Copenhagen tops 2026 Global Liveability Index, Asian cities gain ground

Copenhagen has retained its position as the world's most liveable city in the 2026 Global Liveability Index published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), scoring a perfect 100 in stability, education, and infrastructure Source: larepublicaco. Viena and Melbourne tie for second with 97 points each, followed by Sydney and Zurich Source: portafolioco.

Asian cities rise

Asia emerged as the region with the greatest improvements, now placing nine cities among the top 20, including Osaka, Tokyo, and several Chinese cities. Fuzhou climbed seven spots, while Wuxi, Nanjing, and others also advanced, driven by investments in healthcare infrastructure Source: portafolioco. Despite these gains, restrictions on political freedoms continue to affect scores in culture and environment categories.

Stability as a challenge

Globally, the average index score remained stable at 76.1, but stability was the worst-performing category, reflecting rising risks from conflict, geopolitical tensions, and political uncertainty Source: portafolioco. At the bottom, Damascus (32 points) remains last, though its healthcare score improved after the fall of the Assad regime. Tripoli and Tehran also rank among the lowest, with Tehran newly entering the bottom ten due to the war that began in February Source: larepublicaco.