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A liveable street somewhere in Vienna, Source: Unsplash

Third time in a row: Vienna is the most livable city in the world

Third time in a row: Vienna is the most livable city in the world

The top three of the EIU ranking is composed exclusively of European cities

Once again, and for the third time in a row, the Austrian capital Vienna comes out on top as the best city to live in according to the annual Global Liveability Index compiled by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).

The prestigious ranking was released last week, and it revealed that when it comes to choosing a place to live that combines all the optimal factors for a good, healthy and productive life, you’d best look to Western Europe. Following Vienna are Copenhagen (Denmark) and Zurich (Switzerland) to complete the medal podium, so to speak. Another Swiss city – Geneva – also made it into the top 10, placing sixth.

What are the criteria that go into deciding the score?

Regarding Vienna’s top spot, the city’s mayor Michael Ludwig had this to say: “We are proud that our achievements have been internationally recognized and honored once again. It is no coincidence that Vienna is once again at the top of this global ranking. Thanks to the hard-working Viennese population, this excellent result is no coincidence. It is an award for all Viennese people.”

It so happens that Vienna also grabbed the title in 2018 and 2019.

But still, what makes a city more livable and what does the EIU consider to be important in this regard?

The index ranks the liveability of 173 cities across five key categories, including stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. This year’s survey saw a rise in average scores, driven by gains in healthcare and education across developing countries, although this has been largely offset by declines in scores for several top-tier cities.

In fact, despite being the best region to live in, Western Europe has also declined a bit overall due to reduced stability amid increasing instances of social, economic and political protests.

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