algiers, Algeria
172. Tripoli, Libya
173. Damascus, Syria