Copenhagen has claimed the top spot as the best city to live in the world, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s 2025 Global Liveability Index, surpassing Vienna after years of competition. The index evaluates 173 cities based on stability, healthcare, culture, environment, education, and infrastructure.
Copenhagen Rises to the Top
In a significant shift in global rankings, Copenhagen has been named the most liveable city in the world according to the 2025 Global Liveability Index released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU). This year’s evaluation involved 173 cities and considered a range of indicators divided into five main categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Each city received a score out of 100 points based on its livability metrics.
Copenhagen garnered impressive scores, achieving a perfect rating of 100 in three critical categories: stability, education, and infrastructure. Ultimately, it earned an overall score of 98, placing it ahead of Vienna, which scored 97.1. This marks a significant improvement for Copenhagen, as it had found itself consistently in second place during the prior two years (2023 and 2024).
Vienna and Zurich Follow Closely
Vienna, Austria, has fallen from its previous top ranking for the first time since 2022, now sharing the second position with Zurich, Switzerland. Experts at the EIU attribute Vienna’s decline primarily to increased concerns about stability, exacerbated by terrorism incidents in 2024 and 2025, including a bomb threat that led to the cancellation of concerts. This shakeup has pushed Vienna down, while Zurich managed to capitalize on its strong educational system and overall stability.
The 2025 index further highlights that Western Europe remains a powerhouse in livability, with eight cities from the region appearing in the top 20 rankings. According to the report, “Western Europe continues to achieve top scores in four out of five categories, reinforcing its status as the best-performing region globally.”
The Asia-Pacific region also performed well, landing nine cities within the top 20. However, it reflects a broader range of livability scores among its cities, from the highest-ranked Melbourne, Australia (4th), to Dhaka, Bangladesh, which ranked a lowly 171st following political unrest. The continent shows promise, but its disparities in livability levels are notable, with cities experiencing both improvements and significant declines.
At the bottom of the list is Damascus, Syria, which retains its title as the least liveable city globally. The EIU reports that despite a regime change, the city remains deeply affected by prolonged civil unrest and instability, leading to no discernible improvements in livability.
Global Trends in Liveability
The overall findings of the 2025 Global Liveability Index suggest a mixed landscape for cities worldwide. Though the average livability score remains stagnant at 76.1, various regions experience declining stability scores attributed to escalating civil unrest, terrorism threats, and geopolitical strife.
Eastern regions, on the other hand, witness improvements in healthcare, education, and infrastructure, significantly boosting their overall scores. Notably, cities in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates exhibited remarkable advancements due to substantial investments in social services.
The latest Global Liveability Index underscores that while cities like Copenhagen and others continually evolve and improve, many on the global stage face undeniable challenges that impact citizens’ quality of life. The ranking serves not only as a measure of livability but also as a reflection of broader social, political, and economic conditions facing urban environments today.
