The World’s Best Places To Live 2009

Sources: Mercer Quality of Living Survey, CIA World Factbook.Photo: Kyle Pearce Each year, Mercer Consulting assembles its ranking of 215 cities worldwide, based on a quality of living point-scoring index that uses New York City as a base comparison.The rankings take into consideration 10 key categories and 39 separate criteria, ranging from the political environment and health considerations to recreation and consumer goods; statistics which are collected via Mercer’s Worldwide Quality of Living Survey. Because quality of living can be rather subjective, Mercer has defined it as “aspects everyone would probably agree on as being important for having good quality of living standards” from which many of these individual criteria are derived.From Mercer’s results last year, the most dramatic changes are occurring at the top, with four of the top five cities shifting ranks, but the rest of the top 15 remaining the same. Out of US cities, the only ones breaking into the top 30 worldwide are Honolulu (29) and San Francisco (30). From Asia, only Singapore (26) breaks the top 30. So, where are the World’s best cities to live? Click ahead to find out!By Paul ToscanoPosted 5 May 2009

Photo: SanGatiche 2008 Rank: 15Population of City: 2,503,300Population of Country: 33,487,200GDP Per Capita: $39,300 (2008 est.)Average Life Expectancy: 81.23 years

Photo: Kevin Gibbons 2008 Rank: 14Population of City: 1,080,800Population of Country: 10,414,300GDP Per Capita: $37,500 (2008 est.)Average Life Expectancy: 79.22 years

Photo: Lyn Gateley 2008 Rank: 13Population of City: 758,200Population of Country: 16,716,000GDP Per Capita: $40,300 (2008 est.)Average Life Expectancy: 79.4 years

Photo: Brett Taylor 2008 Rank: 12Population of City: 381,900Population of Country: 4,213,400GDP Per Capita: $27,900 (2008 est.)Average Life Expectancy: 80.36 years

Photo: jimg944 2008 Rank: 11Population of City: 518,500Population of Country: 5,500,510GDP Per Capita: $37,400 (2008 est.)Average Life Expectancy: 78.3 years

Photo: Corey Leopold 2008 Rank: 10Population of City: 4,336,300Population of Country: 21,262,600GDP Per Capita: $38,100 (2008 est.)Average Life Expectancy: 81.63 years

Photo: Gaetan Lee 2008 Rank: 9Population of City: 128,000Population of Country: 7,604,400GDP Per Capita: $40,900 (2008 est.)Average Life Expectancy: 80.85 years

Photo: Alexander Johmann 2008 Rank: 7Population of City: 670,000Population of Country: 82,329,000GDP Per Capita: $34,800 (2008 est.)Average Life Expectancy: 79.26 years

Photo: Allie_Caulfield 2008 Rank: 7Population of City: 1,356,500Population of Country: 82,329,000GDP Per Capita: $34,800 (2008 est.)Average Life Expectancy: 79.26 years

Photo: Dirk Hartung 2008 Rank: 6Population of City: 581,000Population of Country: 82,329,000GDP Per Capita: $34,800 (2008 est.)Average Life Expectancy: 79.26 years

Photo: Michael Zimme 2008 Rank: 5Population of City: 1,313,200Population of Country: 4,213,400GDP Per Capita: $27,900 (2008 est.)Average Life Expectancy: 80.36 years

Photo: Hisakazu Watanabe 2008 Rank: 4Population of City: 578,000Population of Country: 33,487,200GDP Per Capita: $39,300 (2008 est.)Average Life Expectancy: 81.23 years

Photo: Juan Manuel Caicedo Carvajal 2008 Rank: 2Population of City: 185,700Population of Country: 7,604,400GDP Per Capita: $40,900 (2008 est.)Average Life Expectancy: 80.85 years

Photo: Toni V 2008 Rank: 1Population of City: 376,800Population of Country: 7,604,400GDP Per Capita: $40,900 (2008 est.)Average Life Expectancy: 80.85 years

Photo: Paul Buran 2008 Rank: 2Population of City: 1,680,200Population of Country: 8,210,200GDP Per Capita: $39,200 (2008 est.)Average Life Expectancy: 79.5 yearsReplay SlideshowWorld's Most Expensive Real Estate MarketsThe World's Biggest Debtor Nations

© 2009 CNBC, Inc. All Rights Reserved