Counting down, here are the 10 best places to live in the world.
10. Brisbane, Australia
Overall rating: 92.4
Stability: 95
Healthcare: 100
Culture & Environment: 85.9
Education: 100
Infrastructure: 85.7
Australia, which makes the biggest showing on the list this year, with four cities in the top ten. Starting out the ranking is Brisbane, a sunny riverfront city that logs nearly 300 cloud-free days annually. Lovely weather aside, Brisbane scored a perfect 100 in both the education and healthcare sectors, making it an easy pick for one of the best places to live in the world.
8. Melbourne, Australia (tie)
Overall rating: 92.5
Stability: 95
Healthcare: 83.3
Culture & Environment: 88.2
Education: 100
Infrastructure: 100
Although it slid in the ranks from no. 2 to no. 8 this year, Melbourne remains one of the most liveable cities in Australia—and the entire world. (The city nabbed the number one spot for seven years in a row before dropping a place two years ago.) The city shines with all of Australia's best personality traits—sophisticated, stylish, free-spirited—and continues to attract travelers with its world-class art and famed coffee and cuisine.
8. Geneva, Switzerland (tie)
Overall rating: 92.5
Stability: 95
Healthcare: 100
Culture & Environment: 84.5
Education: 83.3
Infrastructure: 96.4
Despite some social restrictions still in place, Switzerland takes up two spots in this year's list—the only two European cities to make the cut this year. Despite being one of the most expensive cities in the world, Geneva proves its livability with a perfect healthcare score (it is the home of the Red Cross, after all) and high numbers for stability and infrastructure. There's no denying the city's natural beauty, either—it boasts expansive views of the Alps and Jura Mountains, and, of course, is home to Lake Geneva. With a daily commute that gorgeous, we can see why people are eager to move here.
7. Zurich, Switzerland
Overall rating: 92.8
Stability: 95
Healthcare: 100
Culture & Environment: 85.9
Education: 83.3
Infrastructure: 96.4
Zurich may seem one-dimensional at first glance, with a reputation for being hyper-efficient and severe. The fact that you'll find spotless streets and trains that always run on time is true—but the city is full of surprises. Come summertime, you'll find citizens swimming in the Limmat River, playing volleyball in the parks, and riding their bikes to grab a scoop of gelato. Zurich also is something of a haven for young creatives, which means you can find plenty of art galleries and fantastic restaurants along both banks.
6. Perth, Australia
Overall rating: 93.3
Stability: 95
Healthcare: 100
Culture & Environment: 78.2
Education: 100
Infrastructure: 100
While the Australian metropolis is still on the up-and-up when it comes to culture & environment, it clearly makes up for those shortcomings when it comes to healthcare, education, and infrastructure. (And if the Economist included a section on beaches, we suspect Perth would have scored perfectly there as well—just check out Cottesloe Beach for proof.) You can also find relatively new food and art scenes here, both of which make the remote city an enjoyable place to call home.
4. Tokyo (tie)
Overall rating (out of 100): 93.7
Stability: 100.0
Healthcare: 100.0
Culture and environment: 84.0
Education: 91.7
Infrastructure: 92.9
Tokyo continues to lead by example when it comes to infrastructure, and experts predict the city will get even more incredible in the second half of 2021 and beyond. Infrastructure aside, we'd be happy to live in Tokyo for the dining alone: The Japanese capital has more Michelin stars than any other place on earth, and is—no surprise—one of the world’s best food destinations.
4. Wellington, New Zealand (tie)
Overall rating (out of 100): 93.7
Stability: 95.0
Healthcare: 91.7
Culture and environment: 95.1
Education: 100.0
Infrastructure: 89.3
The capital city is a fun, quirky place to live, perfect for art-lovers and foodies alike. Located on the southern tip of New Zealand's vastly underrated North Island, the city is flanked by hills on one side and a harbor that leads straight to the South Island on the other. And everything you've heard about Kiwis being notoriously friendly? It's all true.
3. Adelaide, Australia
Overall rating (out of 100): 94.0
Stability: 95.0
Healthcare: 100.0
Culture and environment: 83.8
Education: 100.0
Infrastructure: 96.4
The Economist Intelligence Unit gave it a score of 100 (the highest possible score) in both education and healthcare—judging availability and quality of both—and the city fared very well in the other categories as well. We're sure the city's pristine beaches, world-class restaurants, and aforementioned wine scene certainly add to the livability factor.
2. Osaka, Japan
Overall rating (out of 100): 94.2
Stability: 100.0
Healthcare: 100.0
Culture and environment: 83.1
Education: 91.7
Infrastructure: 96.4
Osaka is one of the best food cities in all of Japan—must-eat regional specialities include takoyaki (battered, fried octopus balls) and okonomiyaki (grilled savory pancakes with a variety of additions). We also love the city for its baseball culture, neon-lit neighborhoods, and beautiful Osaka Castle.
1. Auckland, New Zealand
Overall rating (out of 100): 96.0
Stability: 95.0
Healthcare: 95.8
Culture and environment: 97.9
Education: 100.0
Infrastructure: 92.9
Auckland is officially the best place to live in 2021. The city's waterfront are being transformed into buzzing areas filled with green spaces and notable shopping addresses. Even before all of these changes, Auckland has long held a reputation for being a popular spot for expats—in fact, some 40 percent of its population was born overseas. Beyond having beautiful places to hike, sail, and surf within easy reach, the city has a diverse culinary scene to match its worldly population.
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