<From bicycle-paved squares to shimmering canals, Copenhagen, Denmark, stole the show this year, topping the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) list of the world's most livable cities (The Economist). The change in top spot was no accident; the Scandinavian city came in with high scores in stability, infrastructure, and education, while rival Vienna faltered amid security concerns that toppled a three-year throne.

Why did Copenhagen rise?

Stability and nuance: The Danish capital scored nearly perfect in the stability category, with low crime rates and an effective security system.

Green and smart infrastructure: Regular public transportation, an abundance of bike paths, and an eco-friendly road network supported its top ranking.

Green and smart infrastructure: The Danish capital scored a perfect score in the stability category, with high crime rates and an effective security system.

International standard schools and universities: Heavy investment in the education system boosted its presence in the index.

Vienna slips... but stays on the podium

<With a slight loss in stability scores - after Taylor Swift's Summer 2024 concert was canceled for security reasons - Vienna slipped to second place, sharing the ranking with Switzerland's Zurich. Despite this, the Austrian capital maintains a global reputation thanks to a seamless transportation network and high-quality healthcare.

Index Methodology
The Economist looks at 173 cities in five main categories: Stability, Healthcare, Culture and Environment, Education, and Infrastructure, which is typically used by companies to estimate their employees" incentives when moving abroad.

This study is typically used by companies to estimate their employees" incentives when moving abroad.

Europe dominates, Australia breaks monopoly

<Four European cities appeared in the top five, while only Melbourne from the southern hemisphere made it into the top club. Here are the top ten cities for 2025:

Copenhagen - Denmark

<Vienna - Austria
Zurich - Switzerland

Melbourne - Australia

Geneva - Switzerland

Geneva - Switzerland

Sydney - Australia

Osaka - Japan

Auckland - New Zealand

<Adelaide - Australia

Vancouver - Canada

London drops out of the 50 club... Honolulu tops the US

The British capital slipped from 45th to 54th due to a decline in stability, but it's still the best in the UK.

Honolulu, HI.

Honolulu, Hawaii, ranked 23rd, becoming the most livable U.S. city this year.

Honolulu, Hawaii, is the most livable U.S. city this year.

Canadian and global losses

Calgary fell from fifth to 18th place as a result of a decline in health care valuation.

Calgary fell from fifth to 18th place as a result of a decline in health care valuation.

Toronto fell four places, settling at 16th.

Damascus still suffering

The Syrian capital is still suffering the effects of a long war, coming in at the bottom of the list as the least livable city despite the departure of the previous regime and the change of power; the legacy of the conflict will take years more to heal.

Damascus is one of the least livable cities.

Expert Commentary
Barsali Bhattacharya, deputy industry director at The Economist, commented: "Global livability has stabilized over the past year, but the degrees of stability have eased somewhat. "In the US, small and medium-sized cities have outperformed their larger counterparts like New York under pressure on infrastructure and services.«

Arabs on the map: Khobar jumps 13 places

<Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in health and education as part of Vision 2030, giving Khobar a remarkable jump from 148th to 135th - the largest Arab advancement in the report. Abu Dhabi and Dubai also made slight progress, confirming that improving quality of life has become a key part of the Gulf's economic diversification strategies.

Biggest spikes in a year