Australia Aligns With Japan, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark and Other Countries as the World’s Top 10 Most Liveable Cities in 2026 Ignite a Powerful New Era of Global Travel, Relocation and Quality Living

Written By: Shraddha Das

Shraddha Das

I am a passionate travel writer at Travel and Tour World (TTW) with two years of experience covering the ever-evolving world of travel, tourism, aviation, and hospitality. She enjoys turning complex industry updates into engaging stories that inspire and inform readers around the globe. With a keen eye for detail and a love for discovering what makes every destination unique, Shraddha is committed to delivering accurate, insightful, and reader-friendly content that connects people with the world of travel.

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July 13, 2026 12:28 PM

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Australia, alongside Japan, Switzerland, Austria, Denmark and other leading nations, is driving a new era of global travel, relocation and quality living as the World’s Top 10 Most Liveable Cities in 2026 showcase destinations with outstanding healthcare, education, infrastructure, stability, culture and environment. Led by Copenhagen, the latest Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Global Liveability Index 2026 highlights how these cities deliver exceptional living standards, making them increasingly attractive for international travellers, expatriates, investors and families seeking safer, better-connected and higher-quality urban destinations.

The Global Liveability Index 2026 has once again placed Copenhagen, Denmark, at the top of the world’s most desirable cities for quality of life, reaffirming its reputation as a global benchmark for urban living. Published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the annual assessment compares 173 cities across multiple continents using a comprehensive range of social and economic indicators. The latest findings show that Western Europe continues to dominate the rankings, while Asia has made significant gains with more cities entering the global top 20. At the same time, improvements in China and the United States highlight changing global urban trends, making the 2026 rankings particularly significant for travellers, expatriates, businesses and policymakers.

Copenhagen Retains the Number One Position

Copenhagen has once again secured the title of the world’s most liveable city. The Danish capital maintained its leading position by consistently performing well across the major categories used by the EIU, including stability, healthcare, education, infrastructure, culture and environment.

Its combination of reliable public services, efficient transport systems, accessible healthcare and high living standards continues to make the city one of the world’s most attractive places to live and visit.

The World’s Top Ten Most Liveable Cities in 2026

According to the Global Liveability Index 2026, the ten highest-ranked cities are:

• Copenhagen, Denmark
• Vienna, Austria
• Melbourne, Australia
• Sydney, Australia
• Zurich, Switzerland
• Geneva, Switzerland
• Osaka, Japan
• Adelaide, Australia
• Vancouver, Canada
• Tokyo, Japan

The rankings demonstrate the continued strength of Europe, Australia, Japan, and Canada in providing cities with exceptional living conditions.

Countries Represented Among the Top Rankings

The leading cities reflect strong performances from several countries that continue investing in urban development and public services.

• Denmark – Home to Copenhagen, the world’s most liveable city.
• Austria – Vienna secured second place with consistently high quality-of-life standards.
• Australia – Three cities (Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide) featured in the global top ten.
• Switzerland – Both Zurich and Geneva ranked among the world’s best cities.
• Japan – Osaka and Tokyo continued to perform strongly in Asia.
• Canada – Vancouver remained one of North America’s highest-ranked cities.
• China – Cities recorded noticeable improvements in overall liveability scores.
• United States – Cities such as New York improved due to stronger stability performance.

Western Europe Continues to Set the Global Standard

The latest report shows that Western Europe remains the highest-performing region in the world for overall liveability. The region’s average score remained unchanged compared with last year’s assessment, demonstrating sustained excellence across public infrastructure, healthcare, education and safety.

Cities across the region continue benefiting from long-term investments in urban planning and public services, helping them maintain their competitive position globally.

Asia Continues Its Strong Rise

One of the biggest developments in the 2026 Global Liveability Index is the continued rise of Asia.

The report now places nine Asian cities among the world’s top 20, compared with seven European cities in the same group. This reflects growing improvements in infrastructure, healthcare systems, urban development and public services across several Asian economies.

The presence of Osaka and Tokyo inside the global top ten further demonstrates the region’s strengthening position.

Global Average Score Holds Steady

Across all 173 cities included in the assessment, the average Global Liveability Index score remained 76.1 out of 100, identical to last year’s result.

The unchanged global average suggests that while some cities recorded noticeable improvements, others experienced challenges that balanced overall global performance.

Chinese Cities Show Noticeable Progress

The 2026 report also highlights meaningful improvements among Chinese cities.

Although specific city rankings vary, China achieved stronger overall scores compared with previous editions of the index. These gains indicate continuing progress across several evaluation categories used by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

The improvement also reflects broader urban development efforts taking place across the country.

North American Cities Continue to Improve

The report notes stronger performance from North American cities, particularly improvements linked to stability.

Cities including New York achieved better results compared with previous years, contributing to improved regional performance within the global rankings.

This trend suggests gradual strengthening in urban conditions that influence overall quality of life.

How the Global Liveability Index Is Measured

The Economist Intelligence Unit conducted the Global Liveability Index 2026 survey during May 2026.

The study evaluates 173 cities worldwide using 30 qualitative and quantitative indicators grouped under six major categories:

• Stability
• Healthcare
• Culture
• Environment
• Education
• Infrastructure

Each city receives an overall score out of 100, allowing the EIU to compare living conditions across diverse global destinations.

Cities are then placed into different liveability categories ranging from acceptable for scores above 80 to intolerable for scores below 40.

Australia, alongside Japan, Switzerland, Austria and Denmark, is shaping a new era of global travel and relocation as the world’s most liveable cities in 2026 stand out for strong healthcare, safety, infrastructure and quality of life.

Why the Rankings Matter

The Global Liveability Index 2026 serves as an important benchmark for travellers, expatriates, international businesses, investors, and governments seeking to understand how cities perform in delivering a high quality of life.

With Copenhagen once again leading the rankings, Western Europe maintaining regional leadership, Asia expanding its presence among the world’s best cities, and improvements recorded across China and North America, the latest index highlights how investment in stability, healthcare, education and infrastructure continues to shape the world’s most liveable urban destinations.