Copenhagen has officially taken the top spot in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) 2025 Global Liveability Index, unseating Vienna, which had dominated the rankings for three consecutive years. This year’s results reflect a world increasingly affected by instability, even as improvements in healthcare, education, and infrastructure continue in many parts of the globe.

The Danish capital earned perfect scores in key categories such as stability, infrastructure, and education. Its consistent performance across all five metrics, stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure, secured its rise from second place in last year’s list to the number one position in 2025. The EIU's Global Liveability Index assesses 173 cities using 30 indicators grouped into these five categories.

Vienna, which has long been a mainstay at the top of the rankings, now shares second place with Zurich. While both cities maintained flawless scores in healthcare, education, and infrastructure, Vienna’s stability rating dipped due to a string of terrorism threats in late 2024 and early 2025. This drop reflects a broader trend across Western Europe, where concerns over security and civil unrest have caused several cities to slide in the rankings.

Cities across Western Europe and developed parts of Asia-Pacific continue to dominate the top ten. Melbourne placed fourth overall, with other Australian cities such as Sydney and Adelaide close behind. Japan’s Osaka, New Zealand’s Auckland, and Vancouver in Canada also featured prominently in the top ranks, reinforcing the appeal of well-managed, mid-sized cities in politically stable regions.

While North American cities did not make the top five, they remain highly liveable. All 21 cities in the region included in the index received scores above 80 — placing them in the highest tier of global liveability. Still, challenges remain, particularly in healthcare access and affordability, which are beginning to weigh more heavily in comparative rankings.

Source: The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Global Liveability Index 2025