Best Places To Live In The World: Mercer Survey (PHOTOS)

Congratulations to Vienna, which has retained its crown as the city with the world's best quality of living, according to Mercer's 2010 Quality of Living Survey.

Baghdad, on the other hand, came in last in the survey.

Both Switzerland and Germany placed 3 cities in the top 10. As for the US, its highest ranked city, Honolulu, came in a measly 31st. The highest ranked city in Asia was Singapore, at number 28.

The annual survey produced by the global consultancy firm assesses the quality of life in 221 cities around the world by measuring them against New York, which is given a base index score of 100. Vienna scored 108.6; Baghdad 14.7. Living conditions in the cities are analyzed according to 39 factors in 10 categories such as political and social environment, socio-cultural environment, schools and education, and natural environment.

See the top 20 cities in the slideshow below. Full list is here.

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#1 - Vienna

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Best Place To Live

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Comments

[rmac1960]

12:29 PM on 07/12/2010

Funny how the first thing people bring up if they don't like the results of a survey like this one is race. Really says a lot about a person if they have to make everything in their lives about that particular demographic.

[cliffhammond]

04:23 AM on 06/23/2010

You've got to be kidding me. All of them cities. What makes a city so special? Whomever came up with this list is living in some cracker box next to a railroad overpass. I live in desert mountains with one of the most beautiful spring fed pools in the world. Population 450, and I wouldn't trade it for a Dusseldorf or a Munich for all the bratwurst and beer in the world.

[Choy Sung Chow]

11:58 PM on 06/21/2010

Well, should we change the title to: Best Place to live in the world FOR WHITE PEOPLE ??

[archambaultr]

09:07 PM on 07/25/2010

Why not since they are fast becoming the minority! And by the way- you do not hear them whining and yapping about it!

[Trapster]

10:48 PM on 06/10/2010

Lived in Germany almost 10 years and traveled much of Europe. It was an experience I can/will never forget---a wonderful way of life of which most Americans have no concept.
Yes, we helped to form a greater post war Europe with the Marshall Plan but they did a great job of cleaning up and keeping their regions safe, and very livable. I feel for their troubles with the Euro. Though it may well be very tumultuous for a time, I hope it works out. They will be OK! The EU will be a bit more complex with those pesky exchange rates and having to have coin purses for several countries ready at the go.... but again Europe will be just as wonderful.

[MARYHOBE]

03:33 PM on 06/10/2010

US never does well in these surveys, maybe the criteria is not favorable. Does it include the warm feeling that accompanies the right to bear arms, or does it take into account the great feeling of security that comes from living in a gated community? Then there is the feeling of wellbeing that comes with having the biggest military industrial complex, so maybe, its just the criteria?

[Lynda Filler]

12:41 PM on 06/05/2010

Yay Vancouver, and well done Canada!!!

[MBA is King]

04:50 AM on 06/03/2010

Well, the fact that New York and Hong Kong aren't there means this is all wrong.

Also, the fact that Auckland and Wellington get a mention in light of this www.expatexposed.com means that this is all wrong.

Everyone knows that the best place to live - is in college

www.mbaunderground.blogspot.com

[Uncle Bill]

10:35 PM on 06/26/2010

I briefly knew a guy in the history department at my college who had just finished his Master's at Victoria University in Wellington before coming to my campus to do his doctorate. He talked about Wellington with a voice and facial expression you come to associate with people talking about their first love. Beautiful place with a very liberal government that made student poverty much more tolerable.

Sadly, New Zealand is still on my to do list. Toronto, on the other hand, is the next best thing to free lunch and a beer.

[TYRANNASAURUS]

06:37 PM on 06/02/2010

I'VE BEEN TO MANY OF THESE AND OTHER CITIES AND THEY ARE NICE........................BUT OUTSIDE OF RIO...............THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE MALIBU.

[Katbird]

12:23 PM on 06/02/2010

It's beyond me why Zurich and Geneva make the list regularly. I've lived in both cities (Geneva for over 20 years). Fine if you've got loads of money and can also leave on a regular basis for some fun. Both cities are EXTREMELY dull. Shop hours are very inconvenient for working people.
FYI Geneva has a severe housing shortage.....plus street crime & burglaries have become very bad. I'm in NYC now and you know what? I feel safer here. Not to mention more alive.

[igottagetouttathisplace]

04:39 PM on 06/02/2010

Katbird
It helps to remember that this rating (by Americans) is a relative assessment made after evaluating a wide range of categories (eg transportation systems--decent affordable housing---open space quality--crime rates in all cats--mean stanards of living or poverty level --etc)

Is this rating flawless--no. Does this mean the selected cities are free of problems plaguing all urban areas the world over--no. Does it mean that these cities after all things considered offer the best living environment possible at this point in time--yes.

[igottagetouttathisplace]

04:50 PM on 06/02/2010

katbird
This list (by Americans) is a relative assessment of cities worldwide at a point in time. Does it mean Vinnea,for example, is free of problems that plague all urban areas--no. Does it mean that the top pick is the least impacted by all the ailments found in urban areas today--yes

[Vanessa Belle]

11:20 PM on 06/01/2010

I am Canadian and I don't see how Toronto made in onto the list. It is not an appealing city. Just a lot of hype for nothing, in my opinion.

[PortlandZoo]

06:31 PM on 06/17/2010

many days later but I gotta reply to that one.... you need to question why Ottawa is on the list - dull and cold. And how long did you live in Toronto? never? typical. Toronto is the only world class city in Canada. Also Vancouver is the most expensive city in the world to live in - pretty but costly.

[archambaultr]

09:11 PM on 07/25/2010

Why does a Canadian fail to see the beauty in their cities- Ottawa is magnificent. Just move; you will only wish you were back again. Do us all a favor- move out experience the other places and stay away if you don't like Canada- LEAVE!

[archambaultr]

08:59 PM on 07/25/2010

If you are Canadian, you seem to be rather unaware of Toronto and its incredible beauty, cultural diversity, artistic flair, recognition for tolerance even of cranky folks like you, many languages spoken, incredible art and theater, film making, universities, magnificent surroundings and kind people. Stay away and please do not admit to being a Canadian and talking against a Canadian city; just move.

[ptrgamb]

04:45 PM on 05/31/2010

I would probably have put Edinburgh on the list

[nakedhand]

10:09 AM on 05/31/2010

The common theme here is this: These are great cities if you have a lot of money to spend. Pretty much all of them have tremendously high cost of living associated with them.

I live in Copenhagen, which happen to be one of the worlds most expensive cities for nearly everything. Best parts is the infrastructure for cyclist, the human friendly architecture and the plethora of parks and green areas.

Bottom line. The people who did this survey did it solely from the perspective of the privileged, thats too bad.

[ArtsyJane]

06:28 PM on 05/31/2010

Yes. From the perspective of the privileged and the white.

[helen]

10:45 PM on 05/30/2010

What? No London?

[Shana Ting Lipton]

02:44 PM on 05/30/2010

Great list. I have lived in London, Amsterdam, New York and LA. I would agree that Amsterdam is one of the most livable cities in the world. I'd have to disagree about London and New York. Exciting and culturally rich yes, but livable hmmmm.

If they're including public transportation as criteria, expensive London's is pretty inconvenient, considering the Tube doesn't run all night and then your next options, night buses (yikes) and taxis ($$$) aren't great. As a side note, low fat, no sugar foods were almost impossible to find there making it one of the toughest places to eat healthy.

New York definitely wins for public transportation but the quality of day-to-day living with its mega-priced apartments often offering tiny cramped spaces (I literally knew a couple that lived in a subterranean closet in a girl's apartment in the W. Village) isn't exactly easy. I realize NYC came in at 49 though, but it still made top 50.

Unlike Los Angeles, which is nowhere to be found in the top 50. I guess I'd agree with that choice. LA is incredibly spread out, lacking cohesive public transportation, smoggy and generally plagued by intra-community tensions, and bad architecture not so easy on the eyes (that may not have been how Mercer judged the cities but hey, it's relevant in my opinion).

[research]

10:49 PM on 05/29/2010

Stockholm is fantastic, but cold.....

I would have put San Fransisco n the top ten....

[Mara Eugenia Sez]

12:53 AM on 05/30/2010

the whitest and coldest cities are not the best, just the safest and the ones than function better; I am happy in my Alhambra, multiracial, warm, lively, full of trees, conveniently close from L.A. and yet so cozy and endearing

[Pax Veritas]

02:55 AM on 05/30/2010

How about skiing, sledding, skating, snowball fights, making angels in the snow, REAL Christmas, wearing fancy parkas, nights walks with sparkling fresh snow crunching under your feet?.. Won't miss it for life!