Mercer Consulting names Vienna as the 'best' city in the world...
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Swiss and German cities dominate
top places of best cities in the world
A report by Mercer Consulting
28 April 2009: While Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city and the country’s financial capital, is no longer number one, three Swiss cities make it into the top 10 of 'best' cities in the world. According to new research, Vienna, Austria’s capital, is now the city most people would like to call their home. Geneva retains its position in third place, while Vancouver and Auckland are now joint fourth in the rankings of best cities in the world, a survey prepared by Mercer Consulting. Overall, European cities continue to dominate the top locations in this year’s survey, with German cities particularly well represented among the top 50. Düsseldorf, Munich and Frankfurt are all among the top 10 best cities.
| Top ranked cities | The Americas | Europe | Middle East & Africa | Asia-Pacific | Cities with best infrastructure |
French and British cities fare middling in the 2009 Mercer Quality of Living Survey. Paris drops from 32nd to 33rd place, while London is still only placed 38th. Birmingham and Glasgow are jointly at 56. In the US, the highest-ranking entry is Honolulu at position 29. Singapore (26) is the top-scoring Asian city followed by Tokyo at 35. Baghdad, ranking 215, remains at the bottom of the table.
The rankings are based on a point-scoring index, which sees Vienna score 108.6, and Baghdad 14.4. Cities are ranked against New York as the base city with an index score of 100. Mercer’s Quality of Living ranking covers 215 cities and is conducted to help governments and major companies place employees on international assignments.
This year’s ranking also identifies the cities with the best infrastructure based on electricity supply, water availability, telephone and mail services, public transport provision, traffic congestion and the range of international flights from local airports. Singapore is at the top of this index (score 109.1) followed by Munich in second place and Copenhagen in third. Japanese cities Tsukuba (4) and Yokohama (5) fill the next two slots, whilst Düsseldorf and Vancouver share sixth place. Baghdad ranks at the bottom of the table with a score of only 19.6.
The world's top cities offering the best quality of life
(New York City is the base city with a score of 100 points)
|
2009 Rank
|
2008 Rank
|
City
|
Country
|
|
1
|
=2
|
Vienna | Austria |
|
2
|
1
|
Zurich | Switzerland |
|
3
|
=2
|
Geneva | Switzerland |
|
=4
|
4
|
Vancouver | Canada |
|
=4
|
5
|
Auckland | New Zealand |
|
6
|
6
|
Düsseldorf | Germany |
|
7
|
=7
|
Munich | Germany |
|
8
|
=7
|
Frankfurt | Germany |
|
9
|
9
|
Bern | Switzerland |
|
10
|
10
|
Sydney | Australia |
|
11
|
11
|
Copenhagen | Denmark |
|
12
|
12
|
Wellington | New Zealand |
|
13
|
13
|
Amsterdam | Netherlands |
|
14
|
14
|
Brussels | Belgium |
|
15
|
15
|
Toronto | Canada |
|
+16
|
19
|
Ottawa | Canada |
|
=16
|
16
|
Berlin | Germany |
|
18
|
+17
|
Melbourne | Australia |
|
19
|
=17
|
Luxembourg | Luxembourg |
|
20
|
20
|
Stockholm | Sweden |
|
21
|
21
|
Perth | Australia |
|
22
|
22
|
Montreal | Canada |
|
23
|
23
|
Nürnberg | Germany |
|
24
|
24
|
Oslo | Norway |
|
25
|
=25
|
Dublin | Ireland |
|
=26
|
32
|
Singapore | Singapore |
|
=26
|
25
|
Calgary | Canada |
|
28
|
27
|
Hamburg | Germany |
|
29
|
28
|
Honolulu | USA |
|
=30
|
=29
|
San Francisco | USA |
|
=30
|
=29
|
Helsinki | Finland |
|
=30
|
=29
|
Adelaide | Australia |
|
32
|
32
|
Paris | France |
|
34
|
34
|
Brisbane | Australia |
|
=35
|
35
|
Tokyo | Japan |
|
=35
|
37
|
Boston | USA |
|
37
|
36
|
Lyon | France |
|
=38
|
38
|
Yokohama | Japan |
|
=38
|
38
|
London | UK |
|
40
|
40
|
Kobe | Japan |
|
41
|
41
|
Milan | Italy |
|
=42
|
48
|
Portland | USA |
|
=42
|
42
|
Barcelona | Spain |
|
=44
|
=44
|
Washington DC | USA |
|
=44
|
=44
|
Osaka | Japan |
|
=44
|
=44
|
Lisbon | Portugal |
|
=44
|
=44
|
Chicago | USA |
|
48
|
43
|
Madrid | Spain |
|
49
|
49
|
New York City | USA |
|
50
|
49
|
Seattle | USA |
The Americas
There have been few changes in the rankings for North American cities. Canadian cities still dominate the top of the index for this region. Vancouver (4) retains the top spot and Honolulu (29) is the city in the United States with the highest quality of living. Washington and New York remain in positions 44 and 49 respectively.
In Central and South America, San Juan in Puerto Rico retains the highest ranking at 72, followed by Montevideo at 79. Port au Prince (206) in Haiti continues to rank lowest in the region and has gone down four places in the overall ranking due to food shortages experienced in 2008 and the subsequent riots.
In terms of city infrastructure, Vancouver (6) again tops the ranking for the whole of the region, with Atlanta following in position 15. Santiago in Chile has the best city infrastructure in Central and South America, whereas Port au Prince is again the lowest ranking at 212.
Europe
Europe’s cities once more dominate the world’s top 10 for quality of living. Vienna is the city rated with the best quality of living worldwide, moving up one place in the rankings following improvements in Austria’s political and social environment. The rest of the top 10 for Europe are dominated by German and Swiss cities, most of them retaining last year’s ranking and scores. Zurich, in second place, is followed by Geneva (3), Dusseldorf (6), Munich (7), Frankfurt (8) and Bern (9).
Many Eastern European cities have seen an increase in quality of living. A number of countries, which joined the European Union back in 2004 have experienced consistent improvement with increased stability, rising living standards and greater availability of international consumer goods. Ljubljana in Slovenia, for example, moves up four places to reach 78 while Bratislava moves up three places to 88. Zagreb moves three places to 103.
In the city infrastructure index, German cities fair particularly well with Munich (2) the highest ranked in the region, followed by Düsseldorf (6) and Frankfurt in joint eighth place with London. “German city infrastructure is amongst the best in the world, in part due to its first class airport facilities and connections to other international destinations,” said Mercer Consulting.
London’s ranking in the infrastructure index reflects the high level of public services offered, with its extensive public transport network and wide variety of telecommunication services.
Middle East and Africa
Dubai (77) in the United Arab Emirates and Port Louis in Mauritius (82) are the region’s cities with the best quality of living. Dubai’s transport facilities have witnessed improvements, with the development of its road infrastructure and expansion of its international airport, and the city is up six places in the ranking. Cape Town in South Africa, previously the city in the region with the best quality of living, has dropped substantially in this year’s ratings (from 80 to 87 in 2009). This move follows violent riots in South Africa’s main cities in 2008.
Baghdad (215) retains its position at the bottom of the table, though its index score has increased (from 13.5 to 14.4 in 2009) due to some slight improvements in its infrastructure and steps taken to encourage investment. Nevertheless, the lack of security and stability continue to have a large impact on quality of living and the city’s score remains far behind Bangui (29.3) in the Central African Republic, which is second to last.
In the city infrastructure index, most of the region’s cities rank below 100. The exceptions are Dubai (35),Tel Aviv (55) Jerusalem (70), Abu Dhabi (72), Port Louis in Mauritius (92) and Cairo (93). Baghdad (215) is again at the bottom of the list with a city infrastructure score of 19.6, while Port Harcourt in Nigeria is at 214, scoring 30.5.
Asia-Pacific
Auckland (4) retains its position as the highest-ranking city for quality of living in the region. Sydney follows at 10 and Wellington in New Zealand at 12. While the majority of the region’s cities retain a similar ranking to last year, Singapore (26) is the region’s highest riser, up six places since 2008. The city has gained importance as a financial centre and offers a wide range of international and private schools to cater to its expatriate community. Beijing has also moved three places in the ranking, up from 116 to 113, mainly due to improvements in public transport facilities from the 2008 Olympic Games.
Dropping down in the rankings, mainly due to a decline in stability and security are Bangkok (from 109 in 2008 to 120) and Mumbai (from 142 to 148). Thailand’s political turmoil continued throughout 2008 and 2009 with frequent and violent demonstrations and rallies taking place in Bangkok. Terrorist attacks in Mumbai have led to the city’s decline in quality of living for expatriates. Dhaka in Bangladesh holds the lowest ranking in the region at 205.
For city infrastructure, Singapore has the highest score world-wide (109.1). The city boasts an airport with excellent facilities and connections, as well as an efficient and extensive public transport network. Other high rankers in the region include Hong Kong (8), Sydney (11) and Tokyo (12). Dhaka ranks lowest in the region at 197.
The world's top cities offering the best infrastructure
(New York City is the base city with a score of 100 points)
|
2009 Rank
|
City
|
Country
|
|
1
|
Singapore | Singapore |
|
2
|
Munich | Germany |
|
3
|
Copenhagen | Denmark |
|
4
|
Tsukuba | Japan |
|
5
|
Yokohama | Japan |
|
=6
|
Düsseldorf | Germany |
|
=6
|
Vancouver | Canada |
|
=8
|
Frankfurt | Germany |
|
=8
|
Hong Kong | China |
|
=8
|
London | UK |
|
11
|
Sydney | Australia |
|
12
|
Tokyo | Japan |
|
13
|
Paris | France |
|
14
|
Zurich | Switzerland |
|
=15
|
Bern | Switzerland |
|
=15
|
Montreal | Canada |
|
=15
|
Atlanta | USA |
|
=18
|
Toronto | Canada |
|
=18
|
Vienna | Austria |
|
=20
|
Hamburg | Germany |
|
=20
|
Helsinki | Finland |
|
=20
|
Oslo | Norway |
|
=20
|
Stockholm | Sweden |
|
=24
|
Brussels | Belgium |
|
=24
|
Washington DC | USA |
|
26
|
Amsterdam | Netherlands |
|
27
|
Nürnberg | Germany |
|
28
|
Chicago | USA |
|
=29
|
Berlin | Germany |
|
=29
|
Nagoya | Japan |
|
=29
|
Osaka | Japan |
|
32
|
New York City | USA |
|
33
|
Boston | USA |
|
34
|
Kobe | Japan |
|
=35
|
Dubai | UAE |
|
=35
|
Geneva | Switzerland |
|
=35
|
Melbourne | Australia |
|
=38
|
Adelaide | Australia |
|
=38
|
Brisbane | Australia |
|
=38
|
Perth | Australia |
|
41
|
Honolulu | USA |
|
42
|
Ottawa | Canada |
|
=43
|
Auckland | New Zealand |
|
=43
|
Madrid | Spain |
|
=45
|
Birmingham | UK |
|
=45
|
Glasgow | UK |
|
=47
|
Wellington | New Zealand |
|
=47
|
Miami | USA |
|
=49
|
Houston | USA |
|
=49
|
Seattle | USA |
|
=49
|
Milan | Italy |
...while Singapore is said to have the best infrastructure
Research
methodology
Mercer Consulting largely collected its data between September and November 2008 and is regularly updated to take account of changing circumstances. In particular, the assessments are revised in the case of any new developments. The Mercer database contains more than 420 cities, however only 215 cities have been considered for the quality of living 2008 ranking in order to compare them from one year to the next.
Mercer evaluates local living conditions in all the 420 cities it surveys worldwide. Living conditions are analysed according to 39 factors, grouped in 10 categories:
* Political and social environment (political stability, crime, law enforcement, etc)
* Economic environment (currency exchange regulations, banking services, etc)
* Socio-cultural environment (censorship, limitations on personal freedom, etc)
* Health and sanitation (medical supplies and services, infectious diseases, sewage, waste disposal, air pollution, etc)
* Schools and education (standard and availability of international schools, etc)
* Public services and transportation (electricity, water, public transport, traffic congestion, etc)
* Recreation (restaurants, theatres, cinemas, sports and leisure, etc)
* Consumer goods (availability of food/daily consumption items, cars, etc)
* Housing (housing, household appliances, furniture, maintenance services, etc)
* Natural environment (climate, record of natural disasters)
The scores attributed to each factor allow for city-to-city comparisons to be made. The result is a Quality of Living Index, which compares the relative differences between any two locations. For the indices to be used in a practical manner, Mercer has created a grid that allows companies to link the resulting index to a Quality of Living Allowance amount by recommending a percentage value in relation to the index.