World’s most liveable cities 2025 revealed, Australia ranks three times in top 10

Australia has dominated a ranking of the top 10 best cities to live in the world. See which states’ capitals made the cut.

Australia has impressively taken out three of the top 10 spots on the 2025 ranking of most liveable cities in the world.

Melbourne has once again beat rival Sydney, coming in at number four on the Economist Intelligent Unit’s annual Global Liveability Index.

Sydney ranked sixth and Adelaide was ninth.

The index assesses 173 cities around the world across the categories of stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.

Copenhagen, the capital of Denmark, was crowned the best city to live, ending Vienna’s three-year run in the top spot.

But, before Copenhagen and Vienna, it was Melbourne that held the title of world’s most liveable city for seven years. Victoria’s state capital got dethroned in 2018.

The Economist Intelligent Unit’s Global Liveability Index 2025.

Copenhagen received perfect scores for stability, education and infrastructure.

Austria’s capital Vienna may no longer be number one, but it still placed second, tying with Switzerland’s Zurich.

Vienna’s stability score fell significantly, attributed to incidents such as the bomb threat at Taylor Swift’s August 2024 concert that led to the cancellation of three shows.

EIU said overall this year’s results reflected a continued decline in global stability, “driven by intensifying geopolitical conflict and civil unrest”.

Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide all earned perfect scores for healthcare and education this year.

Melbourne was ranked fourth most liveable city in the world. Picture: iStock

Australia’s friend across the ditch, New Zealand, also made the top 10, with Auckland placing equal seventh with another city loved by Aussies — Osaka in Japan. About 920,000 Australians visited Japan in 2024, setting a new record. This year we’re expected to break the one million mark for the first time.

Switzerland made an appearance in the top 10 a second time, squeezing in between Melbourne and Sydney with Geneva in fifth place.

Vancouver, Canada rounded out the top 10 as North America’s only representative.

The EIU said it lowered the healthcare scores this year for all four Canadian cities in the index. EIU deputy industry director Barsali Bhattacharyya told CNN there were “long waiting lists for medical check-ups” and staff shortages at medical facilities and hospitals.

Calgary dropped all the way from fifth place in 2024 to 18th in 2025.

All the cities covered by the index in the UK (London, Manchester and Edinburgh) also dropped down the ranks, “following widespread riots and rising homelessness,” the EIU noted.

The highest US city on the list was Honolulu, Hawaii at number 23.

Al Khobar in Saudi Arabia climbed the most places up the ranking this year from 148th to 135th.

War torn Damascus in Syria is again the worst city to live in.

Originally published as World’s most liveable cities 2025 revealed, Australia ranks three times in top 10