Melbourne is the fourth most liveable city in the world, and the most liveable city in Australia, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index for 2024. Sydney also made it to the top ten, coming in at number seven. Both Melbourne and Sydney have dropped down in the rankings, due to a ‘significant shortfall in housing availability’.
Last year, Melbourne was ranked the third most liveable city in the world, while Sydney had claimed the fourth spot. The situation was described as ‘worrying’, with the ‘availability of rental properties’ at ‘an all-time low’ and ‘purchase prices have continued to rise despite interest-rate increases’. The housing crisis also negatively affected cities in Canada, giving Vancouver a lower ranking, and causing Toronto to drop out of the top ten.
Top Ten Most Liveable Cities for 2024
1. Vienna, Austria
2. Copenhagen, Denmark
3. Zurich, Switzerland
4. Melbourne, Australia
5. Calgary, Canada
6. Geneva, Switzerland
7. Sydney, Australia
8. Vancouver, Canada
9. Osaka, Japan
=9. Auckland, New Zealand
Global Liveability Index 2024
The Index, which ranks 173 cities around the world, takes into account more than 30 qualitative and quantitative factors spanning five categories: stability (25%), healthcare (20%), culture and environment (25%), education (10%), and infrastructure (20%).
Melbourne received a score of 100 for healthcare and education. For infrastructure, we received a score of 96.4. Culture and environment was rated at 95.8, and stability was scored at 95.
Sydney also received a score of 100 for healthcare and education, and 96.4 for infrastructure. It also received a score of 95 for stability. The only difference was in culture and environment, which received a score of 94.4.
You can read a bit more about the report here.