Inspiration

These Are the 10 Best Places to Live in the World

From Japanese foodie cities to beachfront Australian locales, these destinations promise a high quality of life.
Skyline of Vienna
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The idea of moving abroad is always appealing, whether you want to live somewhere with a better quality of living or simply have an insatiable appetite for travel. But what’s the best way to choose a new city?

The Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Global Liveability Index ranks the best places to live in the world each year. The index collects data on 172 cities across five different categories: Stability, Healthcare, Culture & Entertainment, Education, and Infrastructure.

In the 2023 report, almost all of the cities’ saw improved livability, with an average index score of 76.2 out of 100—a three-point jump compared to last year and the highest average in 15 years. The higher scores are due to the continued reduction of covid restrictions, as well as improvements in healthcare and education, culture and environment, and infrastructure projects. (The one notable decline was Kyiv, due to the ongoing Russian invasion there.)

So which cities are the most livable in 2023? The top 10 rankings are scattered across Western Europe, Oceania, Canada, and Japan. There were two European cities knocked out of the top 10 this year: Amsterdam and Frankfurt, which were replaced by two Australian cities. And once again, no US cities made the cut this year.

Counting down, here are the 10 best places to live in the world.

This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date.

  • Skyline of Auckland.
    Sulthan Auliya/Unslpash

    10. Auckland, New Zealand (tie)

    Overall rating: 96.0
    Stability: 95.0
    Healthcare: 95.8 
    Culture and environment: 97.9
    Education: 100.0
    Infrastructure: 92.9

    Jumping 25 ranks to claim a spot on this year’s top 10 is Auckland, New Zealand, where strict covid restrictions have finally been lifted. As New Zealand’s biggest city, Auckland has a thriving culinary scene, including a new wave of restaurants that highlight Pacific flavors. Since the pandemic, Auckland has a redeveloped waterfront, featuring green spaces and new design-forward hotels. Just outside the city are wild and dramatic beaches with cliffs and black sand dunes. Plus, Auckland is a great launchpad for treks into the countryside, with its unique land formations and astounding natural beauty.

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    10. Osaka, Japan (tie)

    Overall rating: 96.0
    Stability: 100
    Healthcare: 100
    Culture and environment: 86.8
    Education: 100
    Infrastructure: 96.4

    Osaka might be Japan's third-largest city (after Tokyo and Yokohama), but its tourism pull rivals that of the nation's capital. For starters, 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.

    Although it was ranked tenth last year as well, Osaka made gains in 2023 in the culture and environment category thanks to the ending of its covid restrictions, leading to an overall rating that’s one point higher than in 2022.

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    9. Toronto, Canada

    Overall rating: 96.4
    Stability: 100
    Healthcare: 100
    Culture and environment: 94.4
    Education: 100
    Infrastructure: 89.3

    Toronto has the appeal of a big city without many of the common downsides—it’s clean, safe, easy to get around, and extremely friendly. Best of all, it benefits from Canada’s famously great healthcare and education systems. Downtown Toronto has a vibrant arts and theater district and great restaurants, plus waterfront views that will make you forget about anywhere else you've lived.

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    8. Geneva, Switzerland (tie)

    Overall rating: 96.8
    Stability: 95
    Healthcare: 100
    Culture & Environment: 94.9
    Education: 91.7
    Infrastructure: 96.4

    Ranks seven and eight were a tie, with the joint spot partially going to Geneva, Switzerland. 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.

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    7. Calgary, Canada (tie)

    Overall rating: 96.8
    Stability: 100
    Healthcare: 100
    Culture & Environment: 87.3
    Education: 100
    Infrastructure: 100

    Calgary is another place where nature and urban living go hand in hand. You can see mountains from nearly anywhere within the city, and outdoor wonderlands like Lake Louise and Banff National Park are just a couple hours away. Meanwhile, culinary and cultural events thrive in town—just check out the world-famous Calgary Stampede for proof.

    All Canadian cities on the list saw a small improvement to their stability scores this year, after the anti-vaccine protests that erupted across the country in 2022 came to an end.

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    6. Zurich, Switzerland

    Overall rating: 97.1
    Stability: 95
    Healthcare: 100
    Culture & Environment: 96.3
    Education: 100
    Infrastructure: 96.4

    Switzerland’s largest city and economic hub 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 scoops of gelato. Zurich also is something of a haven for young creatives, which means you can find plenty of art galleries and fantastic restaurants. This year, education scores for both Swiss cities on the list improved to a perfect 100.

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    5. Vancouver, Canada

    Overall rating: 97.3
    Stability: 95
    Healthcare: 100
    Culture & Environment: 97.2
    Education: 100
    Infrastructure: 96.4

    Vancouver is a perfect mix of natural beauty and sophistication. The city feels cosmopolitan, but it’s still easy to get outdoors within city limits and embrace that active Northwest lifestyle. The Capilano Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver is always a popular attraction, as is Stanley Park (for locals and visitors alike). Those that live in the city have regular access to outdoor activities like whale watching, snowshoeing, hiking, and mountain biking, depending on the season. Most importantly, the people here are so friendly, you’ll feel at home almost immediately.

  • Dan Freeman/Unsplash

    4. Sydney, Australia

    Overall rating: 97.4
    Stability: 95
    Healthcare: 100
    Culture and environment: 94.4
    Education: 100
    Infrastructure: 100

    After tumbling out of the top 10 last year, Sydney has made a sharp rebound in 2023 to claim the fourth spot on the list. Its return comes as its health score has significantly improved (after the covid waves that were still straining the country’s health system in 2022 have ended, EIU says). Sydney’s vibrant arts and culture scene can only be outdone by its natural beauty: The Australian city is surrounded by lush national parks and an amazing coastline that sports some of the best beaches in the world. The locals here are famously laid-back and friendly—who wouldn’t be with roughly 300 days of sunshine each year?

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    3. Melbourne, Australia

    Overall rating: 97.7
    Stability: 95
    Healthcare: 100
    Culture & Environment: 95.8
    Education: 100
    Infrastructure: 100

    Climbing the ranks from number 10 to number three this year, fellow Aussie city Melbourne remains one of the most livable cities in the world. (The city nabbed the number one spot for seven years in a row before dropping three years ago.) Melbourne shines with all of Australia’s best traits—it is sophisticated, stylish, free-spirited—and continues to attract travelers with its world-class art and famed coffee and cuisine.

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    2. Copenhagen, Denmark

    Overall rating: 98
    Stability: 100
    Healthcare: 95.8
    Culture & Environment: 95.4
    Education: 100
    Infrastructure: 100

    Holding strong in second place again this year is Copenhagen. Despite its reputation for churning out cutting-edge restaurants and hotels, Copenhagen has an ageless charm that makes you want to keep going back. The whimsical, 1800s-era Tivoli Gardens puts all other amusement parks to shame, while the bohemian community of Christiania is a hazy, verdant dreamland. The city is expensive, but you don’t necessarily need a fat wallet to enjoy it. Public parks and free galleries abound, and the infrastructure makes it one of the most bike-friendly places in the world.

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    1. Vienna, Austria

    Overall rating: 98.4
    Stability: 100
    Healthcare: 100
    Culture & Environment: 93.5
    Education: 100
    Infrastructure: 100

    Once again, Vienna takes the top spot as the most livable city in the world. The city earned a perfect score in nearly every category, benefiting from a thriving arts and culture scene and incredible healthcare and education. (It was only slightly dinged on its culture and entertainment score for not having enough major sporting events, according to the study.)

    Vienna “continues to offer an unsurpassed combination of stability, good infrastructure, strong education and healthcare services, and plenty of culture and entertainment,” the EIU report says. Between visiting the opera, touring the gardens at Schönbrunn Palace, and sampling Sachertorte (chocolate torte), you’ll never get bored here. Plus, the local government puts a lot of resources behind infrastructure and housing, so the cost of living is far lower than in comparable European cities.