How a drop in safety cost Vienna its crown as most liveable city

While the Austrian capital of Vienna has topped the Global Liveability Index for years, 2025 crowned a new number one. 

The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) has long ranked cities around the globe, offering a data-backed snapshot of where life is most comfortable and secure. The world's top-ranked cities have been remarkably consistent over the past few years, as noted in an article by The Guardian.

However, perfect scores in stability, education and infrastructure saw Copenhagen rise to the top and dethrone Vienna from its seemingly secure seat. As the year comes to an end, experts weigh in on the factors that have caused changes in perception to be able to better forecast future trends that could come in 2026.

According to a BBC report, safety was a particularly important factor in this year's ranking as geopolitical tensions worldwide are on the rise. Incidents such as a bomb threat that caused the cancellation of famous US pop-singer Taylor Swift's concert, as well as the arrest of an individual who had been planning an attack on a train station in Vienna, are likely to have cost the city its beloved crown as the most liveable city in the world. 

The article notes that the Danish capital also recently ranked as the world's happiest city, which goes hand in hand, as Copenhagen's high stability, infrastructure and environment scores directly translate into daily happiness for residents. 

The Austrian capital may have slipped from first to second place in the index, but its perfect healthcare score still outranks every other city. It also maintains perfect scores in both education and infrastructure. The result is a place that residents rave about.

Many expats cite affordability as a major draw for relocating to the Alpine capital, noting that rent is extremely reasonable, with a city-centre one-bedroom flat costing less than €850 per month. Vienna's extensive public transportation network is also clean and affordable, priced at just €1 a day for city residents.

The 2025 EIU ranking is as follows: 

1. Copenhagen, Denmark

2. Vienna, Austria & Zurich, Switzerland (tie)

4. Melbourne, Australia

5. Geneva, Switzerland

6. Sydney, Australia

7. Osaka, Japan (tie) & Auckland, New Zealand (tie)

9. Adelaide, Australia

10. Vancouver, Canada

By Nazrin Sadigova