World’s top 10 most and least liveable cities in 2025: Only one Asian city ranks high

In recent years many people have been moving to different cities to find better jobs and improved living conditions. This has led to a growing focus on creating 'liveable cities'— places that are safe, inclusive, eco-friendly, offer good healthcare, education and job opportunities for everyone. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) recently released the Global Liveability Index 2025, ranking 173 cities around the world. The average score this year was 76.1 out of 100, which is the same as last year.

While many cities saw improvements in education, healthcare and infrastructure, there was a slight drop in stability, down by 0.2 points. This drop is mainly because of global issues like political unrest, rising conflicts and housing problems.

Once again, cities in Western Europe topped the rankings, followed by several cities in the Asia-Pacific region. Vancouver was the only North American city to make it into the top ten.

Meanwhile, many cities in the Middle East and Africa were among the lowest ranked but still there were small improvements in areas like healthcare and education.

Some cities in Saudi Arabia and the UAE showed progress especially Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia. Al Khobar is part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan, which is helping the country invest more in healthcare and education to reduce its reliance on oil.

The world’s most liveable cities in 2025:

1. Copenhagen, Denmark – Took the top spot with perfect scores in safety, education and infrastructure. Known for clean streets and a strong cycling culture.

2. Vienna, Austria – Famous for its strong infrastructure, safety and cultural life.

3. Zurich, Switzerland – Highly rated for its healthcare, education and stability.

4. Melbourne, Australia – Known for its cultural mix and top-class healthcare and education.

5. Geneva, Switzerland – A consistent performer in livability rankings.

6. Sydney, Australia – Offers a high quality of life and good public services.

7. Osaka, Japan – The only Asian city in the top 10, praised for its consistent performance.

8. Auckland, New Zealand – Offers a good lifestyle and urban planning.

9. Adelaide, Australia – Regularly scores well in global livability indexes.

10. Vancouver, Canada – A top city in North America with strong infrastructure and healthcare.

The world's least liveable cities in 2025:

1. Damascus, Syria – Ranked lowest due to ongoing war and insecurity.

2. Tripoli, Libya – Struggles with healthcare, safety and infrastructure.

3. Dhaka, Bangladesh – Faces major issues with pollution, healthcare and traffic.

4. Karachi, Pakistan – Affected by crime, weak infrastructure and limited healthcare.

5. Algiers, Algeria – Low scores in safety, infrastructure and healthcare.

6. Lagos, Nigeria – Struggles with poor living conditions and services.

7. Harare, Zimbabwe – Suffers from economic issues and poor infrastructure.

8. Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea – High crime and weak city systems.

9. Kyiv, Ukraine - The main reason behind this position is the high level of danger caused by daily shelling and the constant threat to the civilian population.

10. Caracas, Venezuela - It has highest homicide rates globally and there is no surprise that its capital struggles with liveability.