Quality of Living City Ranking 2023 

Vienna skyline, panoramic view over the Danube   

Five cities in Canada top the list for highest quality of living for expatriates.

Mercer’s Quality of Living data assesses the practicalities of daily life for expatriate employees and their families in assignment locations worldwide.

Following years of unprecedented and unpredictable times, the factors that influence the world’s economy have a direct impact on quality of living.

Many employees are reconsidering their priorities and assessing their work-life balances, in this the places in which they live and work and the quality of life they can have there with their families is of high importance.

Mercer’s quality of living data provides valuable information and hardship premium recommendations for most major cities throughout the world.

The cities in the world providing high quality of living for international employees.

Vienna, Austria tops the quality of living ranking for 2023. Known for its rich history, stunning architecture, and vibrant cultural scene, Vienna offers its residents a high standard of living in various aspects.

It is followed by Zurich, Switzerland and Auckland, New Zealand in second and third place, respectively. Places with lower quality of living include several African cities –N’Djamena (Chad), Bangui (Central African Republic) and Khartoum (Sudan), rank 236th, 239th and 241st, respectively. Locations from Middle East also ranked low including Sana’a (Republic of Yemen), at 238, where it’s ranking signals the need for continued attention to humanitarian efforts and reconstruction initiatives. Also, Baghdad (Iraq), ranked at 240, who is seeking to rebuild its infrastructure.

In addition to the 7 European countries in the top 10, other notable cities with a high quality of living include Amsterdam, The Netherlands (14th), Oslo, Norway (24th), Stockholm, Sweden (26th), Paris, France (32nd), Helsinki, Finland (34th), and Dublin, Ireland (42nd).

In the United Kingdom, London secures the 45th position, followed by Aberdeen (49th), Edinburgh (51st), Glasgow (54th), Birmingham (60th), and Belfast (67th).

Eastern European cities such as Prague, Czech Republic (71st), Budapest, Hungary (80th) and Warsaw, Poland (84th), are experiencing a slight decrease in the quality of living in recent years. They have faced various challenges including economic instability, political unrest, and social inequality that have impacted the well-being of its residents.

In Africa, Port Louis, located in Mauritius, is ranked 88th globally with the best quality of living standards and safest in Africa, it is followed by Victoria, the capital of Seychelles, which holds the 98th position in the ranking.

South Africa has several cities featured in the ranking, including Cape Town (102nd), Johannesburg (105th), and Durban (110th).  Other notable cities in Africa with a relatively high quality of living include Rabat, Morocco (127th), Tunis, Tunisia (131st), and Casablanca, Morocco (136th).

In the Middle East, Dubai, ranked at 79th place, and Abu Dhabi, ranked at 84th place, are the two major cities in the United Arab Emirates. These cities are renowned for their modern infrastructure and diverse expatriate communities. However, as Dubai experiences rapid construction and urbanization, it has encountered some challenges such as traffic congestion, climate change concerns such as an increased level of air pollution.

Ranked at 29th, and first among Asian cities, Singapore is known for its continuous high quality of living. The city-state offers a clean and safe environment combined with highly efficient infrastructure. Several cities in Japan have made it to the list. Yokohama is ranked at 47th, Tokyo at 50th, Osaka at 58th is a major economic and cultural hub in Japan. Seoul in South Korea is ranked at 81st, known for its fast-paced lifestyle and technological advancements. Busan, the second-largest city in South Korea, is actively investing in enhancing its appeal and international offerings, and it shares the 95th position with Taichung, Taiwan. Shanghai in China is ranked at 109th, followed by Beijing ranked at 126th, and Guangzhou which is ranked at 132nd.

In North America, San Francisco, takes 37th position and remains a global centre for technology and innovation. New York City, at 40th place, followed by Boston at 41st place, and Honolulu, at 42nd place.

Vancouver, Canada, secures the eighth spot, providing residents with a unique blend of outdoor recreation and cosmopolitan living, contributing to its high-quality lifestyle. Toronto, at seventeenth place, is a global economic hub with a strong commitment to inclusivity and diversity.

Within Central and South America, Caracas in Venezuela is ranked, at 208th place, due to main challenges such as safety concerns and experiencing a severe economic crisis. Port-au-Prince in Haiti, is ranked at 237th spot faces many challenges such as natural disasters, lack of appropriate healthcare systems, and both political and economic instability.

Over in the Pacific, Auckland in New Zealand claims the third spot in the world ranking, emphasizing its exceptional quality of living.

Top 10 cities for quality of living 2023

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The map shows the top 10 locations for quality of living. The top 10 feature prominently in Europe.

This year the top 10 cities providing a high quality of living include 7 locations in Western Europe, 2 from Pacific and 1 (Vancouver, Canada) from North America.

In addition to Vienna and Zurich, Denmark's capital, Copenhagen, secures the fourth position in the ranking. Known for its bicycle-friendly infrastructure, Copenhagen offers a high quality of living with its emphasis on sustainability, green spaces, and excellent healthcare and education systems.

Germany has several cities that feature prominently in the ranking. Frankfurt, Munich, and Dusseldorf rank sixth, seventh, and tenth, respectively. These cities are known for their economic prosperity, efficient public transportation, and cultural offerings.

It is important to note that the Quality of Living ranking considers various factors such as political stability, healthcare, education, infrastructure, and socio-cultural environment. Each city has its unique charm and advantages, making Europe a diverse and appealing region for residents, international assignees, and visitors alike.

For the Pacific region, Auckland, New Zealand claims third place, emphasizing its exceptional quality of living. The city provides residents with a high standard of living, robust healthcare, and a dynamic cultural scene. For Australia, Sydney secures 9th place with its world-renowned landmarks, thriving economy, and diverse lifestyle options which contribute to its top-tier quality of living.

While in North America, Canada, places 8th with Vancouver which provides residents with a unique blend of outdoor recreation and cosmopolitan living, contributing to its high-quality lifestyle. 

Ranking 2023 City Location
1 VIENNA AUSTRIA
2 ZURICH SWITZERLAND
3 AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND
4 COPENHAGEN DENMARK
5 GENEVA SWITZERLAND
6 FRANKFURT GERMANY
7 MUNICH GERMANY
8 VANCOUVER CANADA
9 SYDNEY AUSTRALIA
10 DUSSELDORF GERMANY
11 THE HAGUE NETHERLANDS
12 WELLINGTON NEW ZEALAND
13 BERN SWITZERLAND
14* BASEL SWITZERLAND
14* AMSTERDAM NETHERLANDS
16 LUXEMBOURG LUXEMBOURG
17 TORONTO CANADA
18* BERLIN GERMANY
18* OTTAWA  CANADA 
20* MONTREAL CANADA
20* MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA
22 PERTH AUSTRALIA
23 CALGARY CANADA
24 OSLO NORWAY
25 HAMBURG GERMANY
26* STOCKHOLM SWEDEN
26* STUTTGART GERMANY
28 CANBERRA AUSTRALIA
29* SINGAPORE SINGAPORE
29* ADELAIDE AUSTRALIA
31 NUREMBERG GERMANY
32 PARIS FRANCE
33 TOULOUSE FRANCE
34* HELSINKI FINLAND
34* BRISBANE AUSTRALIA
36 BRUSSELS BELGIUM
37 SAN FRANCISCO, CA UNITED STATES
38 LYON FRANCE
39 LISBON PORTUGAL
40 NEW YORK CITY, NY UNITED STATES
41 BOSTON, MA UNITED STATES
42* HONOLULU, HI UNITED STATES
42* DUBLIN IRELAND
44 MILAN ITALY
45 LONDON UNITED KINGDOM
46 MADRID SPAIN
47 YOKOHAMA JAPAN
48 BARCELONA SPAIN
49 ABERDEEN UNITED KINGDOM
50 TOKYO JAPAN
51 EDINBURGH UNITED KINGDOM
52 SEATTLE, WA UNITED STATES
53 PORTLAND, OR UNITED STATES
54 GLASGOW UNITED KINGDOM
55 PORTO PORTUGAL
56 PITTSBURGH, PA UNITED STATES
57 WASHINGTON, D.C. UNITED STATES
58 OSAKA JAPAN
59 LEIPZIG GERMANY
60 BIRMINGHAM UNITED KINGDOM
61 ROME ITALY
62 HOUSTON, TX UNITED STATES
63 NAGOYA JAPAN
64 MINNEAPOLIS, MN UNITED STATES
65* CHICAGO, IL UNITED STATES
65* PHILADELPHIA, PA UNITED STATES
67* MIAMI, FL UNITED STATES
67* BELFAST  UNITED KINGDOM
69 ATLANTA, GA UNITED STATES
70 LOS ANGELES, CA UNITED STATES
71 PRAGUE CZECH REPUBLIC
72 CLEVELAND, OH UNITED STATES
73 DALLAS, TX UNITED STATES
74 ST. LOUIS, MO UNITED STATES
75 POINTE-A-PITRE GUADELOUPE (FRANCE)
76 DETROIT, MI UNITED STATES
77 HONG KONG HKSAR
78 LJUBLJANA SLOVENIA
79 DUBAI UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
80 BUDAPEST HUNGARY
81 SEOUL SOUTH KOREA
82 TAIPEI TAIWAN
83 BRATISLAVA SLOVAKIA
84* ABU DHABI UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
84* WARSAW POLAND
86 KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA
87 VILNIUS LITHUANIA
88 PORT LOUIS MAURITIUS
89 MONTEVIDEO URUGUAY
90 LIMASSOL CYPRUS
91 TALLINN ESTONIA
92 SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO
93 RIGA LATVIA
94 ATHENS GREECE
95* TAICHUNG TAIWAN
95* BUSAN SOUTH KOREA
97 ZAGREB CROATIA
98 VICTORIA SEYCHELLES
99 KRAKOW POLAND
100 BUENOS AIRES ARGENTINA
101 KAOHSIUNG TAIWAN
102 CAPE TOWN SOUTH AFRICA
103 PANAMA CITY PANAMA
104 SANTIAGO CHILE
105 JOHANNESBURG SOUTH AFRICA
106 WROCLAW POLAND
107 JOHOR BAHRU MALAYSIA
108 SAO PAULO BRAZIL
109 SHANGHAI CHINA
110 DURBAN SOUTH AFRICA
111 BUCHAREST ROMANIA
112* NOUMEA NEW CALEDONIA
112* BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN BRUNEI DARUSSALAM
114 NASSAU BAHAMAS
115* SAN JOSE COSTA RICA
115* RIO DE JANEIRO BRAZIL
117 DOHA QATAR
118 MUSCAT OMAN
119 BRASILIA BRAZIL
120 BELO HORIZONTE BRAZIL
121 QUITO ECUADOR
122 MONTERREY MEXICO
123 ASUNCION  PARAGUAY
124 BANGKOK THAILAND
125 SOFIA BULGARIA
126 BEIJING CHINA
127* RABAT MOROCCO
127* TEL AVIV ISRAEL
129 BOGOTA COLOMBIA
130 MEXICO CITY MEXICO
131 TUNIS TUNISIA
132 GUANGZHOU CHINA
133 LIMA PERU
134 AMMAN JORDAN
135 MANILA PHILIPPINES
136 CASABLANCA MOROCCO
137 ISTANBUL TURKIYE
138 ANKARA TURKIYE
139* WINDHOEK NAMIBIA
139* SHENZHEN CHINA
141 KUWAIT CITY KUWAIT
142 BELGRADE SERBIA
143 SANTO DOMINGO DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
144 MANAMA BAHRAIN
145 CHENGDU CHINA
146 GABORONE BOTSWANA
147 SUZHOU CHINA
148 JAKARTA INDONESIA
149 NANJING CHINA
150 MANAUS BRAZIL
151 PORT OF SPAIN TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
152 CHONGQING CHINA
153 HYDERABAD INDIA
154 PUNE INDIA
155 QINGDAO CHINA
156 BENGALURU INDIA
157 KINGSTON JAMAICA
158 XIAN CHINA
159 WUHAN CHINA
160 LUSAKA ZAMBIA
161 CHENNAI INDIA
162 HO CHI MINH CITY VIETNAM
163 SKOPJE MACEDONIA
164 MUMBAI INDIA
165 SARAJEVO BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
166 GUATEMALA CITY GUATEMALA
167* HANOI VIETNAM
167* LA PAZ  BOLIVIA
169 SHENYANG CHINA
170 KOLKATA INDIA
171 JEDDAH SAUDI ARABIA
172* RIYADH SAUDI ARABIA
172* NEW DELHI INDIA
174 YEREVAN ARMENIA
175 DAKAR SENEGAL
176 ACCRA GHANA
177 LIBREVILLE GABON
178 COLOMBO SRI LANKA
179 TIRANA ALBANIA
180 VIENTIANE LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
181* ALMATY KAZAKHSTAN
181* BANJUL GAMBIA
183 JILIN CHINA
184 KAMPALA UGANDA
185 CAIRO EGYPT
186* BLANTYRE MALAWI
186* TBILSI GEORGIA
188 SAN SALVADOR EL SALVADOR
189* NAIROBI KENYA
189* ALGIERS ALGERIA
191* MAPUTO MOZAMBIQUE
191* ASTANA KAZAKHSTAN 
193 MANAGUA NICARAGUA
194 COTONOU BENIN
195 KIGALI RWANDA
196 TEGUCIGALPA HONDURAS
197 BAKU AZERBAIJAN
198 DJIBOUTI DJIBOUTI
199 MINSK BELARUS
200 HAVANA CUBA
201 PHNOM PENH CAMBODIA
202 TASHKENT UZBEKISTAN
203 LOME TOGO
204 DAR ES SALAAM TANZANIA
205 LUANDA ANGOLA
206 ISLAMABAD PAKISTAN
207 YAOUNDE CAMEROON
208* CARACAS VENEZUELA 
208* BEIRUT  LEBANON
210 DOUALA CAMEROON
211 BISHKEK KYRGYZSTAN
212 KYIV UKRAINE
213 ABIDJAN CÔTE D'IVOIRE
214 TEHRAN IRAN
215 KARACHI PAKISTAN
216 DHAKA BANGLADESH
217 LAHORE PAKISTAN
218 HARARE ZIMBABWE
218 LAGOS NIGERIA
220 ANTANANARIVO MADAGASCAR
221 ABUJA NIGERIA
222* ASHGABAT TURKMENISTAN
222* DUSHANBE TAJIKISTAN
224 BUJUMBURA BURUNDI
225 ADDIS ABABA ETHIOPIA
226 YANGON MYANMAR
227 NOUAKCHOTT MAURITANIA
228 BAMAKO MALI
229 CONAKRY GUINEA REPUBLIC
230 KINSHASA THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO
231 NIAMEY NIGER
232 BRAZZAVILLE THE REPUBLIC OF CONGO
233* TRIPOLI LIBYA
233* OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA FASO
235 DAMASCUS SYRIA
236 N'DJAMENA CHAD
237 PORT-AU-PRINCE HAITI
238 SANAA YEMEN ARAB REPUBLIC
239 BANGUI CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC
240 BAGHDAD IRAQ
241 KHARTOUM SUDAN
*Cities with the same number ranked received the same score for Quality of Living
*Cities with the same number ranked received the same score for Quality of Living
*Cities with the same number ranked received the same score for Quality of Living
*Cities with the same number ranked received the same score for Quality of Living

Attracting international businesses and talent

In addition to the quality of living that a location can provide, the cost to live there influences how attractive a location is to employees and corporations.

In general, countries and cities are continuously striving to attract international businesses as well as digital nomads and mobile employees. The most successful locations are currently those combining flexible governance for mobile talent, a high quality of life and a reasonable cost of living.

The chart below shows the correlation between the cost and quality of living across selected cities around the world.

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The graph shows the correlation between cost of living and quality of living for selected cities across the world.

Mobile employee well-being

Look into the mental well-being challenges faced by internationally mobile employees and how to design a support program.

Eco-city ranking 2023

A emerging factor organizations take into consideration when establishing assignment locations is a city’s eco-friendliness. The Mercer Eco-City ranking provides valuable insights into the sustainability and environmental performance of cities around the world.

The ranking considers:
  • Water potability

  • Waste removal

  • Sewage

  • Air pollution

  • Water availability

  • Traffic congestion

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This chart shows the correlation between the quality of living a city provides and their eco city ranking. Data shows a positive correlation between eco friendliness and higher quality living.
The above graph shows the correlation between a city's sustainability ranking and their quality of living ranking.

About Mercer’s Quality of Living Survey

Mercer is the leading provider of data on quality of living for employees sent to work abroad. Ongoing research on the practicalities of daily life for these expatriate employees and their families forms the basis of our annual ranking of the quality of living in many prevalent assignment locations. It is designed to help multinational companies and governments determine compensation strategies for their international assignees.

When you relocate executives from one country to another, you need clear and objective information that establishes the quality of living differences between cities. The Mercer Quality of Living Reports aim to provide tangible values for such qualitative perceptions, to establish an effective and objective assessment of the quality of living throughout the world.

The choice of cities surveyed is based on demand for data from Mercer’s clients.

How we calculate Quality of Living

New York City is used as the base city in comparing the factors taken into account for the global ranking. This year’s ranking includes 241 cities from across 5 continents.

The methodology was developed by an international team of Mercer professionals, working closely with major multinational companies and other experts in the field. The reports assess living conditions against generally accepted standards, providing a single premium recommendation for all assignees.

Mercer produces worldwide quality of living rankings annually from its Worldwide Quality of Living Survey. Individual reports are produced for each city surveyed. Moreover, comparative Quality of Living indexes between a base city and host city are available, as are multiple-city comparisons.

The data was analyzed between September and November 2023, and it will be updated regularly to account for changing circumstances. In particular, the assessments will be revised to reflect significant political, economic, and environmental developments.

Catch our methodology webinar on demand here.

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