Australia Has Slipped Majorly In The Rankings For World’s Most Liveable Cities

The Economist Intelligence Unit has once again released its Global Liveability Index Report for 2022, reminding Australians they call some of the world’s most liveable cities home. But in stark contrast to the 2021 edition – which was all about Aussie domination – only a single city has made it within the Top 10.

Assessed by key features such as Stability (25%), Healthcare (20%), Culture & Environment (25%), Education (10%), and Infrastructure (20%), this time around, Austria’s Vienna has secured the throne with an impressive aggregate score of 99.1 — dethroning New Zealand’s Auckland and leading its closest competition, Copenhagen in Denmark, by 1.1 points.

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“For the past two years, EIU’s global liveability rankings have been largely driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, with lockdowns and social distancing measures affecting scores for culture, education, and healthcare in cities across the world,” reads the rationale.

“In our most recent survey, the index has normalised, as restrictions have been lifted in many countries. Vienna, which slipped to 12th place in our rankings in early 2021 as its museums and restaurants were closed, has since rebounded to first place — the position
it held in 2018 and 2019.”

“Stability and good infrastructure are the city’s main charms for its inhabitants, supported by good healthcare and plenty of opportunities for culture and entertainment.”

As previously mentioned, while the 2022 rankings still ain’t too shabby, Australia has certainly seen better days.

In 2021, the highest result was earned by Adelaide in 3rd (94.0), followed by Perth in 6th (93.3), Melbourne in 9th (92.5), rounded out by Brisbane in 10th (92.4), while Sydney found itself just outside in 11th.

In 2022, Adelaide has dropped to 30th (90.7), Perth has dropped to 32nd (90.0), Brisbane has dropped to 27th (91.6), while Melbourne clings to the Top 10 on equal terms with Japan’s Osaka. Sydney hasn’t even been disclosed in the annual report… which tells us everything we need to know.

“It’s hard to get a table at a restaurant, it’s hard to get a room in a hotel,” Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews optimistically told reporters.

“The city’s back. We are thriving and Victorians can be very proud of what they’ve achieved.”

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The state opposition Matt Bach, on the other hand, was none too impressed by where Melbourne ended up.

“Unsurprising after the world’s longest lockdowns… after the clobbering of small business and our CBD, we’re barely making it into the Top 10,” said the Liberal MP.

Check out the world’s most liveable cities for 2022 below.

The 10 Most Liveable Cities (Global)

1. Vienna, Austria (99.1)
2. Copenhagen, Denmark (98.0)
3. Zurich, Switzerland (96.3)
4. Calgary, Canada (96.3)
5. Vancouver, Canada (96.1)
6. Geneva, Switzerland (95.9)
7. Frankfurt, Germany (95.7)
8. Toronto, Canada (95.4)
9. Amsterdam, Netherlands (95.3)
10. Melbourne, Australia; Osaka, Japan (95.1)

The 10 Least Liveable Cities (Global)

1. Damascus, Syria (30.7)
2. Lagos, Nigeria (32.2)
3. Tripoli, Libya (34.2)
4. Algiers, Algeria (37.0)
5. Karachi, Pakistan (37.5)
6. Port Moresby, PNG (38.8)
7. Dhaka, Bangladesh (39.2)
8. Harare, Zimbabwe (40.9)
9. Douala, Cameroon (43.3)
10. Tehran, Iran (44.0)

Source: The Economist Intelligence Unit