Big surprises in the world’s most liveable cities

London, we need to talk: Why the capital’s no longer a top place to live

If you feel like London’s lost a bit of its shine lately, it’s not just the weather talking. This year’s Global Liveability Index, that annual big-deal survey from the Economist Intelligence Unit, has delivered a pretty bruising verdict for the UK’s capital. London has officially taken a nosedive, dropping nine spots to land at 54th out of 173 cities worldwide. Ouch.

Now, before anyone gets in a huff, let’s put this in perspective. London is still a vibrant, world-class city—bursting with culture, food, and things to do. But this year, the “liveability” ranking has a few sharp reminders about what really makes city life good, and where things can go pear-shaped fast.

The index is pretty thorough—think of it as the Olympics of city living. They look at stability (how safe you feel, crime levels, and whether you can sleep through the night without sirens), healthcare (not just the NHS, but everything from A&E to the local chemist), culture and environment (that’s your galleries, nightlife, air quality, parks), education (are the schools any good?), and infrastructure (the state of your Tube line and if the bins get collected). Cities are scored in each category, ranging from “acceptable” all the way down to “intolerable.”

So what’s gone wrong for London this year? The main culprit is a dip in “stability.” After a string of disturbances—most notably, the UK-wide riots last year and a heartbreaking attack on a children’s centre in Southport—London, Manchester, and Edinburgh have all lost points. And when cities like Hong Kong, Miami, and Milan are on the up, there’s not much margin for error.

But let’s be clear: London still boasts an overall score of 89.2 out of 100, putting it in the “very high liveability” bracket. There’s nothing dire about life in the Big Smoke—there are just a few more bumps in the road than there used to be.

A new star: How Copenhagen stole Vienna’s crown as the World’s best city

While London’s licking its wounds, over in Scandinavia, Copenhagen is popping the Champagne. Denmark’s capital has just been named the world’s most liveable city for 2025, breaking Vienna’s three-year winning streak.

What’s Copenhagen’s secret? According to the EIU, it’s a city firing on all cylinders: perfect scores for stability (no riots here), education, and infrastructure. Everything just works—from the cycle lanes to the schools and the famously smooth-running metro. Vienna’s drop wasn’t because of major failings, but rather a sharp decline in stability, in part thanks to a bomb threat at a Taylor Swift concert, of all things.

Here’s how the top 10 shakes out for 2025:

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

You’ll notice the heavy European and Antipodean (that’s Australia and New Zealand) presence at the top. These are cities that manage to offer great healthcare, strong education, and a stable, safe environment—all with decent public transport and, let’s be honest, pretty good coffee.

Why are some cities falling and others climbing the rankings?

But it’s not just London and Vienna having a wobble. There’s a wider story here. The EIU’s experts say that stability has slipped almost everywhere—Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and even parts of Asia. That means more protests, political drama, and the odd bit of street chaos than we’ve seen for a while.

Even Canada, often the darling of these lists, has seen big cities tumble. Calgary, which was in the global top five last year, now finds itself down in 18th. The reason? Long hospital waiting times and staff shortages. Toronto’s also slipped, dropping from 12th to 16th. It’s the knock-on effect of COVID, squeezed public services, and the difficulty in getting enough nurses and doctors.

Meanwhile, some cities are climbing the rankings at speed. Saudi Arabia’s Al Khobar has leapt up 13 spots, thanks to major investment in healthcare and education (part of the country’s ambitious Vision 2030 plan to modernise and diversify). Jakarta in Indonesia has also jumped 10 places, mainly due to improvements in security and less street unrest.

Still, not everything changes. At the very bottom, you’ll still find Damascus, Syria—still the world’s least liveable city after years of conflict and instability. Tripoli in Libya, Dhaka in Bangladesh, Karachi in Pakistan, and Algiers in Algeria round out the five least attractive cities for residents.

How do US, Australian and global cities rank in 2025?

Honolulu comes in as the highest-ranking American city, way ahead of New York or LA. The experts say that, especially in the US, smaller or medium-sized cities tend to do better these days, largely because the mega-cities are struggling with public services and infrastructure woes.

Australia and New Zealand are punching well above their weight, with Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, and Auckland all making the top 10. It’s proof that life really is better by the beach—provided you don’t mind the occasional spider.

So, should you be packing your bags for Copenhagen?

Not necessarily. These rankings are useful, but they don’t tell the whole story. London, for example, still tops other prestigious global lists and remains a magnet for talent, investment, and creativity. It’s the only city on earth where you can have dim sum in Chinatown, listen to free jazz in Soho, and finish your night with the best curry outside India—all before hopping on a night bus home.

But the liveability rankings do matter. They highlight the things that really affect day-to-day life: safe streets, decent healthcare, green parks, good schools, reliable trains. Cities at the top are often those that quietly invest in these things year after year, even if it doesn’t make headlines.

The fact that cities can fall as quickly as they rise is a warning, though—resting on your laurels isn’t an option. London, Manchester, Edinburgh and plenty of other urban giants now face a real challenge: how to fix the cracks, keep people feeling safe and looked after, and stay attractive not just to tourists, but to the families and workers who call them home.