The World’s Best Places To Live
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 Toscano
Posted 5 May 2009
15. Toronto, Canada
2008 Rank: 15
Population of City: 2,503,300
Population of Country: 33,487,200
GDP Per Capita: $39,300 (2008 est.)
Average Life Expectancy: 81.23 years
14. Brussels, Belgium
2008 Rank: 14
Population of City: 1,080,800
Population of Country: 10,414,300
GDP Per Capita: $37,500 (2008 est.)
Average Life Expectancy: 79.22 years
13. Amsterdam, Netherlands
2008 Rank: 13
Population of City: 758,200
Population of Country: 16,716,000
GDP Per Capita: $40,300 (2008 est.)
Average Life Expectancy: 79.4 years
12. Wellington, New Zealand
2008 Rank: 12
Population of City: 381,900
Population of Country: 4,213,400
GDP Per Capita: $27,900 (2008 est.)
Average Life Expectancy: 80.36 years
11. Copenhagen, Denmark
2008 Rank: 11
Population of City: 518,500
Population of Country: 5,500,510
GDP Per Capita: $37,400 (2008 est.)
Average Life Expectancy: 78.3 years
10. Sydney, Australia
2008 Rank: 10
Population of City: 4,336,300
Population of Country: 21,262,600
GDP Per Capita: $38,100 (2008 est.)
Average Life Expectancy: 81.63 years
9. Bern, Switzerland
2008 Rank: 9
Population of City: 128,000
Population of Country: 7,604,400
GDP Per Capita: $40,900 (2008 est.)
Average Life Expectancy: 80.85 years
8. Frankfurt, Germany
2008 Rank: 7
Population of City: 670,000
Population of Country: 82,329,000
GDP Per Capita: $34,800 (2008 est.)
Average Life Expectancy: 79.26 years
7. Munich, Germany
2008 Rank: 7
Population of City: 1,356,500
Population of Country: 82,329,000
GDP Per Capita: $34,800 (2008 est.)
Average Life Expectancy: 79.26 years
6. Dusseldorf, Germany
2008 Rank: 6
Population of City: 581,000
Population of Country: 82,329,000
GDP Per Capita: $34,800 (2008 est.)
Average Life Expectancy: 79.26 years
T-4. Auckland, New Zealand
2008 Rank: 5
Population of City: 1,313,200
Population of Country: 4,213,400
GDP Per Capita: $27,900 (2008 est.)
Average Life Expectancy: 80.36 years
T-4. Vancouver, Canada
2008 Rank: 4
Population of City: 578,000
Population of Country: 33,487,200
GDP Per Capita: $39,300 (2008 est.)
Average Life Expectancy: 81.23 years
3. Geneva, Switzerland
2008 Rank: 2
Population of City: 185,700
Population of Country: 7,604,400
GDP Per Capita: $40,900 (2008 est.)
Average Life Expectancy: 80.85 years
2. Zurich, Switzerland
2008 Rank: 1
Population of City: 376,800
Population of Country: 7,604,400
GDP Per Capita: $40,900 (2008 est.)
Average Life Expectancy: 80.85 years
1. Vienna, Austria
2008 Rank: 2
Population of City: 1,680,200
Population of Country: 8,210,200
GDP Per Capita: $39,200 (2008 est.)
Average Life Expectancy: 79.5 years