We all probably consider the city we personally inhabit to be the best city in the world to live in, but how does your place of residence stack up in actual research? Mercer's 18th annual Quality of Living survey has the answer, with recently released data holding all the information we could possibly want to know about which cities in the world are the best to live in. The company created this survey to act as a resource for companies to be able to determine fair compensation for employees being placed on international assignments; as such, Mercer uses a comprehensive methodology that covers 230 locations across the globe. These locations are assessed using 39 dimensions of living, including public transportation, health, recreation, crime rates, housing, and natural environment. Then, these factors are compared in all of the cities in order to form the rankings from most to least desirable.
IIya Bonic, Senior Partner of Mercer's Talent business, commented in the company's press release that this year, safety is one of the biggest concerns firms have in employee placement around the world. "Heightened domestic and global security threats, population displacement resulting from violence, and social unrest in key business centers around the world are all elements adding to the complex challenge facing multinational companies when analysing the safety and health of their expatriate workforces,” she said.
Wondering what cities ranked the highest? Let's take a look at the seven best cities in the world to live in, according to the findings of Mercer's survey. To see the full methodology and city rankings, make sure to head over to Mercer to read the full Quality of Living report.
7. Frankfurt, Germany
Frankfurt is the seventh best city in the world in terms of quality of living, according to Mercer's data. The city also came in 11th place in the ranking for personal safety, making it a place most people should be able to explore with ease.
6. Dusseldorf, Germany
Another German city made it onto the list, with the town of Dusseldorf coming in sixth place. If you don't know anything about Dusseldorf, it's apparently a hub for aviation innovation, and features very active nightlife, grand museums, and stunning architecture. This might be a place to consider visiting if you're heading to Europe.
5. Vancouver, Canada
Fifth place went to Vancouver, which is one of three cities in Canada to rank very highly in quality of living. (The other two are Toronto and Ottawa, which came in 15th and 17th place, respectively.) It's also worth noting that Canadian cities in general ranked highly in the personal safety category, while not one city in the United States made it into the top 50. Maybe it is time that we all pack our bags and head North!
4. Munich, Germany
It seems that the quality of life in Munich is something to be noted, and not just according to Mercer: Another quality of living assessment from Numbeo gave them a "very high" score in that area, as well. The particularly notable factors from their report include personal safety, healthcare, and purchasing power, making Munich an all-round great place to call home.
3. Auckland, New Zealand
Mercer noted that New Zealand has some of the "best quality of living worldwide," which explains why it earned the third place spot in this ranking. This was also the fourth year in a row that Auckland earned the third place spot in Mercer's Quality of Life survey, making this city a stable force in high living quality.
2. Zurich, Switzerland
If democratic socialism appeals to you, then perhaps you should consider moving to Zurich; this Swiss city has the second highest quality of living standard in the world, according to Mercer's research. Maybe there is something to this whole democratic socialism thing that Bernie Sanders is pedaling, after all.
1. Vienna, Austria
The best city in the world to live in is... drumroll, please... Vienna! Mercer found that this Austrian city is the best place to call home if you want to enjoy the highest standard of living in the world. Vienna actually earned the top spot for the first time seven years ago, making this the eighth year in a row that it has come in first place. So, it seems that Vienna is dominating all of the other cities in the world in its quality of living standard and that perhaps we should all try to get an international work assignment to the capital of Austria.
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