Economist 2026: Vienna remains top positioned
The EIU (Economist Intelligence Unit) is the research and analysis division of The Economist Group and provides forecasting and consulting services on an international level. The "Global Liveability Index", which has been published annually since 2004, compares over 170 cities around the world.
In July 2026 Vienna was ranked the world’s second most liveable city behind Denmark´s Copenhagen. Back in 2018, Vienna became the first European city ever to win the ranking, replacing Melbourne, which had held the top spot for seven years. Vienna maintained its number one position in 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2024.
In addition to criteria such as education and infrastructure, Vienna scored particularly well when it came to healthcare provision. Following Vienna, Melbourne, Sydney and Zurich in Switzerland complete the top five.
