When you move, do you ever reference one of the many 'best of' city rankings? Having just returned from two of the four current 'most livable' cities, I'd have to agree that they're quite amazing. The Economist Intelligence Unit recently released it's list of the world's most livable cities, based on stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Surprisingly none of the typical popular urban centers such as London, Paris or New York made even the top 25. Instead, Australian and Canadian cities snagged seven of the top ten spots:
According to The Economist, the survey works like this,
The concept of liveability is simple: it assesses which locations around the world provide the best or the worst living conditions. Assessing liveability has a broad range of uses. The survey originated as a means of testing whether Human Resource Departments needed to assign a hardship allowance as part of expatriate relocation packages. While this function is still a central potential use of the survey, it has also evolved as a broad means of benchmarking cities. This means that liveability is increasingly used by city councils, organisations or corporate entities looking to test their locations against others to see general areas where liveability can differ.
2012 Rankings:
1. Melbourne, Australia
2. Vienna, Austria
3. Vancouver, Canada
4. Toronto, Canada
5. Calgary, Canada
6. Adelaide, Australia
7. Sydney, Australia
8. Helsinki, Finland
9. Perth, Australia
10. Auckland, New Zealand
18. Tokyo, Japan
26. Honolulu, US
31. Hong Kong, China
53. London, UK
56. New York, US
102. New Delhi, India
140. Dhaka, Bangladesh
The survey ranks a total of 140 cities. According to the report, those that score best tend to be mid-sized cities in wealthier countries with a relatively low population density:
This can foster a range of recreational activities without leading to high crime levels or overburdened infrastructure... Global business centres tend to be victims of their own success. The 'big city buzz' they enjoy can overstretch infrastructure and cause higher crime rates. New York, London, Paris and Tokyo are all prestigious hubs with a wealth of recreational activity, but all suffer from higher levels of crime, congestion and public transport problems than would be deemed comfortable.
Read The Full Report: Liveability Ranking and Overview
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Of course, living in Toronto, I'm glad to see Toronto and other Canadian cities on the list.
But I don't give these kinds of surveys a lot of credit since 'liveability' is such a complex, loaded term. Toronto commuters have been cited in several studies (such as this one) to have the longest drive time of all major North American cities. And public transportation? We're still stuck in the 80s.
I think giving cities labels like 'most liveable' is about as accurate as labelling people in specific countries as 'the world's happiest', or saying in which countries people enjoy sex the most.
Calgary: optimistic, fun-loving, unpretentious; Vancouver: spectacular scenery but often gloomy and not a lot to do; Toronto: so much to offer but a little too success-driven with an under current of Anglo snobbery.
I totally agree with @Nomadchicky. I think TO is the greatest city in the world because I live here, but there are so many things about it that some people would find impossible to live with, i.e. lack of bike lanes compared to cities in Europe.
That said, it has the number one spot in my heart because it's the most multicultural city in the entire world. No, it's not New York - it's Toronto.
I think this list ignores a very fundamental part of what makes a city livable: If you can AFFORD to live in it! I love Vancouver, but I don't think I could afford to live in it.
I live in Toronto and am currently hosting a friend from Melbourne who has commented many times on how similar the two cities are.
New York has low population density??? Who knew?
@Bo Placebo that is exactly what I expected someone from western Canada would say about Toronto.
I love being a Torontian!
New Dehli shows up on the list before any American city other than Honolulu and New York?
I'm a Torontonian as well but I have to agree a bit with @Bo Placebo on this one... people int his city can indeed be snobs.
I'll admit to liking Calgary over Toronto, but I'll give TO it's credit. It does have a lot of very nice areas and the multicultural aspect is great for community, food etc.
It's just a bit too big for me and I loathe the humidty in the summer that TO gets. I kinda prefer the dry air of Calgary :)
Hooray for 3 Canadians cities in the top 5. (Yes I realize these surveys etc don't actually mean one city if better than another)
Livability is a very subjective thing.
Calgary is beautiful and booming, but it feels like it's eternally in winter...
All the other large cities are wonderful, if you are a young urban type of person. But the density and expensiveness may turn certain people off.
I moved to Houston, certainly a city that may never be on the livability list. But the housing price is half of that of Calgary, and people are warm and jobs are plenty. The city is not a looker, but if you pay attention to it, you'd be amazed at all the greenery and fun and quirky things in the city, so to me, this place is pretty damn livable.
@Duane Hill - NYC is almost halfway down the list:
"Those that score best tend to be mid-sized cities in wealthier countries with a relatively low population density"
I've never been to Calgary, but I hear it's quite a lot nicer than it's portrayed around here in SW Ontario. I would never cut a city or it's people down based on political ideology. Cities of the size of Calgary, Toronto and Vancouver are so diverse that making generalizations about the people seems problematic.
My city sucks. But, it doesn't have to. It COULD be awesome. That's the sad part.
Personally, my city isn't on this list, but that's okay. I love Washington DC. It's urban, suburban, hip, down to earth, weird, and historic all at once.
@PI - I love my visits to DC, it seems like the kind of city I could live in easily. I suppose that is the failing of these kinds of rankings that use quantitative analysis to identify qualitative differences.
The only thing I perceive as being perhaps a big adjustment is the crime rate - very different from Toronto.
Where'd Switzerland go? They've had a city in the top three for as long as I remember, perpetually jockeying for top spot with Melbourne and Van.
I'm actually a little shocked to see Toronto so high on the list. The transit is pathetic for a city its size; they're actually removing bike lanes; with too-hot summers and too-cold winters, it's only habitable for about 4 months a year; there's barely any green space; and you have to drive for hours to find anything resembling wilderness; I've only had worse healthcare in small towns.
I can only think it must be getting good points for culture (which is relatively good Canada-wise but nothing impressive world-wise), stability (it will forever be Canada's financial and corporate core), and maybe education (because UoT?).
Personally, though, as soon as I'm done my time here I'm moving to Montreal, back to Vancouver, or overseas. Wouldn't mind giving Melbourne a try.
For NZers, Auckland is no where near as nice as Wellington. Wellington, NZ is awesome.
I LOVE London. Biased, though, there's no place like home.
Wow, I'm thrilled to see Calgary so high up on this list! Plus, I'm happy to see so many others who have nice things to say about this city. I love Calgary, but had always felt like I had to defend it as being more than an oil-driven, conservative-leaning city - which is definitely a part of Calgary, but there's so much more to it than that! I've been here 10 years, loved it from the start, and have happily watched it grow into the diverse city it has become today - thanks in no small part to having a pretty awesome current mayor.
Woot for Vancouver! <3
Gloom is in the eye of the beholder. The cold grey rainy days are among my favourite things about Vancouver. Walking on the beach or hiking a trail in the misty fall air is what being a West Coaster is all about! In terms of stuff to do.. what we lack in nightlife or attractions, we more than make up for in mountain trails/ski slopes/ocean beaches/lakes/camping. If one needs something to do in Vancouver, one needs only to get in his car and drive for 20 minutes towards one of the above. Keeps me busy all year.
so glad to see so much canadian love! I love Toronto despite some of its Follies, Fails and Fords
@Roncella - I think only Calgary sounded good in Bo Placebo's comment! ;)
I live in Vancouver and I don't find it gloomy, we live in a rain forest - how can that be a bad thing! And, there's plenty to do here! Vancouver as a "no fun city" is so 10 years ago.
@Carrotsticks, are you saying that there are only 55 cities in the world less dense than New York? I mean London and Hong Kong are way up on the list. Seriously???
These lists tend to be nonsense but a sense of proportion might help.
@Amlika - Calgary winters are better than Edmonton winters! At least we get Chinooks to break up the cold. This year actually wasn't that bad, I'd say we only had a handful of days that were very cold and most of those were broken up by above 0C weather :) I wont complain about Calgary winters knowing there are worse places to be weather wise
sorry, but as a Torontonian, i must say that "livable" only counts if you are a) pretty damn rich, or b) don't mind living in the outer, outer 'burbs (and that isn't really a city)
sure, rent is generally cheaper in "downtown" toronto than in manhattan, but at least with NYC you can live in washington heights or brooklyn for under $2000 and commute easily to work on the island. here, if you live in one of the suburbs (including etobicoke or scarborough) the commute is insane, or involves a car and road rage.
our city did not have enough time to grow before the car came and turned it into Sprawl-onto.
as for calgary - seriously???? it's even newer and more spread-out. yeuch. what criteria did the economist use, exactly? "in which place is it best to be rich, white, and not interested in culture?"
Yay Melbourne!! Glad to see my former home/hole of Brisbane didn't make the top ten!
As for affordability, personally I find Melbourne very affordable. I live on my own in a 2br aptmt in a 'trendy' suburb, work part-time and study full-time. I am able to afford to splurge now and again and take holidays etc. Very happy!
Tokyo, where I live, is 18th?! Thank you so much.:-)
BTW, Melbourne is my most favorite city in Australia.
And Canada! My dream country I have wanted to visit from childhood.
Those are livable and lovable cities.
@Duane Hill
Uh, they only looked at 140 cities... maybe stop before you're too far behind.
Good to see four of Australia's six capital cities in the top 10. Eat that, Canada!
Our cities are, by and large, safe, clean, modern and comparatively egalitarian. However we pay for it at every turn. We have the most expensive IKEAs on the planet. Cars are double the price that they are in, say, England. The average house/apartment price in my city is half a million dollars, and good luck finding a studio apartment in a bad neighbourhood under a quarter of a million dollars. When I had french toast and coffee at an unpretentious local cafe last weekend, it was $20... and I didn't think that unusual. Even songs on iTunes are either $1.69 or $2.19... because, you know, the overheads for shipping the electrons out here are horrendous.
At least sitting out in riverfront in the early spring sunshine is still free. For now.
@blandwagon: Cheers. You pretty much wrote my comment for me. :)
I will add: I adore Perth. The weather is unbeatable. It's clean, green, friendly, open, safe and unpretentious. In the summer, Perth sparkles like a diamond.
On the flip side, the other night I paid $100 for a plate of mushroom risotto, a few glasses of wine (the cheapest on the list) and a dessert shared with 3 other people. At a local pub. So...yeah.
I still love it here, but all this livability comes at a price.
Yay Melbourne! PS we Australians pronounce it "Mel-bun", not "Mel-born" Say it like a local and you'll be sure to impress the residents when you visit.
It's obvious that there is a lot of bias in such lists, not to mention anti-Americanism.
I live in, and love, Melbourne. I would not say it is very cheap living here, a house within 15 km of the CBD will be a minimum 550 grand (and that is a "bad" suburb). The culture here is great, food and cafes are my favourite.
@duane hill,
No, I wasn't saying that at all. There are other factors involved other than density, but it seems the those that rank the highest for livability are less dense. London, HK and NYC are all ranked in the 50's which supports the theory that the highest ranked cities (top 10) are among the less dense mid-sized cities. London, HK and NYC do not rank high, therefore the observation does not apply to them.
Surprised not to see Montreal up there, though I've heard these rankings often carry an Anglo bias. As a Torontonian, I'm proud but also frustrated by the lack of work, difficulty in finding affordable apartments, and that the subway closes at 1:30am (though I heard the MTL metro is closed at 12).
I'm from Adelaide, South Australia, it's home & I like it, but the 6th most livable city in the world? These lists are a bit silly. But doesn't the media like to report about it. Like let's all clap for us! There are so many cities in this world that vary wildly, & the criterion for livability also varies for each of us, so I can't find any value in these rankings.
The best thing about Melbourne is the food. You can eat out on any international cuisine within a couple of miles... ooops... meters. But you can't get public transport to the international airport. Do we have our perspectives in place or what...
I am just back from a trip to Toronto and that is one city I'll never visit again, let alone live there.
Ottawa was incredible and I joked about moving there...
@crownology
Interested to hear why you'd never return to Toronto? Just curious, as a Torontonian I'd like to know what turns some people off.
@Blandwagon
Will say that Switzerland also seemed pretty expensive when I was there! (Not that AT's abridged list highlighted any Swiss cities.) Although I don't drink alcohol, so I can't give you a good comparison for the cost of food... also it was a few months ago for me. And in Switzerland, just about everything is closed on Sundays. And on holidays, when you might want to go out somewhere. And in smaller towns, by like 5 in the evening. Maybe there aren't many Swiss cities ranking highly after all....
I'm from Melbourne, live in Melbourne, love Melbourne. But I'm well travelled and many of those other countries are just gorgeous too. In Australia, we regard Canadians as our Northern Hemisphere sisters and I see that both of us did well in the Top 10. Maybe that's why I so many friends living in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver now.
Livability equates more to infrastructure, resources and amenities than affordability, If cost of living and affordability weighed more in the equation, Australian cities would not register in the top 100. Australian cities are 'livable' because our local and state governments pour millions into infrastructure. (Brisbane is about to build its millionth bypass tunnel!!) We pay the price through exorbitant housing prices, council and utilities rates. Still it's safe! Uur parks and beaches are beautiful and we have a roof over our heads. I wouldn't live anywhere else!
I'm from Sydney, Australia & would definately agree - Australia is frikkin awesome!
Yay Sydney! And interesting that Melbourne is most like Toronto - the best equivelent I can think of for Sydney is San Francisco (defined by their water - Harbour City, City by the Bay - and the famous bridges that cross them, lots of hills (especially in the North Shore), very similar attitude. No wonder they're sister cities - I felt right at home in SF (indeed, I'd love to live there one day!).
Did SF come anywhere in the list?
C'mon, Apartment Therapy, don't be so "coast-centric!" Your abridged list implies that there are no U.S. cities between #26 Honolulu and #56 New York. Wrong. This "Yinzer" must point out that you're skipping my wonderful hometown of Pittsburgh (#30), my current home of Washington D.C. (#34), and a passel of other U.S. contenders. See http://www.ironcitynation.com/pgh-news/pittsburgh-one-of-the-worlds-most-livable-cities/. This is no slur on NYC, which I love, but a scolding to A.T. for its bias.
Half of these cities would be borderline unlivable to me, and these lists are generally just a load of boring garbage... but I WOULD be interested to see how "most livable cities in the world" lists by publications in different countries compared to eachother. Like, would Japanese publications have the same standards for livability as Polish ones, and how would that effect which cities made it to the top?
@elvisphile... ah, yes you can. just because it's not a train, doesn't mean it's not an option.
Woohoo for Perth being on the list! I'm a proud Perthite. :)
Speaking as a Canadian who has lived in both Calgary and Vancouver....I don't think they took the weather into account when determining livability, because it's -40C and frozen eyelash winters in one, and 9 months of rain and grey skies in the other.
Canada making the list three times and Toronto (my hood) too?! Love it!
Melbourne might be pricey but we earn good money. Enough to be a young couple in our first jobs, buy a unit in a trendy inner city suburb, and eat out whenever we want. Sure we might complain about public transport, but it's a hell of a lot better than other cities with our population density. We have it great and I'm thankful for living here every day. Melbourne City Council and all of the government/private business do a great job of maintaining the most liveable city title by invensting in events, safety etc. If you're ever thinking of visiting, make is November (spring racing carnival) or march (comedy festival and warmer weather).
yay for vancouver!! i love the grey skies and rain, personally. i love the summers, love the ocean, the green everywhere, the freshness in the air because of the rain, the beaches, the mountains, the vast array of excellent ethnic food and culture, the abundance of local produce, the islands, the vineyards and wineries in the okanagan, the growing culture of organic fare, the vibrant arts culture, how peacefully the different cultures and races live together (relative to other cities)......... i could go on and on!!!
As a born and bred montrealer, I'm both pissed and sad. La Belle Province is much, much cheaper than other provinces (save for New-Brunswick and PEI). Montreal has everything. Period.