Vienna is considered one of the most beautiful tourist cities in the world, and it also seems to be an unparalleled place to live. The world music capital has once again been awarded the title of “the most livable city in the world.” Taiwan has three cities on the list.
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released the 2024 Global Liveability Index on Thursday, ranking 173 selected cities worldwide based on important factors such as healthcare, culture and environment, stability, infrastructure, and education.
According to the latest ranking, Vienna has maintained its top spot for the third consecutive year, scoring “full marks” in four of the five categories. However, due to a lack of significant sporting events, Vienna scored lower in the culture and environment category.
Following the Austrian capital, Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, continues to hold the second position, with Zurich, a city in Switzerland, rising from sixth place to third.
Western Europe has performed well, with an average score of 92 out of 100 for 30 cities. However, the overall stability score in the region has decreased due to “destructive protest events” and a “continuous increase” in crime activities.
Melbourne in Australia dropped from third place to fourth, while Calgary in Canada and Geneva in Switzerland tied for fifth place.
Vancouver in Canada and Sydney in Australia tied for seventh place, with Osaka in Japan and Auckland, the capital of New Zealand, tying for ninth.
Vancouver’s ranking this year has declined, while Toronto, ranked ninth in 2023, dropped out of the top ten, ranking 12th. Osaka is the only Asian city to enter the top ten in the world.
Among the cities in the United States, Honolulu, Hawaii, ranked highest at 23rd place, while Atlanta, Georgia, rose by 4 places to rank 29th.
Los Angeles ranked 58th, and New York ranked 70th.
The North American region scored highest in education on average. However, due to a “severe housing crisis” affecting multiple regions, Canada’s infrastructure score was lower than the previous year.
The report stated, “The situation in Australia and Canada is particularly concerning, with the supply of rental housing at historically low levels in both countries, and despite rising interest rates, house prices continue to rise.”
London, the capital of the UK, ranked 45th in the world’s most livable cities list.
Hong Kong ranked 50th this year, showing a significant improvement from the previous year. Taiwan had three cities on the list this time, with Taipei ranking 66th, Kaohsiung ranking 72nd, and Taichung ranking 74th. Their overall scores have improved compared to last year, with Taipei and Taichung each rising one place in the global rankings.