Vienna topples Melbourne in ‘most liveable city’ ranking

LONDON: Austria’s capital Vienna has beaten Melbourne to be ranked the "world’s most liveable city" in a new annual survey released on Monday, ending the southern Australian city’s seven-year reign.

It is the first time a European metropolis has topped the annual chart compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit which identifies the best urban playgrounds to live and work in. Each year 140 cities are given scores out of 100 on a range of factors such as living standards, crime, transport infrastructure, access to education and healthcare, as well as political and economic stability.

Vienna scored a "near-ideal" 99.1, beating Melbourne into second place on 98.4. Japan’s Osaka took third place. Australia and Canada dominated the top ten, each boasting three cities. Australia had Melbourne, Sydney (5th) and Adelaide (10th) while Canada had Calgary (4th), Vancouver (6th) and Toronto (joint 7th).

"Those that score best tend to be mid-sized cities in wealthier countries," researchers said in their report. They noted that several cities in the top ten had relatively low population densities which fostered "a range of recreational activities without leading to high crime levels or overburdened infrastructure".

The Australian and Canadian cities in the top ten, for example, had an average of 3.2 and 4 people per square kilometre respectively, compared to a global average of 58. Japan, which alongside Osaka boasted Tokyo in the top ten (joint 7th), is the glaring exception to that rule with a nationwide urban average of 347 people per square kilometre but cities famed for their transport networks and living standards.