The Economist Intelligence Unit’s latest Global Liveability Index names the world’s top cities. We asked residents to share their everyday experiences that make their hometown a great place to live. Copenhagen has retained its title as the world’s most livable city for the second year in a row in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s World Livability Index 2026.
The annual ranking evaluates 173 cities around the world on stability, health, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure to determine which cities offer the best quality of life. Vienna, Melbourne, Sydney and Zurich round out this year’s top five cities, reflecting Europe’s continued dominance and Australia’s continued strength.
To find out what life is really like in a top-tier city, we asked residents why they love living there and where they can take visitors to experience the city like a local. Getty Images Cycling is part of everyday life in Copenhagen, which topped the Global Liveability Index for the second consecutive year (Credit: Getty Images)Getty Images
Cycling is part of everyday life in Copenhagen, which topped the Global Liveability Index for the second consecutive year (Credit: Getty Images)
1. Copenhagen
Taking the top spot for the second year in a row, the Danish capital earned perfect scores in stability, education and infrastructure, and one of the highest culture and environment scores of any city. For those who live there, it means a lifestyle that incorporates simple pleasures into urban mobility.
Top 10 most livable cities in 2026:
1. Copenhagen
2. Vienna
3. melbourne
4. Sydney
5. zurich
6. Geneva
7. Osaka
8. Adelaide
9. Vancouver
10. Tokyo
\”You can bike to work, hop into the harbor afterwards, and come home for dinner. It’s not a special day, it’s just Tuesday,” said Laura Amira Kassem, an MD and graduate student who has lived in the city for eight years. “This combination of cycling infrastructure, swimmable city water, and truly walkable and bikeable scales is something I haven’t seen anywhere else.”
Kassem starts his day with an early run in a quiet place, such as Atterslev Moose or along the lakes, followed by breakfast, coffee and, in the summer, a swim. She starts each excursion from the culturally mixed Norbro district. “You’ll find a vegetable shop, a kebab shop and a gold shop next to a sourdough bakery, a natural wine bar and a small restaurant,” she says. From here, she recommends riding your bike, swimming in the waters of Nordhavn, drinking coffee, and then having a lunch of smørrebrød, a traditional Danish open-faced rye bread sandwich, at Det Gamle Apotek Pharmacy.
In the evening, runners can take part in the Lupet, a 3km route around Feldparken where the town’s running community gathers. \”All are welcome,\” Kassem says. \”Run, catch up with friends and finish with dinner sitting outside.\”
Getty Images Central Vienna is easily explored on foot – one of the qualities residents say contributes to the city\’s high liveability (Credit: Getty Images)Getty Images
Central Vienna is easily explored on foot – one of the qualities residents say contributes to the city\’s high liveability (Credit: Getty Images)
2. Vienna
The Austrian capital may have ceded first place to Copenhagen last year, but its perfect scores in healthcare and education keep it at number two. For residents, Vienna\’s liveability is found in the ease of getting around, either via public transportation or walking, and appreciating the details along the way. 
“My daily ritual is commuting to work along the Ringstrasse on one of the iconic trams,” said Franziska Hochmüller, who works for the Vienna Tourist Board. “Instead of scrolling through my phone, I like to read a book or just watch the beautiful buildings go by. It’s the little things that remind us every day how extraordinary Vienna’s “ordinary” is. ”
“There is little need for public transport within the 1st to 9th arrondissements,” adds Roland Eggenhofer, Sales and Marketing Manager at Hotel MOTTO. He likes to take visitors to the 6th and 7th arrondissements for their cafes, boutiques and relaxed atmosphere, especially around Neubaugasse and Spittelberg, and to the Naschmarkt for its international gastronomic scene. In autumn, we host the Heuriger, a traditional wine tavern surrounded by vineyards on the outskirts of town, where you can enjoy local Viennese wines.
To see more of Vienna, Hochmuller takes visitors to the Kuchkermarkt in the 18th district. Here you’ll find a Saturday farmers market, restaurants, and cafes. “Seeing families, couples and elderly people doing their weekly shopping or just enjoying a coffee is very Viennese to me,” she says.
Even after living in the city for several years, its rhythm still fascinates Hochmuller. “Even in a big city, there’s always an opportunity to slow down,” she said. “Time flows differently in Vienna, whether it’s in a cafe, in a park or on the banks of the Danube.”
Melbourne’s side streets are central to the city’s cafe culture and neighborhood character (Photo: Getty Images)Getty Images
Melbourne’s backstreets are at the heart of Melbourne’s cafe culture and regional character (Photo: Getty Images)
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3. melbourne
Ranked third, Melbourne had a combined culture and environment score of 96, making it one of the highest on the index, ahead of port rival Sydney. For residents, this cultural depth comes alive in neighborhoods where each suburb has its own unique character. For me, that’s Melbourne – a city that’s curious, creative and full of unexpected little moments around every corner – Lou McGregor
“Melbourne is a big city that somehow acts like a village,” says Crowne Plaza Carlton general manager Anne-Marie Lennon, who has worked in the UK, Ireland and Australia. “People here are really interested in you. And then there’s culture, gastronomy, music, fashion, and art. Each suburb has its own atmosphere and personality.
Roo McGregor, a Scotsman who has lived in Melbourne for 20 years, agrees. \”Footscray is my local [neighborhood] and one of the best places to eat and drink in the city – all cultures, all cuisines and always lively. Fitzroy has cool little bars and vintage shops, St Kilda is perfect for a stroll along the beach and Carlton is hard to beat for Italian food and a stroll down the beautiful old streets.\”
When McGregor has visitors, she takes them to the State Library’s domed reading room, the ever-changing street art of Hosier Lane, the National Gallery of Victoria and iconic laneways and arcades. “For me, it’s Melbourne – a city that’s curious, creative and full of little, unexpected moments around every corner,” she says.
For a glimpse of daily life in Melbourne, Lennon takes visitors to the 39-hectare Princes Park. “Dog walkers, joggers, families, people just sitting and breathing. It’s laid-back and down-to-earth. “This is the Melbourne I live in every day and it never gets old. Walking 2km (1.2 miles) can feel like you’ve entered a completely different world,” she said.
Getty Images For many Sydneysiders, swimming in the ocean and going to the beach is part of everyday life (Photo: Getty Images)Getty Images
For many Sydneysiders, swimming in the sea and going to the beach is part of daily life (Photo: Getty Images)
4. sydney
Alongside Melbourne’s overall score of 97, Sydney comes in fourth for the highest health and education scores. But residents say easy access to nature, multicultural neighborhoods and an outdoor lifestyle make the city a great place to live. NSW Minister for Employment and Tourism Steve Camper said: “Sydney is a no-brainer because we have great scenery on our doorstep, whether it’s the harbour, the Blue Mountains or the beaches.” “The combination of great cultures, regions, cuisines and lifestyles is what makes Sydney so special. Although it is a global city, it still feels like a collection of local communities. ”
To see it, Camper says, go beyond the usual tourist hotspots like Harbor Bridge and Bondi and into the inner western suburbs. “Burwood is the town Sydney locals know and love,” he said. “It’s vibrant, filled with great food, and one of the best places to experience Sydney’s multicultural character.” He also makes sure to take visitors to an [Australian Rules] football match. “There are very few places in the world that do sports like Sydney,” he says. This is also the case:
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French jewelery designer Julie Livney, who has lived on four continents, is still amazed by Sydney. “Rather than waiting until the weekend to go to the beach or go swimming, people are incorporating it into their daily lives,” she says. For her, life begins every day at dawn, walking from Bondi to Bronte with her girlfriends. “Being a business owner and a mother of two, life goes by so quickly that this time by the sea is my reset,” she said. “It’s a great way to start the day.”
She took visitors to Tamarama Beach to watch the sunrise, then had coffee in Bondi and took the ferry from Rose Bay. “You don’t necessarily have to go anywhere, but just enjoy the Opera House and the harbor from the water,” she said, before stopping for lunch at Uncut Seafood. “Sydney is also incredibly multicultural, with amazing food and people from all over the world, but it also has such a relaxed, relaxed atmosphere,” she added. “It’s a rare combination for a major city.”
Getty Images Water is woven into Zurich’s identity, from the Limmat River to the shores of Lake Zurich (Photo: Getty Images)Getty Images
Water is woven into Zurich’s identity, from the Limmat River to the shores of Lake Zurich (Photo: Getty Images)
5. zurich
Zurich residents say the combination of efficiency and easy access to nature is at the heart of Zurich’s outstanding quality of life, although it has fallen from second place in 2025 to fifth place this year.
“Zurich would not be the same without lakes and rivers. “Every day I walk past Lake Zurich, the River Limmat or the River Shiel and take a little time for myself,” explains Manuela Leonhardt, a Zurich native and content creator. “The water is fresh and clear, and there are more than 1,200 fountains around the city where you can drink the water.”
To show visitors why she loves Zurich so much, she takes them to Lindenhof. Lindenhof was once a Roman fortress and is now a hilltop square overlooking the Limmat River and the Old Town on either side of the river. She also recommends the terraces of ETH Zurich and the University of Zurich, which offer great views of the city. “And I always walk with them through the Old Town, the center of Zurich with its narrow streets and small shops,” she says. Even after living his entire life in Zurich, Leonard continues to be amazed at how perfectly maintained the city is. “No matter what big event happens in Zurich, it’s impossible to know the next morning what happened the day before,” she says. “It surprises me every time.”
