The best and worst cities to inhabit in 2024, according to The Economist

According to The Economist and its sister company EIU, key factors make a city more or less livable. Among these are stability, healthcare, culture, environmental care, education, and infrastructure. This annual Quality of Life ranking scores a total of 173 cities based on these factors.

For the third consecutive year, Austria's capital ranks number one, earning high marks in four out of the five categories. However, a lack of major sporting events dropped its “culture and environment” score to 93.5 out of 100.

In this Scandinavian country, education and healthcare are free, supporting equal access and opportunity. Ample green spaces, bike paths, and environmental efforts help reduce CO2 emissions, and the city ranks high for quality of life on the United Nations Happiness Index.

Zurich’s public transportation, natural landscapes, cultural attractions, top-level education, and economic stability all contribute to its ranking. Switzerland mandates health insurance for all citizens and ranks fifth in per capita GDP among 196 countries.

Geneva consistently ranks as one of the world’s safest cities, with a low crime rate and strong safety measures. Home to numerous international organizations and NGOs, it offers a stable, peaceful environment for residents.

Calgary is known for being one of the world’s cleanest cities, with a strong job market focused on energy, and relatively low housing costs and taxes compared to Vancouver. Vancouver, meanwhile, is praised as a culinary and cultural hotspot, often cited as one of the world’s most livable cities.

Melbourne and Sydney in Australia consistently rank highly, while Osaka (Japan) and Auckland (New Zealand) complete the top ten list for 2024.

It’s no surprise that cities with the lowest quality of life lack many of the elements of the top cities: stability, healthcare, culture, environment, education, and infrastructure.

Syria’s capital has occupied the last position since 2013, struggling under the weight of its ongoing civil war.

Karachi faces severe air pollution due to vehicle emissions, brick kiln smoke, and crop-burning. Roughly 70% of its residents live in poverty, with limited access to basic services. The crime rates are also very high.

For a second consecutive year, Kyiv ranks near the bottom, largely due to the ongoing Russian invasion.

Though beautiful with vibrant cultural venues and a robust culinary scene, the Israel-Gaza conflict led to significant drops in its scores for infrastructure and culture/environment, plummeting 20 spots to 112 in the rankings.

Libya’s capital struggles with poverty, a weak healthcare system, low literacy rates, and deteriorating infrastructure. Ongoing conflicts have endangered lives, particularly among migrants and refugees, creating a chaotic environment.

Algeria faces pervasive poverty, frequent terrorist threats, and natural disasters, including droughts, earthquakes, and floods, all posing major risks to human safety. Economic reforms and the political crisis that erupted in the 1990s have only worsened conditions, creating obstacles for development and undermining the well-being of its people.

Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, contends with severe pollution from nitrogen oxides, ozone, and other toxic particles. The city also grapples with an extreme water crisis; the UN estimates only one in ten Lagos residents has access to state-supplied water, with many relying on costly private sources. High poverty levels further impact the city's quality of life, placing Lagos near the bottom of the Human Development Index.

Dhaka (Bangladesh), Harare (Zimbabwe), Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea), and Caracas (Venezuela) share challenges that significantly impact their residents' well-being. Limited infrastructure, lack of basic services, and ongoing socio-political issues make daily life in these cities strenuous, unhealthy, and at times dangerous.

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