World’s Most Liveable Cities in 2026 – Copenhagen Leads as Asian Metros Gain Ground

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) released its Global Liveability Index for 2026, rating 173 cities on five pillars – stability, healthcare, culture & environment, education and infrastructure. It’s a useful snapshot of how well cities support everyday life, and the latest numbers reveal a few surprises.

At the very top sits Copenhagen, Denmark, with an almost perfect 98 out of 100. The Danish capital nailed perfect scores in stability, education and infrastructure, and only fell short by a couple of points in healthcare and culture. It’s the second year in a row the city has held the crown, a testament to its consistent quality of life.

Trailing just behind are Vienna, Austria, and Melbourne, Australia. Both scored in the mid‑90s, showing that Europe and Oceania still dominate the very highest tier of livability.

Looking at regions, Western Europe remains the strongest performer, posting an average score of 91.7. Meanwhile, Asia, which has traditionally lagged, nudged its average up to 73.9 – a modest 0.3‑point rise, but enough to push nine Asian cities into the top‑20 list. Improved healthcare provision, especially in Chinese municipalities that have poured public funds into hospitals, is a big part of that boost.

Fuzhou, for instance, vaulted seven places to land at 93rd, while Tokyo climbed back into the top‑10, now sitting at 10th. The rest of the top ten is a familiar mix: Sydney, Zurich, Geneva, Osaka, Adelaide, Vancouver and finally Tokyo.

But it’s not all upward movement. Stability, which the index treats as a core metric, fell across the board – a drop of 0.5 points on average for all 173 cities. The biggest dip was in Southwest Asia and North Africa, where the regional average slipped by an entire point. Muscat and Kuwait City saw the sharpest falls, sliding 14 and 12 places respectively, and Tehran slipped into the bottom‑ten, ranking 164th.

At the very bottom of the list sits Damascus, Syria, labeled the world’s least liveable city, with Tripoli, Libya trailing just behind. The bottom‑ten also includes Harare, Kyiv, Port Moresby, Lagos, Algiers, Karachi, Dhaka and Tehran.

Overall, the global average liveability score stayed steady at 76.1. Gains in healthcare, education and infrastructure helped offset the dip in stability, suggesting that while cities are getting better at providing services, the broader sense of safety and political stability remains a challenge in many parts of the world.

These rankings aren’t just numbers; they reflect policy choices, investment priorities and the lived experience of residents. For planners, architects and anyone interested in the built environment, the 2026 index underscores where progress is happening – and where it’s still needed.