COPENHAGEN — The Economist Intelligence Unit published its annual Global Liveability Index on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. Copenhagen, Denmark, ranked first in the index, which encompasses 173 cities worldwide.

Copenhagen achieved perfect scores in stability, infrastructure, and education. The city has held the top position for two consecutive years. Vienna, Austria, placed second, having previously held the first position for three consecutive years.

Melbourne, Australia, ranked third, moving up one position from the previous year. Sydney, Australia, ranked fourth, an increase from sixth place. Zurich, Switzerland, placed fifth but dropped three positions. Geneva, Switzerland, secured sixth, followed by Osaka, Japan, at seventh, maintaining its position. Adelaide, Australia, ranked eighth, while Vancouver, Canada, was ninth, the sole North American city in the top 10. Tokyo, Japan, completed the top ten.

Honolulu, United States, ranked 25th, making it the highest-ranked U.S. city despite dropping two positions. New York, United States, ranked 66th, rising three positions due to improved stability scores attributed to decreased crime rates and a lower perceived risk of terrorist attacks. Manchester, United Kingdom, ranked 52nd, ahead of London at 54th and Edinburgh at 64th. The United Kingdom's scores recovered from a decline experienced the previous year due to social unrest.

Fuzhou, China, moved up seven positions to 93rd. Muscat, Oman, ranked 123rd, dropping 14 positions. Kuwait City, Kuwait, ranked 105th, a decline of 12 positions, as cities in the Gulf region experienced a decline in stability scores due to the war with Iran. Tehran, Iran, ranked 164th, and Kyiv, Ukraine, ranked 166th. Damascus, Syria, is ranked as the city with the lowest liveability score.

Western Europe recorded the highest average liveability score of 91.7, though this was lower than its average score in 2025. Asia's average liveability score was 73.9, an increase of 0.3 points. Healthcare scores for Chinese cities improved to reflect national enhancements in funding plans and investment, including a new long-term care insurance system. "La puntuación media de habitabilidad a nivel mundial es la misma que el año pasado, porque el deterioro de la estabilidad (en Oriente Medio) y las mejoras en la atención sanitaria (en Asia) se compensan mutuamente en las 173 ciudades," said Ana Nicholls, Industry Director at EIU. "El aumento de las puntuaciones en Asia significa que ahora hay nueve ciudades asiáticas entre las 20 primeras, junto con siete ciudades europeas."