Economist Ranking 2024 - These are the most liveable cities in the world - Germany continues to fall behind
Vienna is and remains the most livable city in the world. For years, the Austrian capital has topped the annual ranking of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). In 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2023, Vienna finished first. In 2024, the city scores the maximum points in the categories of Stability, Education, Infrastructure, and Healthcare.
The ten most livable cities in the world are all familiar faces, with only the order shuffled. Copenhagen, Denmark's capital, remains in second place. Zurich, Switzerland, moves up from sixth place to third, while Melbourne slides to fourth. Calgary in Canada and Geneva in Switzerland are newcomers to the top ten.
Most Livable Cities: No German Metropolis in the Top Ten
German metropolises, which ranked seventh in 2022, are once again not among the top performers. Berlin falls from 17th to 21st place. Hamburg loses five spots, Munich six – they now share 27th place. Stuttgart, which had been doing well, drops from 25th place to 30th in this year's ranking. Duesseldorf, which was 29th in 2023, settles for 33rd place.
The Global Liveability Index is compiled annually. For this, 173 cities are evaluated based on various criteria in the categories of Culture and Environment, Infrastructure, Education, Healthcare System, and Stability. European cities have been losing ground in recent years due to a lack of stability. In the overall ranking, they lost 0.3 points compared to the previous year. Geopolitical conflicts, an increase in crime, civil unrest, and the number of protests, as well as the housing crisis, are cited as reasons.
The greatest loser is Tel Aviv. The conflict in the Gaza Strip significantly affects the livability there, and there is a lack of stability. The Israeli city falls 20 places to 112th place in the Global Liveability Index.
Source: Global Liveability Index
- Despite Vienna's consistent dominance in the annual City ranking by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), Copenhagen consistently maintains its position as a contender, often placing second.
- Vienna, the most livable city in the world, was joined in the top ten most livable cities in 2024 by Calgary from Canada and Geneva from Switzerland.
- Contrarily to previous years, no German metropolis, including cities like Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and Stuttgart, could secure a spot in the top ten most livable cities in 2024, according to the Global Liveability Index.
- Zurich, Switzerland, managed to move up from its sixth position in the 2023 Global Liveability Index to third place in 2024, while Melbourne, Australia, slipped to fourth position.
- Cities in Europe, including those in Germany, have been experiencing a decrease in stability in recent years, leading to a drop in their rankings in the Global Liveability Index, which includes cities like Vancouver, Canada, and Zurich, Switzerland.
