Copenhagen retains its top spot as the world's most liveable city in the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) annual ranking for 2026. The Danish capital tops the list for the second year in a row, maintaining its lead over Vienna, which previously held the top spot for three consecutive years.
The EIU, which is part of The Economist Group, has compared 173 cities around the world based on criteria such as stability, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and culture and environment.
Copenhagen received the highest possible rating in stability, infrastructure and education. According to the EIU, the city's first place is a result of the combination of well-developed public services, high security, modern infrastructure and a rich cultural and urban life.
– Copenhagen's continued success is based on a winning combination of high performance in stability and infrastructure, a strong cultural and environmental offering, and high-quality public services, states the Economist Intelligence Unit.
Vienna is in second place, followed by Melbourne. Sydney advances to fourth place while Zurich falls to fifth. Geneva is sixth, Osaka seventh, Adelaide eighth, Vancouver ninth and Tokyo complete the top ten.
Western Europe remains the region with the best overall quality of life, although the average score fell slightly compared to the previous year. At the same time, several Asian cities strengthened their positions, mainly thanks to improvements in healthcare.
New York climbs three spots to 66th, largely due to improved safety and reduced crime. Honolulu remains the highest-ranked US city at 25th, while Vancouver is the only North American city in the top ten.
At the bottom of the ranking is still the Syrian capital Damascus. Tehran and Kyiv have also lost positions due to the deteriorating security situation in the regions.
The world's ten most liveable cities 2026
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Vienna, Austria
- Melbourne, Australia
- Sydney, Australia
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Geneva, Switzerland
- Osaka, Japan
- Adelaide, Australia
- Vancouver, Canada
- Tokyo, Japan
Source: CNN Travel
