Which are the best cities to live in the world? The world’s biggest
and most important cities aren’t often the best places in which to live.
High levels of crime, traffic congestion, and long commutes can worsen
the quality of life. According to human resources consulting firm
Mercer’s 2011 quality of living survey, Europe once again dominates the
list of 215 countries around the world.
The annual report looks at living conditions in 221 cities worldwide
and ranks them against New York as a base city in 10 categories such as
economy, socio-cultural environment, politics, education, and the health
sector. The top three cities are, by rank, Vienna, Zurich (last years
winner), and Auckland. Commonwealth nations fare pretty well, too, winning
9 of the top 30 spots—even though London comes in only at 38. The U.S.
also fares poorly, barely making it into the top 30 with Honolulu and
San Francisco in the bottom two places. The other US cities on the list:
#36: Boston,#43: Chicago, #47: New York City. The top city in Asia is
Singapore, at no. 26. No cities from Africa or South America are in the
top 30. The bottom? Baghdad once again comes in at 215.
Countries such as Austria, Germany, and Switzerland have fared quite
well in the quality of life rankings, despite recent turmoil in Europe.
However, These cities are not immune to decreases in living standards if
the region’s economic troubles continue to go unsolved.
Toronto, Canada’s largest city is the fifth most populous city in North America
Toronto is one of only three
Canadian and North American cities to make the list of the world’s top
15 places with the best quality of life.
Canada’s largest city is the fifth most populous city in North
America. The cosmopolitan hub, which consistently rates among the
world’s most livable cities, has been a popular destination for
immigrants over the past few decades. Half of Toronto’s racially diverse
population was born outside of Canada, compared with about 28 percent
in global centers such as New York and London. About 30 percent of its
residents speak a language other than Canada’s national languages,
English, or French at home. The city is also Canada’s economic center,
and home to the world’s seventh largest stock exchange by market
capitalization. Its economy makes up almost a fifth of Canada’s gross
domestic product (GDP).
Another key factor behind Toronto’s high ranking is the personal
safety of its residents. Toronto is among five Canadian cities that
dominate North America’s personal safety ranking. Tied with Vancouver,
Montreal, Ottawa, and Calgary, Toronto is considered the 17th safest
place in the world, more than 35 times safer than its closest American
counterparts Chicago, Honolulu, Houston and San Francisco, according to
the Mercer report.
Ottawa, the capital city of Canada, has the most highly educated workforce per capita in Canada
Population: 812,129
Ottawa is the capital city of Canada and one of six capital cities to
make the list. Home to Canada’s federal agencies and foreign embassies,
the city has the most highly educated workforce per capita in the
country. Ottawa is also home to technology giants such as Nortel
Networks, Cisco Systems, Alcatel Lucent, and Dell, with more than 90
percent of Canada’s telecommunications research and development
conducted there.
A high quality of life is often associated with a high cost of living
in most cities on our list, but Ottawa defies that trend, being crowned
the least expensive Canadian city to live in this year. Ottawa is
ranked 55 places lower than Toronto — Canada’s costliest city — in
Mercer’s cost of living survey based on factors such as housing,
transport, food, and clothing. It is also considered one of the cleanest
in the world, coming in third in last year’s eco-city ranking, which
measured factors such as water drinkability, sewage systems, air
pollution, and waste removal.
Wellington has the most educated population in New Zealand
-
13. Wellington, New Zealand
Wellington is one of only three cities in the Asia-Pacific region to make the 2011 list.
The city is the world’s southernmost capital and has the most
educated population in the country, with more than one-third of its
residents holding a bachelor’s degree or higher. Incomes in Wellington
are above average for New Zealand. More than 40 percent of households
have annual incomes of more than $66,000. The city also has a great
climate, with 2,000 hours of sunshine every year, compared to an average
of 1,500 hours in global centers such as London and 1,850 hours in
Vancouver.
Despite high living standards for New Zealand’s cities, the country
has experienced a net outflow of residents in 2011 for the first time in
a decade, with more people emigrating abroad than the amount of
immigrants coming into the country. For the year to Oct. 31, the country
saw a net loss of a 100 permanent residents, compared with a net gain
of 12,610 for the same period last year. Neighboring Australia’s booming
economy, with higher wages and lower unemployment, has been a big draw
for New Zealanders.
Amsterdam is one of the most visited cities, renowned for its red light district and marijuana serving coffee shops
-
12. Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Amsterdam is one of the most visited cities on our list, renowned for its red light district and marijuana serving coffee shops.
Coming to world prominence through trade during the Dutch Golden Age
in the 17th century, the city has maintained a high quality of living as
the cultural and financial center of the Netherlands. It’s home to the
world’s oldest stock exchange and its historic canals, buildings, and
infrastructure are a big draw for tourists. The city promotes varying
lifestyles and about 54 percent of its households are single people.
Households with two adults make up only 20 percent of the population,
according to government statistics from 2009. The city also ranks among
the top 20 in the world when it comes to personal safety.
Once regarded among the more generous European countries in welcoming
immigrants, the Netherlands reputation has changed over the past
decade. The anti-Islam, anti-immigration Freedom Party is a key ally for
the ruling coalition in Parliament and has used its influence to push
for tougher immigration policies. In September, the government announced
plans to ban face-covering veils worn by some Muslim women because
lawmakers argued that it flouts the Dutch way of life.
Sydney is home to Australia’s most iconic landmarks, the Opera House and Harbour Bridge
Sydney is Australia’s
biggest city by population and the economic hub of the country. It
accounts for about one quarter of Australia’s GDP.
The city is home to some of
Australia’s most iconic landmarks, including the Opera House and Harbour
Bridge. Its metropolitan area is set in one of the world’s most
stunning harbors and is surrounded by national parks, bays, rivers, and
beaches. As a major business hub, Sydney is headquarters to almost 40
percent of the top 500 Australian firms, as well as the location of 20
percent of the country’s finance sector, and 44 percent of its
broadcasting industry. The median average annual income for residents is
more than $55,000, with nearly one-fifth of its workforce making more
than $2,000 a week.
In comparison to the rest of the Asia-Pacific region, both Australia
and New Zealand far outweigh their counterparts in living standards and
personal safety because of their continuous investment in infrastructure
and public services. Many Asian cities rank at the bottom of the survey
due to social instability, political turmoil, and natural disasters
such as typhoons and tsunamis, according to the study. Only three Asian
cities — Singapore at number 25, Tokyo at 46, and Kobe, Japan at 49 —
make the top 50 places in the quality of life survey.
Known as the city of cyclists, Copenhagen is one of the world’s most eco-friendly places
-
9. (Tied) Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen has made Mercer’s
list of top 15 cities for the past five years. The city’s staying power
highlights Europe’s dominance in the quality of life survey. In fact,
as many as eight of the top 10 cities in the world are in Europe. These
cities continue to have high living standards because of their advanced
infrastructure, and high-class medical, recreational, and leisure
facilities.
Copenhagen was also the second highest ranked European city among the
world’s most eco-friendly places in 2010. Known as the city of
cyclists, it has a total 218 miles of cycle tracks, with about 36
percent of its population commuting by bicycle every day.
Health and well-being have become a big part of Danish lives, with
more than 15 percent of its population over the age of 65. Increased
health awareness has translated into Denmark becoming one of the leading
consumers and producers of organic food in Europe. About 75 percent of
food consumed in Copenhagen is organic, with organic food bought in
every one of 10 purchases
Bern, the capital of Switzerland, is among the most expensive cities in the world
-
9. (Tied) Bern, Switzerland
Bern is the capital of
Switzerland and one of three Swiss cities to make the top 10. The city
has consistently held on to the number nine spot in the quality of life
survey for the past four years.
Located in the Swiss plateau, the center of the city known as the old
town of Bern, became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Bern has
been able to maintain its medieval charm over the centuries and has
retained most of its historic features, including arcades, fountains,
sandstone facades, towers, and narrow streets. Often ranked among the
most expensive cities in the world, Bern is the center of Swiss
engineering and manufacturing with medical, information technology,
automotive, and luxury retail products such as watches made there.
This year, Bern is ranked as the second safest city in the world,
after Luxembourg. Switzerland’s neutrality, and reputation as the
traditional banking safe haven for the world’s wealthy — has made it an
attractive place for relocation. However, growing immigration has become
a cause of concern for the locals. The right-wing Swiss People’s Party
wants to limit the number of immigrants entering the country, and the
movement has seen a rise in popularity this year after tapping into
growing fears that immigration could hurt the Alpine country’s high
standard of life. Foreigners make up 22 percent of the country’s 7.9
million people and have been blamed for rising rents, crowded public
transportation, and higher electricity bills.
Geneva, Switzerland’s second most populous city, is home to about 20 international organizations
Geneva is Switzerland’s
second most populous city and home to about 20 international
organizations, including the United Nations, the World Trade
Organization, and the Red Cross. Its international role is highlighted
by the fact that delegates from more than 160 countries represent their
governments in the city’s international conferences and organizations.
Over 44 percent of the city’s population is made up of foreigners.
Located at the foot of the Swiss Alps, along the banks of Lake
Geneva, the city’s natural environment also makes it one of the greenest
cities in Europe. About 20 percent of Geneva is covered in green areas,
giving it the name “city of parks.” Geneva has benefited from strict
air pollution laws and other environmental regulations, given that it is
the base of many global environmental groups.
As home to a large expatriate community, the cost of living in Geneva
is the highest in Europe. It’s considered the fifth most expensive city
in the world, according to Mercer. The cosmopolitan hub is also home to
the world’s most expensive private schools and is said to have one of
the world’s best education systems.
Frankfurt, the fifth largest in Germany, is considered the largest financial center in Europe
Frankfurt is one of three German cities to rank among the top 10 in the world.
The city is the fifth largest in Germany and considered the largest
financial center in continental Europe. It’s home to major institutions
such as the European Central Bank and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange.
Frankfurt is also a major transport hub for central Europe given its
modern infrastructure, including an integrated high-speed rail network
and a busy international airport. About 114 million passenger journeys
are made on the city’s subway system annually, while 50 million
passengers pass through the airport annually — the ninth highest in
volume globally.
Frankfurt is the 11th safest city in the world based on crime levels
and law enforcement effectiveness. The city made headlines in September
after its government banned local chapters of the Hells Angels and
confiscated their assets, citing a history of drugs, weapons offences,
and violence.
Vancouver has the smallest carbon footprint of any major city in North America
-
5. (Tied) Vancouver, Canada
Vancouver is the only Canadian and North American city to make the top 10 on the list.
The city is renowned for making numerous rankings of the world’s most
livable city over the past decade. It has ranked among the top five in
the Mercer quality of living survey for the last five years. Home to one
of the mildest climates in Canada, Vancouver is also its greenest city,
with the smallest carbon footprint of any major city in North America.
Surrounded by water and snowy mountains, Vancouver’s government
constantly promotes green building, planning, and technology, with the
ambition of becoming the world’s greenest city by 2020.
Despite being ranked as high as the 17th safest city in the world
along with its Canadian counterparts Toronto, Calgary, Montreal, and
Ottawa, Vancouver made headlines this past year for violent riots.
Graphic images were shown around the world in June, after hockey fans
went on a rampage following a loss in the Stanley Cup finals.
With more than 100 galleries, Dusseldorf is Germany’s leading modern and contemporary art capital.
-
5. (Tied) Dusseldorf, Germany
Dusseldorf has made the list of the top 10 places for the past five years.
The city by the river Rhine is the seventh most populated in Germany
and boasts advanced infrastructure. Renowned for its fashion and trade
fairs, the city has also become one of the top telecommunications
centers in the country. It is home to companies such as Hewlett-Packard
and Nokia Siemens. With more than 100 galleries, the city is also
Germany’s leading modern and contemporary art capital.
German cities such as Dusseldorf have managed to maintain their
quality of life despite the global financial crisis and the recent euro
zone debt crisis, given the country’s resilient export-driven economy.
Munich is Germany’s third largest city and one of the country’s key economic centers
Munich is Germany’s third largest city and one of the country’s key economic centers.
As home to some of Germany’s most notable businesses, including
engineering firm Siemens and insurer Allianz, the city generates about
30 percent of the GDP of the State of Bavaria. The city’s purchasing
power per capita was more than $33,700 in 2009, the highest among all
German cities and 32 percent above the national average. Drawing
immigrants to its industries from all over the world, more than 40
percent of the city’s residents are foreigners.
Despite having a prosperous economy, Germany is facing a skilled
labor shortage with its aging population. Associations estimate that
80,000 engineering jobs need to filled annually, along with 12,000
doctors and 66,000 IT specialists. Over the past few months, the
country’s government has turned to debt-radden countries such as Spain,
Portugal, and Greece to find job seekers.
As New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland has the best quality of life in the Asia-Pacific region
Auckland has the best
quality of life in the Asia-Pacific region. It has consistently placed
within the top five best places to live in the last five years.
As New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland’s 1.35 million people account
for more than 30 percent of the country’s population. About 63 percent
of its residents are of European descent, while Moaris (native to New
Zealand), and people of Pacific Islands descent make up 24 percent. The
city is uniquely set between two harbors, with 11 extinct volcanoes and
numerous islands making it the city with the world’s largest boat
ownership per capita. Auckland is also ranked as the second safest city
in the Asian region, behind Singapore.
Political stability is another winning attribute for New Zealand,
compared to its Asian neighbors. In elections that just ended, the
ruling center-right National Party was re-elected. The party, led by
John Key, promises to spark economic growth by cutting debt and curbing
spending. Key has been one the most popular political leaders in New
Zealand’s history, leading the country through earthquakes, a coal mine
disaster, and the global economic downturn.
Known as the economic engine of Switzerland, Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and previously held the title as the city with the best quality of life in the world.
Zurich is known as the economic engine of Switzerland, with one out
of every nine jobs in the country based there. Its low tax rates attract
overseas companies to set up headquarters, while the assets of the 82
banks based there are equivalent to more than 85 percent of the total
value of all assets held in Switzerland. The city is also the country’s
biggest tourist destination, famous for its lakeside location and chain
of hills that run from north to south, providing an extensive range of
leisure activities.
Zurich is Europe’s third most expensive city, according to Mercer’s
cost of living survey. Its finance sector generates nearly a third of
its wealth and about quarter of its jobs. The city’s housing market has
become a source of tension in recent years, however, with a shortage of
apartments driving up living costs.
World’s number one destination for conferences, Vienna is Austria’s largest by population
Vienna has won the title of
the world’s best city for quality of life since 2009. It is one of three
capital cities around the world to make the top 10 list.
The city is Austria’s largest by population, as well as the cultural,
economic, and political center of the nation. Vienna’s ability to
transform old infrastructure into modern dwellings won the city the 2010
UN urban planning award for improving the living conditions of its
residents. Under a multimillion-dollar program, the city refurbished
more than 5,000 buildings with nearly 250,000 apartments. Vienna is also
the world’s number one destination for conferences, drawing five
million tourists a year — equivalent to three tourists for every city
resident.
全球最宜居城市排名：维也纳夺冠北京排第109
美世咨询公司2011全球城市生活质量调查出炉。依据10大类共39个因素对城市居住条件进行了分析，包括政治经济环境、教育以及住房条件等，评出
全球最适宜人居住的城市。奥地利首都维也纳以其极好的基础建设、安全的街道与良好的公共健康服务位列榜首，而伊拉克首都巴格达则排在最末。北京位列第
109位。这给中国北京等地刚刚散去的灰霾，似乎又笼罩上了一层新的阴影，我们的生活质量真有这名差吗？
交通拥堵、空气污染、房价昂贵、生活不便……报友们是否对自己所在的城市抱怨多多？世界上究竟哪个城市最宜居，我们来了解一下最近出炉的美世
2011年生活质量调查(Mercer 2011 Quality of Living
Survey)。美世的2011全球城市生活质量指数排名以纽约作为基准，一共调查了全球221个城市，依据10大类共39个因素对城市居住条件进行了分
析，包括政治经济环境、教育以及住房条件等。
美世的2011全球城市生活质量指数排名包括了全球221个城市，纽约作为基准城市。根据此次调查结果，维也纳以其华丽的建筑、公园与广阔的自行车
网络登上全球最宜人居城市冠军。在这个人口约170万的城市，严重犯罪罕见，且经常在全球生活质量调查 名列前茅。欧洲
城市占据了本年度排名的多数席位。苏黎世位列第二位。其他排名较高的城市包括慕尼黑 (第四位) 、杜塞尔多夫和温哥华 (并列第五位) 、法兰克福
(第七位) 和日内瓦 (第 八位) ，伯尔尼和哥本哈根并列排在第九位。
奥克兰的生活质量在全球位列第三，为亚太地区排名最高的城市，位列其后的亚太地区城市包括悉尼 (第11位) 、惠灵顿 (第13位) 、墨尔本
(第18位) 和珀 斯 (第21位) 。排名最高的亚洲城市是新加坡 (第25位) 和东京 (第46位)
。排名前100位的其它主要亚洲城市有包括香港 (第70位) 、吉隆坡 (第76 位) 、首尔 (第80位) 和台北 (第85位)
。北京位列第109位。同时，孟加拉首都达卡 (第204位) 、吉尔吉斯坦首都比什凯克 (第206位) 和塔吉克斯 坦首都杜尚别 (第 208位)
是亚太地区排名最低的城市。
在美洲地区，加拿大的城市占据了本年度排名靠前的多数席位。温哥华 (第五位) 是加拿大生活质量最高的城市，位列其后的是渥太华 (第14位)
、多伦多 (第 15 位) 和蒙特利尔 (第22位)
。此外，加拿大的城市还占据了美洲地区人身安全排名靠前的多数席位，其中卡尔加里、蒙特利尔、渥太华、多伦多和温哥华均并列世 界第17位。
底特律是生活质量排名最低的美国城市，仅列世界第71位，不过还是超过了北京(第109位)、里约热内卢(第114位)和卡萨布兰卡(第123
位)。美国波士顿是生活质量排名最高的美国城市之一，位列全球第36位，超过了芝加哥、华盛顿特区、纽约和西雅图等城市的排名。据美世的调查显示，卢森堡
的生活质量位列世界第19位，在人身安全方面的排名非常高，位居世界首位。据国际货币基金组织(IMF)数据显示，卢森堡的人均GDP居世界首位。旧金山
的生活质量排名在美国城市中位列第二，与巴黎和澳大利亚的阿德莱德并列世界第30位。波士顿位列美国第三位，在全球的排名为第36位，紧随其后的美国城市
是芝加哥，其世界排名是第43位。夏威夷州首府檀香山(第29位)是生活质量排名最高的美国城市。在人身安全方面，檀香山的排名也不错，与芝加哥、休斯敦
和旧金山一同位列美国最安全的城市。
在美洲地区，加拿大的城市占据了本年度排名靠前的多数席位。温哥华(第五位)是加拿大生活质量最高的城市，位列其后的是渥太华(第14位)、多伦多
(第15位)和蒙特利尔(第22位)。此外，加拿大的城市还占据了美洲地区人身安全排名靠前的多数席位，其中卡尔加里、蒙特利尔、渥太华、多伦多和温哥华
均并列世界第17位。
根据美世2011年生活质量调查，维也纳是全球生活质量最高的城市。美世称，欧洲城市占据了本年度排名的多数席位。美世的生活质量指数排名包括了全球221个城市，纽约是基准城市。
2011全球城市生活质量最高的城市Top 10
Top 1 维也纳Vienna 奥地利
Top 2 苏黎世Zurich 瑞士
Top 3 奥克兰Auckland 新西兰
Top 4 慕尼黑Munich 德国
Top 5 杜塞尔多夫Dusseldorf 德国
Top 5 温哥华Vancouver 加拿大
Top 7 法兰克福Frankfurt 德国
Top 8 日内瓦Geneva 瑞士
Top 9 伯尔尼Bern 瑞士
Top 9 哥本哈根Copenhagen 丹麦
