23 June, 2025
Global Liveability Index 2025
Sat 21 Jun, 2025
Source:
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released the Global Liveability Index 2025 in June 2025, evaluating 173 cities worldwide based on 30 indicators grouped under five categories:
1. Stability
2. Healthcare
3. Culture and Environment
4. Education
5. Infrastructure
Each category is assigned a specific weight, and cities are given scores between 1 and 100, where 100 indicates the best possible living conditions.
Global Average Score and Trends
- Average Liveability Score (2025): 76.1 — unchanged from 2024.
- Challenges: Despite overall stability, the report notes that many cities continue to face geopolitical tensions, civil unrest, and housing crises.
- Decline in Stability: Particularly evident in Western Europe and the U.S., where increased terrorism, crime rates, and social instability led to lower stability scores.
Top 10 Most Liveable Cities (2025)
Rank | City, Country | Overall Score | Stability | Healthcare | Culture & Environment | Education | Infrastructure |
1 | Copenhagen, Denmark | 98 | 100 | 95.8 | 95.4 | 100 | 100 |
2 | Vienna, Austria | 97.1 | 95 | 100 | 93.5 | 100 | 100 |
3 | Zurich, Switzerland | 97.1 | 95 | 100 | 96.3 | 100 | 96.4 |
4 | Melbourne, Australia | 97 | 95 | 100 | 95.8 | 100 | 96.4 |
5 | Geneva, Switzerland | 96.8 | 95 | 100 | 94.9 | 100 | 96.4 |
6 | Sydney, Australia | 96.6 | 95 | 100 | 94.4 | 100 | 96.4 |
7 | Osaka, Japan | 96 | 100 | 100 | 86.8 | 100 | 96.4 |
8 | Auckland, New Zealand | 96 |
95 |
95.8 | 97.9 | 100 | 92.9 |
9 | Adelaide, Australia | 95.9 | 95 | 100 | 91.4 | 100 | 96.4 |
10 | Vancouver, Canada | 95.8 | 95 | 95.8 | 97.2 | 100 | 92.9 |
- Copenhagen topped the index in 2025, receiving perfect scores in stability, education, and infrastructure.
- Vienna, which held the No. 1 position for the past three years, ranked second this year.
- Western European cities performed exceptionally well in four out of five categories, while North America led in education.
Key Insights
- U.S. Cities: No American city ranked in the Top 10 or even Top 20, primarily due to high crime rates, social instability, and infrastructure issues.
- Most Improved: Al Khobar (Saudi Arabia) jumped 13 ranks, driven by improvements in healthcare and education.
- Biggest Decline: Calgary (Canada) dropped 13 positions to 18th place, mainly due to deteriorations in healthcare and stability.
- Lowest Ranking: Damascus (Syria) remains at the bottom of the index with the lowest liveability score.
Methodology
Category | Weightage | Key Parameters |
Stability | 25% | Crime, terrorism, conflict, civil unrest |
Healthcare | 20% | Availability and quality of healthcare services |
Culture & Environment | 25% | Climate, corruption, cultural events, social norms |
Education | 10% | Availability and quality of education |
Infrastructure | 20% | Public transport, housing, energy, water, telecom |