Big surprises in the world’s most livable city

London, we need to talk: why is the capital not the top place to live?

If London feels like it has lost a bit of its glow recently, it’s not just the weather. This year’s Global Liveability Index, an annual large-scale survey from the Economist Intelligence Unit, has resulted in a rather damaging verdict in the UK’s capital. London officially plummeted, dropping nine spots to land 54th out of 173 cities around the world. it hurts.

Now, let’s put this in perspective before anyone enters the huff. London is still a vibrant and world-class city, burning with culture, food and things to do. However, this year, the “Liveability” rankings have some sharp reminders about what really makes life in the city better and where things turn pear shapes.

The index is pretty thorough. I think of it as a City Living Olympics. They are stability (the safety you feel, the crime level, and whether you can sleep all night without sirens), health care (from the NHS, not just everything to the local chemists), culture and environment (it’s your gallery, nightlife, air quality, parks), education (is the school good?), and infrastructure (the state of Tube Line and Bins Collected). Cities are scored in each category and ranges from “acceptable” to “unbearable.”

So, what is the issue for London this year? The main culprit is the “stability” dip. After a string of obstructions, London, Manchester and Edinburgh all lost points, particularly after last year’s UK-wide riots and heartbreaking attacks on children’s centres in Southport. And when cities like Hong Kong, Miami and Milan are on top, there’s not much room for error.

But let’s be clear. London still boasts an overall score of 89.2 out of 100, and is in a “very high livability” bracket. There is nothing miserable about living in the big smoke. There are more bumps on the road than before.

New Star: How Copenhagen stole Vienna’s Crown as the best city in the world

In Scandinavia, Copenhagen is flying out of champagne while London licks its wounds. The Danish capital was just named the world’s most livable city in 2025, beating Vienna’s three-year winning streak.

What is the secret behind Copenhagen? According to the EIU, it’s a city that fires with every cylinder. Perfect score for stability (no riots here), education and infrastructure. From cycle lanes to school and the famous smooth running metro, everything works. Vienna’s decline is not due to a major failure, but rather due to a sudden drop in stability, thanks to the threat of bombs at Taylor Swift’s concert.

This is how the top 10 of 2025 shake up.

1. Copenhagen, Denmark
2. Vienna, Austria
3. Zurich, Switzerland (co-op 2nd)
4. Melbourne, Australia
5. Geneva, Switzerland
6. Sydney, Australia
7. Osaka, Japan
8. New Zealand, Auckland (co-op 7th)
9. Adelaide, Australia
10. Vancouver, Canada

You will find that Europeans and anti-polar medicine (Australia and New Zealand) are at the top. These are cities that have been able to provide excellent healthcare, strong education and a stable and safe environment.

Why are some cities falling and others climbing in the rankings?

But that’s not just London and Vienna who have wobble. There’s a broader story here. EIU experts say stability has slipped almost everywhere, including Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and even parts of Asia. That means more protest, political drama and a strange bit of street chaos than we’ve seen for a while.

Many times, even Canada, the beloved of these lists, have seen big cities fall. Calgary, which was in the top five global last year, is currently ranked 18th. reason? Long hospital waiting times and lack of staff. Toronto also skid, falling from the 12th to the 16th. It is difficult to acquire the knock-on effect of Covid, squeezed public services, and adequate nurses and doctors.

Meanwhile, some cities are climbing the rankings at speed. Saudi Arabia’s Alcobar has jumped 13 spots thanks to large investments in healthcare and education (part of the country’s ambitious vision 2030 plan for modernization and diversification). Jakarta, Indonesia, jumped ten places, mainly due to improved security and reduced street anxiety.

Still, it doesn’t change everything. At the bottom, Damascus, Syria, and Syria are still found. It is the world’s most livable city after years of conflict and instability. Tripoli in Libya, Dhaka in Bangladesh, Karachi in Pakistan and Algiers in Algeria round out five of the most attractive cities for its residents.

How do cities in the US, Australia and the world rank in 2025?

Honolulu appears as the highest-ranking American city prior to New York or LA. Experts say smaller or medium-sized cities have been trending better recently, especially in the US, mainly because megacities struggle with public services and infrastructure struggles.

Australia and New Zealand are well above their weight as Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Auckland are all in the top 10.

So, should you pack your bags for Copenhagen?

That’s not necessarily the case. These rankings are useful, but do not tell the entire story. London, for example, continues to outperform other prestigious global lists, is a magnet of talent, investment and creativity. It is the only city on the planet where you can embrace dim sum in Chinatown, listen to free jazz in Soho and spend the night with the best curry outside of India.

However, LiveAbility rankings are important. They highlight what really impacts your daily life: safe streets, decent healthcare, green parks, good schools, reliable trains. Top cities are cities that quietly invest in these things every year, even if they don’t make headlines.

However, the fact that a city can fall as soon as it rises is a warning. Registering in glory is not an option. Titans in London, Manchester, Edinburgh and many other cities are now facing real challenges. A way to fix the cracks, make people feel safe and keep them attractive not only to tourists but also to families and workers who call them home.