Sydney, Australia
Climbing one spot from last year, Sydney breaks into the top 10 best places to live this year as the only Australian city to make the rankings. However, it is one of five Australian cities to rank within the top 30 – highlighting the country's prominence for the quality of life it offers.
As Australia's economic hub and most populated city, Sydney is a favored destination in the Asia-Pacific region to live and work. Its metropolitan area is set in one of the world's most stunning harbors and is surrounded by national parks, bays, rivers, and beaches. Sydney is also the headquarters of about 40 percent of the top 500 Australian firms, and 44 percent of its broadcasting industry is located here.
Bern, Switzerland
Bern, the capital of Switzerland, fell one spot this year to tie with Sydney at No. 10 after coming in 9th in the quality of living survey for the previous four years.
Located in the Swiss plateau, Bern has been able to maintain its medieval charm. In 1983, its city center known as the old town of Bern became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Often ranked among the most expensive cities in the world, Bern is the center of Swiss engineering and manufacturing with medical, information technology, automotive, and luxury products such as watches made there.
Located in the Swiss plateau, Bern has been able to maintain its medieval charm. In 1983, its city center known as the old town of Bern became a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Often ranked among the most expensive cities in the world, Bern is the center of Swiss engineering and manufacturing with medical, information technology, automotive, and luxury products such as watches made there.
Copenhagen, Denmark
Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, has held on to the ninth spot from last year and marks its sixth consecutive appearance on Mercer's list of the top 15 cities to live in.
Health and well-being is a big priority for the Danish people with nearly a quarter of them aged 60 and older, according to government data. Increased health awareness has translated into Denmark becoming one of the leading consumers and producers of organic food in Europe. Almost 75 percent of food served by city-run businesses like daycares in Copenhagen is organic. Copenhagen is also known as the city of cyclists with a total 218 miles of cycle tracks, resulting in about 35 percent of its population commuting by bicycle every day.
Health and well-being is a big priority for the Danish people with nearly a quarter of them aged 60 and older, according to government data. Increased health awareness has translated into Denmark becoming one of the leading consumers and producers of organic food in Europe. Almost 75 percent of food served by city-run businesses like daycares in Copenhagen is organic. Copenhagen is also known as the city of cyclists with a total 218 miles of cycle tracks, resulting in about 35 percent of its population commuting by bicycle every day.
Geneva, Switzerland
Geneva, Switzerland's second most populous city and home to several international organizations, holds on to the eighth spot it earned in 2011.
Located at the foot of the Swiss Alps, along the banks of Lake Geneva, the city's natural environment also makes it one of the greenest cities in Europe. About 20 percent of Geneva is covered by green areas, giving it the name "city of parks." The city has benefited from strict air pollution laws and other environmental regulations, given that it is the base of many global environmental groups.
Located at the foot of the Swiss Alps, along the banks of Lake Geneva, the city's natural environment also makes it one of the greenest cities in Europe. About 20 percent of Geneva is covered by green areas, giving it the name "city of parks." The city has benefited from strict air pollution laws and other environmental regulations, given that it is the base of many global environmental groups.
Frankfurt, Germany
Frankfurt, the largest financial center in continental Europe, retains the seventh spot from last year's rankings of the best places to live.
Germany's fifth largest city, it is home to major institutions such as the European Central Bank and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Frankfurt is also a major transport hub for central Europe given its modern infrastructure, including an integrated high-speed rail network and a busy international airport. The city ranks second only to Singapore in the world for its infrastructure, according to Mercer.
Germany's fifth largest city, it is home to major institutions such as the European Central Bank and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Frankfurt is also a major transport hub for central Europe given its modern infrastructure, including an integrated high-speed rail network and a busy international airport. The city ranks second only to Singapore in the world for its infrastructure, according to Mercer.
Vancouver, Canada
Vancouver is the only Canadian and North American city to make the top 10 list this year, similar to 2011.
Vancouver has made it to a number of rankings on the world's most livable cities over the past decade and has been among the top five in the Mercer quality of living survey for the past six years. Home to one of the mildest climates in Canada, Vancouver is also its greenest city with the smallest carbon footprint of any major city in North America. Surrounded by water and snowy mountains, Vancouver's government constantly promotes green building, planning, and technology with the ambition of becoming the world's greenest city by 2020.
Vancouver has made it to a number of rankings on the world's most livable cities over the past decade and has been among the top five in the Mercer quality of living survey for the past six years. Home to one of the mildest climates in Canada, Vancouver is also its greenest city with the smallest carbon footprint of any major city in North America. Surrounded by water and snowy mountains, Vancouver's government constantly promotes green building, planning, and technology with the ambition of becoming the world's greenest city by 2020.
Zurich, Switzerland
Zurich, Switzerland's largest city, keeps the number two spot from last year after holding the title of the city with the best quality of life in the world previously. It is also one of three Swiss cities to make the top 10 rankings – tying with Germany for the most number of cities on the list.
Known as a global financial center, one out of every nine jobs in Switzerland is based in Zurich. Its low tax rates attract overseas companies and the assets of the 82 banks based there are equivalent to more than 85 percent of the total value of assets held in Switzerland. The city is also the country's biggest tourist destination, famous for its lakeside location and chain of hills that run from north to south, providing an extensive range of leisure activities.
Known as a global financial center, one out of every nine jobs in Switzerland is based in Zurich. Its low tax rates attract overseas companies and the assets of the 82 banks based there are equivalent to more than 85 percent of the total value of assets held in Switzerland. The city is also the country's biggest tourist destination, famous for its lakeside location and chain of hills that run from north to south, providing an extensive range of leisure activities.
Vienna, Austria
Austria's most populous city – Vienna – has won the title of the world's best city for quality of life since 2009. It is also one of eight European cities to make the top 10 list, showing the region's dominance in the survey.
Vienna is the cultural, economic, and political center of the country. It has the highest per capita GDP among all Austrian cities at over $55,000. Vienna's ability to transform old infrastructure into modern dwellings won the city the 2010 United Nations urban planning award for improving the living conditions of its residents. Under a multimillion-dollar program, the city refurbished more than 5,000 buildings with nearly 250,000 apartments. Vienna is also the world's No. 1 destination for conferences, drawing five million tourists a year — equivalent to three tourists for every resident.
Vienna is the cultural, economic, and political center of the country. It has the highest per capita GDP among all Austrian cities at over $55,000. Vienna's ability to transform old infrastructure into modern dwellings won the city the 2010 United Nations urban planning award for improving the living conditions of its residents. Under a multimillion-dollar program, the city refurbished more than 5,000 buildings with nearly 250,000 apartments. Vienna is also the world's No. 1 destination for conferences, drawing five million tourists a year — equivalent to three tourists for every resident.
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