The world’s best and worst cities to live in
John Fitzsimons
20 March 2018
The most and least liveable places on Earth
Mercer’s annual Quality of Life survey looks at living conditions in 230 cities and analyses 39 factors including culture and environment, political stability, safety, infrastructure and the ease of doing business. We count down the 10 worst and the 30 best cities to live in right now.
Conakry, Guinea – 10th worst city to live in
Conakry is the capital and largest city in the Guinea Republic, but it’s rated as the 10th worst place in which to live by Mercer. The nation was particularly badly hit by 2014’s Ebola crisis, while it suffers from widespread corruption in the government. There have recently been violent protests, resulting in at least 11 deaths.
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo – 9th
Kinshasa was once a simple fishing village, but the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is today a bustling urban area. However, Kinshasa is viewed as one of the most dangerous cities in the world in which to live, with high levels of violent crime. It’s generally not advisable to be out after dark.
Brazzaville, Republic of Congo – 8th
The UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advises against all but essential travel to Brazzaville, the largest city in the Congo. The city saw extensive armed clashes in 2016, which have led to an increased police and military presence throughout the area. Again, travelling after dark is not a good idea.
Damascus, Syria – 7th
Damascus has been the site of extensive fighting in the Syrian troubles in recent years. In a single week this month more than 500 people were killed following a wave of airstrikes and shelling. The city is the seat of power of President Bashar al-Assad, and has previously been seen groups like ISIS settle in the area.
N’Djamena, Chad – 6th
Terrorist attacks are likely in N’Djamena, the capital city of Chad, according to the UK's FCO, which warns of a threat of retaliatory attacks following French intervention in Mali and as a result of Chad’s involvement in the regional fight against Boko Haram. In 2015 it was subjected to a host of appalling suicide attacks.
Khartoum, Sudan – 5th
Sudan is still trying to recover from two bouts of a devastating civil war which claimed the lives of more than 1.5 million people. With rocketing inflation meaning that prices change by the hour, it is a dangerous and financially testing place to live.
Port-au-Prince, Haiti – 4th
It’s now eight years since a huge earthquake rocked Haiti and left thousands homeless, and its capital Port Au Prince remains a troubling place to live. Poverty is a huge problem, with two-thirds living on less than $2 (£1.40) a day, while the government’s decision to raise taxes last year sparked violent protests in the city.
Sana’a, Yemen – 3rd
According to the UN, Yemen is the world’s worst humanitarian crisis, with around eight million people on the brink of famine, a cholera epidemic which has hit a million people and an economic collapse too. The capital city Sana’a has also seen considerable amounts of terror activity, becoming a base for the likes of Al-Qaeda and Islamic State.
Bangui, Central African Republic – 2nd
According to the UK's FCO, tensions are high in Bangui, with armed patrols setting up roadblocks and reports of violence, reprisal killings, lootings and human rights abuses. The city has also seen periodic outbreaks of inter-ethnic violence over the last year.
Baghdad, Iraq – worst city to live in
Baghdad has once again been named the worst city in the world in which to live. It has been a hotspot for Islamic State of Iraq (ISIL) and has seen constant outbreaks of violence since the Iraq war. Poverty levels are also high. Now let's take a look at the best cities to live in.
San Francisco, United States – joint 30th best city to live in
Kicking off the list of the best cities to live is San Francisco. San Francisco is the city of choice for many tech companies, with the likes of Airbnb, Twitter, Uber and Facebook all setting up in the area, which has boosted the jobs market. It’s the highest-ranking US city, and is renowned for its fantastic nightlife, bars and restaurants.
Canberra, Australia – joint 30th
Australia’s capital city is also where its parliament is based. You can get from the city centre to the bushland in about 20 minutes, so it’s a great spot for nature lovers, with stunning lakes and nature reserves to boot. In 2014 the OECD named the city as the best place to live on the planet.
Adelaide, Australia – 29th
Known as the city of churches, Adelaide is located on the southern coast of Australia. Not only is the weather great, but it’s also one of the nation’s most affordable cities thanks to its relatively low property prices. There’s also plenty to do outdoors, with loads of great areas for surfing and hiking.
Stuttgart, Germany – 28th
Located in southwest Germany, Stuttgart is a manufacturing hub, with Mercedes-Benz and Porsche both having headquarters there. Last year Zipjet declared it the world’s most stress-free city, citing the large amounts of green spaces, stunning scenery and low unemployment.
Brussels, Belgium – 27th
Belgium’s beautiful capital is also the HQ of the European Union. The city benefits from plenty of parkland, a thriving café culture and boasts stunning modern and medieval architecture.
Singapore, Singapore – joint 25th
Singapore is Asia’s top ranked city, with the global financial centre scoring well based on its fantastic parks, museums and overall convenience. However, it doesn’t come cheap – in 2016 Singapore was named the world’s most expensive city to live in.
Oslo, Norway – joint 25th
Oslo is up six places from the last time the survey was carried out. Norway’s capital is the nation’s most international city, with around a quarter of its inhabitants coming from outside Norway. Oslo benefits from its stunning dockside opera house, the famous cafes and restaurants of its Grønland district and Norway is also one of the world’s happiest countries to boot.
Nuremburg, Germany – joint 23rd
You’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time in Nuremburg. The city, located in Germany’s Bavaria region, is filled with stone towers and medieval architecture and boasts a low cost of living with plenty of green spaces.
Stockholm, Sweden – joint 23rd
Stockholm is actually a collection of 14 islands. Sweden’s work-life balance, job security and great healthcare means the nation often performs very well when looking at the best places to live, and its capital benefits from incredible museums and great green spaces. In 2010 it was awarded the EU’s first-ever Green Capital award. On the downside, the beer is pretty expensive.
Perth, Australia – joint 21st
Perth is Australia’s sunniest city, average 265 days of sun a year. Not bad, right? The capital of Western Australia also enjoys low crime rates, a very relaxed culture and affordable housing.
Montreal, Canada – joint 21st
Predominantly French speaking, the largest city in Quebec is a centre for commerce, arts, culture and architecture. Montreal was also voted the world’s top city for students last year, while the city boasts some top-class restaurants too.
Hamburg, Germany – joint 19th
Hamburg is Germany’s second city and is a major trade and transportation hub. It also enjoys a vibrant nightlife; last year Hostelworld named Hamburg the best city in the world for a night out, in no small part down to its terrific music scene. It’s one of Germany’s richest cities, and is home to one of Germany’s only restaurants with three Michelin stars.
Ottawa, Canada – joint 19th
Ottawa is Canada’s capital and home to a host of international embassies. It’s a bilingual city, with low crime rates and a laid-back culture. It’s also renowned as one of the world’s cleanest cities, while households in the city enjoy the highest salaries in all of Canada.
Luxembourg City, Luxembourg – 18th
The capital of Luxembourg is believed to be one of the safest cities on the planet, which only adds to its appeal. With stunning views, Luxembourg City also plays host to the European Court of Justice and the European Investment Bank, while Luxembourg as a whole is one of the top nations on the planet for life expectancy.
Toronto, Canada – joint 16th
Toronto is the fourth-largest city in North America and Canada’s financial hub. It boasts a brilliant transport system, wide-ranging food scene and is a particularly good option for young people too. According to Nestpick, it’s the fifth best city in the world for millennials, scoring particularly well for its friendliness towards members of the LGBTQ community.
Melbourne, Australia – joint 16th
Australia’s cultural hub, Melbourne is home to some of the country’s best bars and restaurants. Offering both beautiful coastlines and rugged mountain ranges, the city scores highly on safety, socio-cultural environment, education and recreation.
Wellington, New Zealand – 15th
Wellington is known as one of the world’s windiest cities. Despite the breeze it’s a great place to live on account of its wonderful views, abundant parkland, gorgeous coast and strong arts scene, with the Museum of New Zealand, the New Zealand School of Music and the Royal New Zealand Ballet all based in the city.
Bern, Switzerland – 14th
The Swiss capital is one of the safest capital cities in the world with low crime rates, low unemployment and a bustling tech scene. It enjoys a thriving economy and excellent infrastructure.
Berlin, Germany – 13th
Germany’s bustling capital city is a centre for politics, nightlife, design and art, with more than 150 museums and galleries in the city alone. It’s also a very clean city, with an Environmental Zone set up in 2008 to control air pollution.
Amsterdam, Netherlands – 12th
The biggest city in the Netherlands is also one of the greenest, and prides itself on the fact that its residents are more likely to cycle rather than drive. Amsterdam’s nightlife scene is world famous, while it also has a great range of museums and galleries.
Sydney, Australia – joint 10th
Australia’s largest city makes the top 10. Home to a host of gorgeous beaches and a relaxed culture, crime rates in the region also fell to a 40-year low in 2017. It also has a reputation for little congestion and excellent healthcare.
Basel, Switzerland – joint 10th
Basel was a new entrant in last year’s survey and is in joint 10th place this time around. While it’s not a cheap city to live in, Basel does benefit from a picturesque old town, with cobbled lanes, a medieval castle and over 30 museums to choose from. It’s also a great food centre.
Copenhagen, Denmark – 9th
Taking in the cobbled squares, pretty canals and bustling restaurants in the city centre it’s not hard to see why Copenhagen is often dubbed one of the happiest places to live in the world. It also has a low crime rate and its residents enjoy a good work-life balance.
Geneva, Switzerland – 8th
A tiny city, spanning just six square miles, Geneva’s residents embrace the outdoors, walking around the picturesque city and its famous lake. It is also a renowned business centre and a popular spot for expats.
Frankfurt, Germany – 7th
Located on the Main river, Frankfurt is Germany’s financial hub and home to the European Central Bank, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and the Frankfurt Trade Fair. But don’t let that fool you; it also has one of Germany’s top club scenes, having been the birthplace of the nation’s techno movement back in the 90s.
Dusseldorf, Germany – 6th
If culture is your thing, then you can’t do much better than Dusseldorf. The city is home to a mammoth 100 galleries, 26 museums, a world-class opera house and amazing architecture. What’s more, most of the city is easily accessible on foot or by bike, with plenty of landscaped parks to make that journey even more pleasant.
Vancouver, Canada – 5th
Vancouver is the highest-ranking North American city, with the bustling west coast sea port boasting a great healthcare system and beautiful scenery including mountains and rainforests. It’s thought to be one of the world’s cleanest cities too, though it also has Canada’s most expensive property prices.
Munich, Germany – joint 3rd
Yet another German city making the top 30 list. Boasting terrific public transport, loads of parks and gardens and a bustling nightlife, epitomised by the annual Oktoberfest, Munich is a winner with locals and expats alike.
Auckland, New Zealand – joint 3rd
Auckland is one of the smaller cities on the list, located on the north island of New Zealand. It’s also the top performing English-speaking city and scores well because of its stable infrastructure, ethnically diverse population, high personal safety, stunning harbour surroundings and great lifestyle.
Zurich, Switzerland – 2nd
Yet again Zurich comes up just short. It’s one of the world’s wealthiest cities but also one of the most expensive to live in. Zurich boasts beautiful scenery, low crime and excellent rates of employment.
Vienna, Austria – best city to live in
Vienna tops the list for an incredible ninth year in a row, with Mercer pointing out the city provides residents and expats with a safe place to live, well-structured public transport and a variety of cultural and recreation facilities. It’s not bad to look at either.
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