Ranked: Most Liveable Cities in the World
Which is the most liveable city in the world? Explore the EIU Global Liveability Index, top 10 cities, rankings, scores, and the factors behind their high quality of life.
Key Takeaways
-
Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, remains the most liveable city in the world, followed by Vienna and Melbourne, which stood in the 2nd and 3rd positions, respectively.
-
Western Europe is still dominated by other regions in the world for liveability, but its average score has stagnated in the 2026 index, which is about 92 out of 100.
-
Asian countries have risen in the EIU Global Liveability Index 2026, with the average score of Asia being 74, and there are nine Asian countries, and 7 European countries are in the top 20 list.
A liveable city is an urban area where all people have access to basic amenities, services and infrastructure, which offers a high quality of life, focusing on stability and healthcare.
Recently, the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released a Global Liveability Index by assessing 173 cities across the world, using 30 indicators grouped into five categories, including stability, healthcare, culture & environment, education, and infrastructure.
But do you know, among the 173 countries, which is the most liveable city in the world? Explore here the top 10 cities based on the EIU Global Liveability Index 2026.
Which is the Most Liveable City in the World?
According to the EIU Global Liveability Index 2026, Copenhagen, the capital city of Denmark, is the most liveable city in the world.
It has an overall score in the Global Liveability Index of 98 out of 100, and the scores for the other five categories are given below:
-
Stability: 100
-
Healthcare: 96
-
Culture & Environment: 95
-
Education: 100
-
Infrastructure: 100
List of Top 10 Most Liveable Cities in the World
Check here the top 10 most livable cities in the world, as per the latest data released by the EIU Global Liveability Index 2026.
| Rank | City | Country | Overall Score | Stability | Healthcare | Culture & Environment | Education | Infrastructure |
| 1 | Copenhagen | Denmark | 98 | 100 | 96 | 95 | 100 | 100 |
| 2 | Vienna | Austria | 97 | 95 | 100 | 94 | 100 | 100 |
| 3 | Melbourne | Australia | 97 | 95 | 100 | 96 | 100 | 96 |
| 4 | Sydney | Australia | 97 | 95 | 100 | 94 | 100 | 96 |
| 5 | Zurich | Switzerland | 96 | 95 | 100 | 94 | 100 | 96 |
| 6 | Geneva | Switzerland | 96 | 95 | 100 | 92 | 100 | 96 |
| 7 | Osaka | Japan | 96 | 100 | 100 | 87 | 100 | 96 |
| 8 | Adelaide | Australia | 96 | 95 | 100 | 91 | 100 | 96 |
| 9 | Vancouver | Canada | 96 | 95 | 96 | 97 | 100 | 93 |
| 10 | Tokyo | Japan | 96 | 100 | 100 | 89 | 100 | 93 |
Source: EIU Global Liveability Index 2026
In 2026, Copenhagen (Denmark) remains in the first position for the second year in a row, but Vienna (Austria) and Melbourne (Australia) also stand at the 2nd and 3rd positions in the EIU Global Liveability Index 2026.
However, these top three cities have not seen any improvement in their scores for the last three years.
In the list of the top 10, there are 2 other cities from Australia, including Sydney and Adelaide, two from Switzerland, and two from Japan.
So, the EIU Global Liveability Index 2026 shows where people can access all the necessities, including stability, healthcare, culture & environment, education, and infrastructure.
Prabhat Mishra is a Subject Matter Expert and digital journalist with an extensive background in the competitive exam landscape and over 4 years of experience in education, national and international news, and current affairs. Over his tenure with top knowledge platforms like Mentorship India, IAS BABA, IAS SARTHI, and now Jagran Josh, he has a deep understanding of government exams like UPSC and State PCS, including UP and Bihar, as he has already qualified for the UPPCS 2022 Mains and Bihar 68th Mains. With his core expertise in history, polity, geography & current affairs, he specialises in creating well-researched, aspirant-centric content and simplifying complex topics for competitive examinations.