Copenhagen, Denmark, has been named the most liveable city in the world for 2026, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) Global Liveability Index. The Danish capital achieved a near-perfect score of 98 out of 100, leading a list that analyzes 173 cities worldwide based on 30 indicators across five categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.
Copenhagen excelled in stability, infrastructure, and education, all receiving perfect scores of 100. Healthcare was rated at 96 and culture and environment at 95. The report found that the top-ranking cities are predominantly located in wealthy nations, with Australia notably securing three positions within the top ten.
Vienna, Austria, secured second place with a score of 97 out of 100, earning perfect marks for healthcare, infrastructure, and education. The city, a former three-time holder of the top spot, scored 95 for stability and 94 for culture and environment.
Australia's Melbourne and Sydney claimed third and fourth places, respectively, both achieving an overall score of 97. Melbourne was particularly strong in healthcare and education, receiving 100 in both categories, while Sydney also scored 100 for healthcare and education. Both cities received high marks for stability and infrastructure.
Switzerland's Zurich and Geneva also featured prominently, ranking fifth and sixth with scores of 96 out of 100. Both cities achieved perfect scores in education and healthcare, with Zurich also scoring 96 for infrastructure, and Geneva receiving 96 for its infrastructure.
Osaka, Japan, the first Asian city in the top ten, secured seventh place with a score of 100 for stability, healthcare, and education. Adelaide, Australia's third city in the top ranks, came in eighth with a score of 96, also achieving perfect marks for healthcare and education.
Vancouver, Canada, ranked ninth, noted for its culture and environment scoring 97. Tokyo, Japan's capital, completed the top ten with a score of 96, achieving perfect ratings in stability, healthcare, and education.
The report highlighted that recent conflicts in the Middle East have impacted the liveability scores of cities in the region. Dubai, a usual expat favorite, fell four places to 79th with its score declining by three points. Abu Dhabi also dropped to 76th. Muscat and Kuwait City experienced more significant declines, falling 14 and 12 places respectively.
Despite these regional impacts, healthcare scores across the Middle East and North Africa showed improvement. Western Europe remains the strongest region for liveability, though Asia's average scores have risen. China dominated the list of cities with the biggest rank improvements, with Fuzhou, in southeastern China, moving up seven places to 83rd. Lisbon, Portugal, was noted as the second-biggest mover, climbing six places to 54th overall.