Copenhagen has been ranked the world's most liveable city for the second straight year by The Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Liveability Index, marking the third time the Danish capital has claimed the top spot. Vienna placed second and Melbourne third in the assessment of 173 cities worldwide.
Copenhagen achieved maximum scores for stability, education, and infrastructure, while also receiving the highest marks in the culture and environment category. The index evaluates cities across healthcare, cultural offerings, environmental quality, stability, infrastructure, and educational institutions.
At the bottom of the ranking, Damascus remains last, though its healthcare sector has improved since the overthrow of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024. Tehran entered the bottom ten following the conflict that began in late February 2026 when the United States and Israel launched a major offensive against Iran. Cities including Muscat, Kuwait City, Amman, Manama, and Doha recorded the sharpest declines from the previous year.