Top 10 best cities to live in the world with high living standards and opportunities
What is a good standard of living for you? The answers can be varied, but one thing the whole world agrees on is opportunity. The ability to get affordable and good medical care, the availability of housing both owned and rented, the availability of good free education, safety due to low crime rates and the list goes on. The Economist considered about 30 criteria before publishing a list of the best places to live in the world.
173 cities in countries all over the world were evaluated and analyzed, the indicators were presented on a percentage scale of the overall ranking and you probably can't wait to find out who took the top 25%.
Vienna, Austria - index 99.1 out of 100
Let's not belabor the point. After all, Vienna has topped the list of the best cities to live in the world for the third year in a row. Vienna scores high on many criteria, for example, health care and its accessibility (both public and private) takes 20% of the total rating for this criterion. Culture and Environment (25 %) scored even higher, with a rather large list of indicators ranging from weather to availability of services or goods. As for education, it accounted for 10% of the overall rating, which is also quite good.
Vienna's cultural life is rich and varied, and most importantly, accessible to the population. The capital of Austria is filled with theater stages, a variety of music venues, many bars and clubs, as well as coffee houses, which have become a separate feature of the culture. Combining all the percentages Vienna has not dropped its stable index of 99.1 out of 100 among the 173 best places to live in the world for the third year.
Copenhagen, Denmark - Index 98 out of 100
The city named the capital of architecture (UNESCO) is not only a delight for its external beauty, but also for its high living standards. Not far behind Vienna in terms of indicators, Copenhagen offers the best gastronomic scene, excellent education, a good low unemployment rate despite its dense population and excellent indicators in the availability of medicine. Of course, all of this is in relation to the average salary in the city. Although, locals may disagree, the comparison statistics are hard to change your mind. Copenhagen's rich cultural life is based on the museums that populate the center and theater venues, many of which have found their home in bars or clubs. A well-developed infrastructure has given Copenhagen the opportunity to be one step ahead of Zurich and take second place on the list of the best cities to live in the world.
Zurich, Switzerland - index 96.3 out of 100
According to the European Commission's calculations of the quality and standard of living in European countries, Switzerland remains in first place. But after taking into account cities around the world for the best life, Zurich came third on the list. The city is considered one of the safest in the world and also scores very high in the criteria of cleanliness, health, transportation and government efficiency, which keeps the local population living high.
Accessible opportunities for both work and leisure have resulted in the highest happiness score among European cities (97). Once in one of the most beautiful cities to live in the world, fit a boat trip into your must-do activities to explore the Old Town and the many museums to understand as much as possible the soul of this best place to live in the world.
Calgary, Canada - Index 96.3 out of 100
On par with Zurich, Calgary offers a completely different atmosphere and climate, but with the same excellent performance in the main criteria: safety, education, culture and health. Those who have their eyes set on Canada, in most cases, consider the city of Calgary, and with good reason. The city is one of the economic centers of Canada, which means the presence of many large companies and a good labor market. The main industries are energy, technology, finance, education and tourism. Education is one of the best in the world and this attracts young people and young families here. The transportation system is quite good, but the standard of living of the local population allows to have one to several cars per family. Due to the good safety record, many families flock here. The average after-tax official salary in Calgary is 4,671 Canadian dollars with an average purchase price of $297,000 for a two-bedroom apartment. The availability of sports and culture expands the level of opportunity and increases the happiness index.
Vancouver, Canada - Index 96.1 out of 100
By shifting your priorities to nature and betting on longevity, Vancouver could be your leader. At the same time, you will still have a high rate of developed infrastructure. Vancouver has become a great vacation destination because of its value for money. According to many publications that have researched the standard of living in cities and countries Vancouver is among the top 10 best places to live on Earth.
Being surrounded by natural beauty Vancouver can offer residents and visitors the most incredible outdoor vacations. Regardless of your budget, beauty therapy will be a constant. You will have access to mountains, forests, and the Pacific coastline. A large number of parks provide recreation within the city, these oases offer a harmonious blend of natural beauty and modern comforts.
Vancouver's mild climate avoids drastic temperature and pressure changes in both the air and your body. Multiculturalism allows you to feel like you belong in Vancouver, as more than likely you will find a preferred church or entertainment for the evening close to your community. Some of the best universities in Canada can be found in Vancouver. A great combination of indicators for any plans for life.
Geneva, Switzerland - Index 96 out of 100
Geneva has one of the most reliable banking systems in the world. Beautiful architecture, diverse cultural and leisure activities. What makes Geneva one of the most desirable places to live in the world is the salary level. Of course the expensive standard of living can be a bit disconcerting, but that's until you compare it to another city and have received your first Geneva salary. The presence of big companies will give you good opportunities with knowledge of their business and of course language skills.
The transportation system in the city is one of the best in the world, value for money. Opportunities to travel comfortably by bicycle make Geneva even more attractive. The local population has a good benefit system which further improves life. In spite of the good price to wage ratio, part of the population goes shopping, for example in France, to give themselves even more options in recreation or services. The good ecology allows you to go to the doctor as little as possible, but if you do and you have insurance, you will get highly qualified medical care - one of the best in the world.
Frankfurt, Germany - Index 95.9 out of 100
High cultural and environmental indicators, followed by infrastructure and health care, have placed Frankfurt in the top 10 best places to live on Earth. As a metropolis, the city can offer a good labor market in many areas. The approximate cost per person in Frankfurt is just over €1,000 excluding rent, with an average salary of over €3,000 per month (after tax). The average cost of renting an apartment would be between €1,000 and €2,500 (three bedrooms in the city center). Leaving the narrow indicators aside, Frankfurt scored high on infrastructure, safety and education. The availability of food, both in stores and restaurants, is one of the indicators that distinguish the city and lead to high living standards.
The availability of sports and leisure activities is a second indicator for a high standard of living, which has also helped Frankfurt to be in many of the TOP excellent cities to live in on Earth.
Toronto, Canada - Index 95.4 out of 100
One of Canada's largest cities, also on the list. Its major criteria scores are pretty high, but two stand out 100%. Education in Toronto comes out on top of the world lists, as does health care, making the city a marvelous platform for youth and family development. Toronto offers the opportunity for great diversity in the cultural sphere - this is due to the diverse ethnicities speaking over 180 languages. Jobs in Toronto are diverse, especially as far as the service sector is concerned. Technical occupations have the highest salary figures. But the overall indicators show that Toronto is a city with a high standard of living and provides its residents with recreational, leisure and accessibility opportunities.
Amsterdam, Netherlands - Index 95.3 out of 100
Tourists find it hard to believe, as high prices in Amsterdam are rumored, but with a score of 97.2 for culture and environment and 100 for health, Amsterdam has outperformed many competitors. It's worth considering that Amsterdam residents' salaries average €3,700 per month and up to €5,000 in industry, which explains the high prices. Rent can average between 1,000 and 2,000 for a studio apartment. When food and utilities cost an average of €1,000 to €1,500 for one person. Amsterdam is a city with great cultural opportunities, which will allow you to admire and explore its beauty throughout your life.
Osaka, Japan - Index 95.1 out of 100
The stability of life in Osaka is based on the best education, which scores 100, and good quality healthcare, followed by a diverse cultural life and security. As a major financial center, the city offers great opportunities for those who are financially savvy.
Melbourne, Australia - Index 95.1 out of 100
With a score of 100 in education and infrastructure, the city offers great opportunities for young people. The cultural sector, which is not far behind, balances the numbers in happiness and life satisfaction. When looking at moving to Australia, it's certainly worth considering the climate, although Melbourne has fairly average temperatures. And it's still one of the best cities to live in the world.