The World's Top 10 Most Livable Cities of 2025

Leading the world in terms of livability, Copenhagen, Denmark, is unmatched in desirability.

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Liveability Index, which examines 173 cities globally, Copenhagen has emerged at the top. The annual study rates cities based on five critical areas: stability, healthcare, cultural enrichment and environment, education, and infrastructure. These evaluations use data collected from mid-April to mid-May 2025.

Achieving flawless ratings in stability, education, and infrastructure, the capital of Denmark, famed for its waterways, striking architecture, and cycling culture, scored a remarkable 98.0 out of 100 on this prestigious index.

The top rankings were largely dominated by Western Europe, with Zurich and Geneva also high on the list. In the Asia-Pacific area, Melbourne, Sydney, and Adelaide earned recognition among the top 10. Sharing the seventh spot were Auckland, New Zealand, and Osaka, Japan. Meanwhile, on the North American front, Vancouver placed at number 10.

Vienna fell to the second position after previously enjoying a three-year streak at the top. Its position slipped due to rising safety concerns, dropping its stability assessment by five points. This was in part due to a failed terrorist plot that led to the cancellation of several prominent concerts, alongside a bomb threat at a major train station.

Despite improvements in sectors such as healthcare, education, and infrastructure across many areas, fluctuations in global stability and societal unrest have led to an overall livability score of 76.1 out of 100.

Barsali Bhattacharyya, deputy industry director at EIU, stated in the released information that global livability hasn't improved significantly over the past year. Echoing trends from 2024, there has been a decline in stability ratings globally. This year also saw declines in scores within Europe, the Middle East, North Africa, and a noticeable drop in Asia, amid fears of military escalations in regions like India and Taiwan.

Factors such as crime, the threat of terrorism, internal strife, and unrest contributed to the exclusion of US cities from the top 20 rankings. "Social unrest, often fueled by pronounced racial disparities and insufficient firearm regulation leading to violent crime, is a major concern," stated the EIU.

Honolulu and Atlanta emerged as the highest-ranked cities in the US, standing at positions 23 and 29, respectively.

Dramatic shifts in rankings include Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia, which saw a remarkable rise of 13 places, and Jakarta, Indonesia, climbing by 10 spots. These improvements are attributed to strategic enhancements in education and healthcare, tied to Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030.

Conversely, Calgary, Canada experienced the sharpest decline, crashing from fifth to eighteenth place, as a result of mounting health-related issues and insecurity.

Below is a breakdown of the top 10 most livable cities, outlined by their overall rating and scores across the five key categories.

10. Vancouver, Canada

Overall Score: 95.8

Stability: 95.0, Healthcare: 95.8, Culture and Environment: 97.2, Education: 100.0, Infrastructure: 92.9

9. Adelaide, Australia

Overall Score: 95.9

Stability: 95.0, Healthcare: 100.0, Culture and Environment: 91.4, Education: 100.0, Infrastructure: 96.4

7. Auckland, New Zealand (tie)

Overall Score: 96.0

Stability: 95.0, Healthcare: 95.8, Culture and Environment: 97.9, Education: 100.0, Infrastructure: 92.9

7. Osaka, Japan (tie)

Overall Score: 96.0

Stability: 100.0, Healthcare: 100.0, Culture and Environment: 86.8, Education: 100.0, Infrastructure: 96.4

6. Sydney, Australia

Overall Score: 96.6

Stability: 95.0, Healthcare: 100.0, Culture and Environment: 94.4, Education: 100.0, Infrastructure: 96.4

5. Geneva, Switzerland

Overall Score: 96.8

Stability: 95.0, Healthcare: 100.0, Culture and Environment: 94.9, Education: 100.0, Infrastructure: 96.4

4. Melbourne, Australia

Overall Score: 97.0

Stability: 95.0, Healthcare: 100.0, Culture and Environment: 95.8, Education: 100.0, Infrastructure: 96.4

2. Zurich, Switzerland (tie)

Overall Score: 97.1

Stability: 95.0, Healthcare: 100.0, Culture and Environment: 96.3, Education: 100.0, Infrastructure: 96.4

2. Vienna, Austria (tie)

Overall Score: 97.1

Stability: 95.0, Healthcare: 100.0, Culture and Environment: 93.5, Education: 100.0, Infrastructure: 100.0

1. Copenhagen, Denmark

Overall Score: 98.0

Stability: 100.0, Healthcare: 95.8, Culture and Environment: 95.4, Education: 100.0, Infrastructure: 100.0