Western Europe continues to enjoy the highest quality of living compared with other regions of the world. Generally, its cities have advanced infrastructure, and their residents have access to high-quality medical, recreational and leisure facilities. Countries and municipalities that are faring well through the economic downturn are especially successful in providing stability and public services to ensure high standards of living. Cities in Austria, Switzerland, Germany and in the Benelux and Scandinavian countries rank among the highest in the region for overall quality of living. Personal safety in these cities is also the highest in the region. Oslo was an outlier this year, with security for residents of the Norwegian capital challenged by a terrorist act in July.

However, the global economic crisis has had damaging effects on the standard of living in other Western European cities. The near economic collapse and resulting political unrest in Athens have endangered not only the future of Greece but also the personal safety of the city’s inhabitants. In the United Kingdom, economic uncertainty led to protests and looting in London and other urban areas. Spain is suffering from the highest levels of unemployment in all of Europe (over 20% as of fall 2011), and Italy’s worsening economic conditions increased instability in the country, leading to the departure of Silvio Berlusconi, Italy’s three-term prime minister. 

Most Eastern European cities continue to have quality of living a tier below that of their neighbors to the west. But some cities have continually improved their standing in the region, with Prague, Budapest, Ljubljana, Bratislava, Warsaw and the Baltic capitals proving the most effective in competing with Western Europe in standards of living for expatriates.

As to personal safety: Instability and poor relations with Russia endanger the quality of living and personal safety in Georgia, rendering its capital, Tbilisi, among the least safe cities in the world.

Listen to Mercer’s experts discuss the 2011 Quality of Living survey results for Europe:

Carlos Mestre (English)
Yvonne Traber (French)
Dr. Ulrico Lucchi (German)
Susana Arias (Spanish)