๐ฐ The Ten Best Cities To Live In Around The World๐ฐ
Never
in the history of mankind has the world been more accessible than it is
now. Choosing where to live and work is no longer a question of where
to move to in your own country, but rather which country to pick and
from there, where to make your home.There are of course many
factors to consider, whether you’re just going to travel and experience a
new place temporarily or whether you’re setting up permanently, whether
you’re single or with family in tow, whether you’re moving into a new
job or living the digital nomad lifestyle. Which is why the Economist
Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Global Liveability Index 2022 is a
particularly handy resource to give you some data-based evidence to work
from.
What makes a city truly liveable?getty The best places to live in the world
The
annual EIU report provides a ranking of the best places to live in the
world – 173 cities scored across five broad categories and ranked
according to stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education,
and infrastructure. The survey “quantifies the challenges that might be
presented to an individual’s lifestyle in 173 cities worldwide and
provides a profile for each city” and the EIU has pedigree with more
than 70 years of experience investigating and reporting on the
“phenomenon of globalization.”
Overall, 2022 has seen a sharp
rise in the Liveability Index following two years dominated by Covid-19
restrictions that saw a drop in the quality of living globally. But this
year has seen scores for culture and environment, healthcare, and
education improve on the back of Covid-19 curbs being eased, although
the global average score remains below pre-pandemic levels. Fortunes
have varied for different countries, with cities in Australia and New
Zealand in particular suffering from late Covid waves and lingering
restrictions that have sent Adelaide, Perth and Brisbane, and Auckland
and Wellington tumbling out of the top ten most liveable cities way down
the list. An exception to this trend is Melbourne, long a top ranker
that has held on to take tenth spot.
Global Liveability Index 2022
Where then should you
focus your sights in an effort to live somewhere great? From the top ten
it’s clear that Western Europe and Canada are the dominant regions,
with Osaka in Japan the sole Asian metropolis and no entries from South
America or Africa (sadly, cities in Africa and Asia instead occupy the
bottom ten entries in the Index). No cities in the US or UK make the top
ten either.
Melbourne blends new and old with style – Australia's only city to make the top ten.
getty 10=
Melbourne, Australia
Overall rating (out of 100): 95.1
Stability: 95
Healthcare: 83.3
Culture & Environment: 98.6
Education: 100
Infrastructure: 100
The
only remaining top ten entry from Oceania, dropping two places from
last year after an earlier run of seven years in the top spot, Melbourne
remains one of the best places to live anywhere in the world. Great
education and infrastructure make it a no-brainer for families, but it’s
the city’s free wheeling spirit and culture that keeps attracting
people to its sun-soaked streets.
Neon lit and liberal but unmistakably Japanese, Osaka is Asia's most liveable city.
getty 10= Osaka, Japan
Overall rating: 95.1
Stability: 100
Healthcare: 100
Culture and environment: 83.1
Education: 100
Infrastructure: 96.4
The
sole top ten entry from Asia is Japan’s third city – a mega metropolis
and one of the most stable and safe places to live anywhere, with full
marks in stability, healthcare, and education. One of Japan’s most
liberal cities that offers a glimpse past the traditional conservatism
of Japanese culture, its neon-flooded streets are also home to some of
Japan’s best food. ‘Kuidaore!’ as the Japanese say – ‘eat until you
drop’!
As picture perfect as you imagine, Amsterdam's heart is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
getty 9. Amsterdam, Netherlands
Overall rating: 95.3
Stability: 90
Healthcare: 100
Culture and environment: 97.2
Education: 91.7
Infrastructure: 96.4
Our
first stop in Europe sees us floating down the canals of Amsterdam,
past higgledy-piggledy houses and cobbled streets into what has for more
than a decade been a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s easy to see why.
Mix in a rock-solid healthcare system and an extraordinary array of
cultural activities that cross the spectrum from sex museums and
weed-infused coffee shops to world-class museums overflowing with Van
Goghs and you have yourself the ninth best city to call home in the
world.
Toronto's unmistakable skyline showcases its modernity and multicultural population.
getty 8. Toronto, Canada
Overall rating: 95.4
Stability: 95
Healthcare: 100
Culture and environment: 95.4
Education: 100
Infrastructure: 89.3
Our
first foray into North America finds us in cosmopolitan Toronto,
Canada’s biggest city, where education and healthcare are rightly
renowned for their excellence. Beyond this, it’s the city’s
extraordinarily multicultural population that really makes it shine –
foods, languages, events and customs come together to create a heady,
cultured and welcoming atmosphere that makes it a logical place to
relocate to.
Frankfurt may be Germany's financial heart but it's also a city or tradition and history (and a ... [+] great place to live).
getty 7. Frankfurt, Germany
Overall rating: 95.7
Stability: 90
Healthcare: 100
Culture and environment: 96.3
Education: 91.7
Infrastructure: 100
Germany’s
financial hub has jumped a formidable 32 places from last year’s Index,
taking seventh spot in 2022. Frankfurt-am-Main’s excellent healthcare
and infrastructure are a given (this is Germany, after all) as is the
growing expat population drawn by high paying jobs in the financial
sector, dubbed ‘Mainhattan’ for its cluster of steel, concrete and glass
skyscrapers. But its charm lies in the marriage of this modernity to
the Old Town and its traditional, regional roots complemented by an
outside-living approach to life in the many parks, squares, gardens and
paths that follow the river through the heart of the city.
With the Alps and Europe's largest lake on its doorstep, Geneva is as much about living in nature as ... [+] the city.
getty 6. Geneva, Switzerland
Overall rating: 95.9
Stability: 95
Healthcare: 100
Culture & Environment: 94.9
Education: 91.7
Infrastructure: 96.4
A
hop across the border to the south takes us to number six and
Switzerland’s first entry, Geneva. Perched on the fringes of Europe’s
largest lake (and one of its most spectacular), Geneva is as
international as a city gets – home as it is to among many others the
World Trade Organization, World Health Organization, International
Committee of the Red Cross, and the second-largest branches of the
United Nations and World Bank. Scoring in the nineties across the board,
even Switzerland’s eye-watering prices don’t deter international
visitors flocking to its streets – there’s even a thriving
counterculture to balance all the big business, if you know who to ask.
Living in downtown Vancouver guarantees great views in every direction.
getty 5. Vancouver
Overall rating: 96.1
Stability: 90
Healthcare: 100
Culture & Environment: 100
Education: 100
Infrastructure: 92.9
Our
second stop in Canada takes us this time to the west coast and
Vancouver, a city not short of beauty, style, culture or natural
wonders. Famous for the liberal, laid back yet active approach to life
of its multinational citizens, Vancouver is Canada’s dine-out capital,
squeezing the best foods of the world into its surprisingly compact
urban sprawl. As in Toronto, it scores top marks for healthcare and
education but also adds culture and environment thanks to its
mountainous and oceanic neighbors and bounty of fantastic attractions
and events.
Calgary tops Canada's trio of liveable cities – don't forget the Calgary Stampede while you're ... [+] there!
getty 3= Calgary, Canada
Overall rating: 96.3
Stability: 95
Healthcare: 100
Culture & Environment: 90
Education: 100
Infrastructure: 100
In
third equal position is yet another Canadian hotspot. Calgary in
Alberta sits so close to the Rockies you can smell the snow amid the
slow-roast coffees drifting from its hipster coffee shops and bars.
Another heady mix of city and nature (Banff National Park and the
unbelievable Lake Louise are nearby), indoor and outdoor living, Calgary
is also a notoriously easy place to exist thanks to its excellent
infrastructure. While not necessarily the first place that springs to
mind as a city to move to, its global status is reflected as previous
host of the Winter Olympics and current host of the famed Calgary
Stampede, and through its election of North America’s first Muslim
mayor.
Live in Zurich and you can commute to work by swimming and floating down the Limmat River. ... [+] Seriously!
getty 3=. Zรผrich, Switzerland
Overall rating: 96.3
Stability: 95
Healthcare: 100
Culture & Environment: 96.3
Education: 91.7
Infrastructure: 96.4
Often
mistaken as Switzerland’s capital (that’s actually Bern), Zรผrich is its
largest and wealthiest city, meaning it attracts people from all over
the world looking to live a better life. Once they arrive, most quickly
discover the city’s true appeal – yes, it’s efficient, clean and well
run but scratch a little below the surface and you’ll discover a
post-industrial cauldron of young and old creatives treading its winding
streets, venturing into the surrounding mountains and lakes in search
of adventure, bringing new ideas to life, and buzzing with the
opporunities of what may be thanks to its ‘anything is possible’
atmosphere. Commuting to work by floating down the Limmat River is also a
great way to start each day!
Beautiful architecture and bikes just about sum up life in Denmark's capital city.
getty 2. Copenhagen, Denmark
Overall rating: 98
Stability: 100
Healthcare: 95.8
Culture & Environment: 95.4
Education: 100
Infrastructure: 100
Firmly
rooted as we now are in Europe, runner-up spot goes to beautiful
Copenhagen in Denmark, famed for its world-leading restaurants
(currently number one rated is Geranium), the warmth of its residents
and its ultra bike-friendly culture that sees streets teeming with two
rather than four-wheeled rides. Although rightly renowned for being
expensive, it also offers plenty to do for all budgets, whether it's
taking in the vintage attractions of Tivoli Gardens or dropping off the
grid in Christiania, a bohemian community that lives by its own laws
within the city limits. The benefits of Denmark’s historically great
education, healthcare, and political stability only add to its appeal.
Beautiful, inexpensive and easy – Vienna is the ultimate city to live in for 2022.
getty 1. Vienna, Austria
Overall rating: 99.1
Stability: 100
Healthcare: 100
Culture & Environment: 96.3
Education: 100
Infrastructure: 100
A
previous winner as the world’s most liveable city in 2018 and 2019,
historic and gorgeous Vienna has returned to number one after a brief
hiatus out of the top ten thanks to its Covid-related restrictions
during the pandemic. Scoring top marks in every category bar one, it’s
easy to see why Vienna is the world’s most liveable city. Among its
Baroque streets and deeply historic and atmospheric palaces and parks,
it is a leading light on the global cultural scene – artists and
musicians modern and classical pour from galleries, theaters and opera
houses. Equally, its culinary scene is as vibrant as any, fusing the
best foods from around the world with its own unique delicacies. But
what sets it apart from its European neighbors on this list is the
governmental approach to living with great infrastructure and housing
that makes it far, far cheaper to live in than Zรผrich or Copenhagen (or
indeed anywhere else on this Index) with no drop in living standards.
The perfect city then – or as good as it gets for 2022 at least.
The
golden ratio is used as a barometer of beauty and numerically and is a
ratio of 1:1.618.
Using this formula a building that aligns with it
would contain shapes and structures that have a relationship with each
other in this ratio.Research shows that humans find objects that unfold with this ratio of expansion inherently beautiful.This 'golden ratio' can be found in Sonic the Hedgehog's head, in flowers, waves and even galaxies.For
this study by Online Mortgage Advisor, researchers scanned Google
Street View for front-facing photos of hundreds of streets and more than
2,400 buildings in historical cities worldwide. Next, they
plotted points at the corners of each building to calculate the
‘proportion of the longest and shortest lengths of its dimensions’.
Those proportions were then compared to the golden ratio (1:1.618) to
see how well they matched.
Commenting on the research, a spokesman for Online Mortgage Advisor said: 'Many artists over the past few centuries have incorporated the golden ratio into their work, believing it to be a gold standard in natural aesthetic perfection. Using the golden ratio to measure regular buildings and iconic landmarks, we set out to discover which city in the UK and around the world can lay claim to having the most beautiful buildings."
Commenting on the research, a spokesman for Online Mortgage Advisor said: 'Many artists over the past few centuries have incorporated the golden ratio into their work, believing it to be a gold standard in natural aesthetic perfection. Using the golden ratio to measure regular buildings and iconic landmarks, we set out to discover which city in the UK and around the world can lay claim to having the most beautiful buildings."
TOP TWENTY MOST BEAUTIFUL CITIES USING THE GOLDEN RATIO
1. Chester, UK - 83.7 per cent
2. Venice, Italy - 83.3%
3. London, UK - 83%
4. Belfast, UK - 82.9%
5. Rome, Italy - 82%
6. Barcelona, Spain - 81.9%
7. Liverpool, UK - 81%
8. Durham, UK - 80.5%
9. Bristol, UK - 80%
10. Oxford, UK - 79.7%
11. Birmingham, UK - 79.4%
12 = Edinburgh, UK - 78.9%
12 = Cardiff, UK - 78.9%
13. Prague, Czech Republic - 78.7%
14. Exeter, UK - 78.5%
15. Bath, UK - 78.2%
16. Canterbury, UK - 77.8%
17. New York, U.S - 77.7%
18. Worcester, UK - 77.6%
19. Athens, Greece - 77.5%
20. Cambridge, UK - 76.1%
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