Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
The moon rises next to the Empire State Building.

There are some cities that have excellent transportation systems, education, healthcare and overall infrastructure, while others struggle to provide even basic services.

Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Livability Survey, released this month, studied 140 cities across the world under five categories, stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure, to find out the best and worst places.

The only Indian city to feature in the report is Mumbai. The survey ranks Mumbai 116.

Let's take a look at some of the best and worst cities in the world.

Source: Global Livability Survey 2013

Click NEXT to see the best cities...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
Pedestrians walk past shops in central Melbourne, Australia.

Melbourne

Country: Australia

Overall rating: 97.5

Stability: 95

Healthcare: 100

Culture and environment: 95.1

Education: 100

Infrastructure: 100

Overall rank: 1

Melbourne, which was founded in 1835, has been ranked the most liveable city in the world by The Economist Intelligence Unit for three straight years.

Click NEXT to read more...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
A traditional Fiaker horse carriage passes Burgtheater theatre on Dr-Karl-Lueger-Ring street in Vienna, Austria.

Vienna

Country: Austria

Overall rating: 97.4

Stability: 95

Healthcare: 100

Culture and environment: 94.4

Education: 100

Infrastructure: 100

Overall rank: 2

Vienna, which welcomes about five million visitors every year, is home of many international organisations, such as United Nations and Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.

Click NEXT to read more...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
Snowboarders ride a chair lift on one of the many runs during night skiing on Grouse Mountain with the city of Vancouver, British Columbia down below, in Canada.

Vancouver

Country: Canada

Overall rating: 97.3

Stability: 95

Healthcare: 100

Culture and environment: 100

Education: 100

Infrastructure: 92.9

Overall rank: 3

Vancouver, which has booming tourism and entertainment industries, is the most ethnically and linguistically diverse city in Canada.

Click NEXT to read more...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
A reporter leans over 'EdgeWalk' on the CN Tower in Toronto, Canada.

Toronto

Country: Canada

Overall rating: 97.2

Stability: 100

Healthcare: 100

Culture and environment: 97.2

Education: 100

Infrastructure: 89.3

Overall rank: 4

Toronto, the commercial capital of Canada, is home to Toronto Stock Exchange and some of the country's biggest banks

Click NEXT to read more...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
Pengrowth Saddledome stands as one of the icons of the Calgary, Alberta skyline, in Canada.

Calgary

Country: Canada

Overall rating: 96.6

Stability: 100

Healthcare: 100

Culture and environment: 89.1

Education: 100

Infrastructure: 96.4

Overall rank: 5

Calgary, which has also been ranked as one of the cleanest cities in the world, has a major petroleum industry.

Click NEXT to read more...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
A view of King William Street in Adelaide, Australia.

Adelaide

Country: Australia

Overall rating: 96.6

Stability: 95

Healthcare: 100

Culture and environment: 94.2

Education: 100

Infrastructure: 96.4

Overall rank: 6

Adelaide, which is famous for its food, wine and festivals, is the business and political centre of South Australia.

Click NEXT to read more...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
Sydney Opera House in front of eastern suburbs in Sydney, Australia.

Sydney

Country: Australia

Overall rating: 96.1

Stability: 90

Healthcare: 100

Culture and environment: 94.4

Education: 100

Infrastructure: 100

Overall rank: 7

Sydney, which was founded in 1788, has some of the best beaches in the world, including Bondi and Manly Beach.

Click NEXT to read more...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
A view of the corner shop of Aleksi in Helsinki, Finland.

Helsinki

Country: Finland

Overall rating: 96.0

Stability: 100

Healthcare: 100

Culture and environment: 90

Education: 91.7

Infrastructure: 96.4

Overall rank: 8

Helsinki, which is home to 70 per cent of all foreign companies based in Finland, has also been called the design capital of the world.

Click NEXT to read more...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
Kayakers paddle on the Swan River past the Perth city skyline in Australia.

Perth

Country: Australia

Overall rating: 95.9

Stability: 95

Healthcare: 100

Culture and environment: 88.7

Education: 100

Infrastructure: 100

Overall rank: 9

Perth, which was founded in 1829, is the capital and largest city of Western Australia.

Click NEXT to read more...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
A view of Auckland in New Zealand.

Auckland

Country: New Zealand

Overall rating: 95.7

Stability: 95

Healthcare: 95.8

Culture and environment: 97

Education: 100

Infrastructure: 92.9

Overall rank: 10

Auckland, one of the few cities to have harbours on two different bodies of water, is New Zealand's most populous urban area.

Click NEXT to see worst cities in the world...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
A view of Tehran, Iran.

Tehran

Country: Iran

Overall rating: 45.8

Stability: 50

Healthcare: 62.5

Culture and environment: 35.9

Education: 50

Infrastructure: 33.9

Overall rank: 131

Tehran, the capital and largest city of Iran, is a major manufacturer of carpets and furniture.

Click NEXT to read more...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
A view of Douala, Cameroon.

Douala

Country: Cameroon

Overall rating: 43.3

Stability: 60

Healthcare: 25

Culture and environment: 45.6

Education: 33.3

Infrastructure: 42.9

Overall rank: 132

Douala, the largest city in Cameroon, is the country's leading export centre of oil, cocoa and coffee among other goods.

Click NEXT to read more...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
A shopkeeper works inside his shop in the old market of Tripoli, Libya.

Tripoli

Country: Libya

Overall rating: 41.7

Stability: 40

Healthcare: 41.7

Culture and environment: 36.3

Education: 50

Infrastructure: 46.4

Overall rank: 133

Tripoli, the capital of Libya, is the country's leading manufacturing and business hub.

Click NEXT to read more...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
Men walk with camels during sunset by the sea in Karachi, Pakistan.

Karachi

Country: Pakistan

Overall rating: 40.9

Stability: 20

Healthcare: 45.8

Culture and environment: 38.7

Education: 66.7

Infrastructure: 51.8

Overall rank: 134

Karachi, which was capital of Pakistan until Islamabad came up, is the country's leading manufacturing and business hub.

Click NEXT to read more...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
Coastguards cross the bay of the Mediterranean port of Algiers in Algeria.

Algiers

Country: Algeria

Overall rating: 40.9

Stability: 40

Healthcare: 45.8

Culture and environment: 42.6

Education: 50

Infrastructure: 30.4

Overall rank: 134

Algiers, capital of Algeria, is situated on the Mediterranean Sea.

Click NEXT to read more...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
First Street, Harare, Zimbabwe.

Harare

Country: Zimbabwe

Overall rating: 40.7

Stability: 35

Healthcare: 20.8

Culture and environment: 55.8

Education: 66.7

Infrastructure: 35.7

Overall rank: 136

Harare, capital of Zimbabwe, is the country's business and political centre.

Click NEXT to read more...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
Cathedral Church near the Marina in Lagos, Nigeria.

Lagos

Country: Nigeria

Overall rating: 40.7

Stability: 35

Healthcare: 20.8

Culture and environment: 55.8

Education: 66.7

Infrastructure: 35.7

Overall rank: 137

Lagos, capital of Nigeria, is the second-fastest growing city in Africa.

Click NEXT to read more...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
The United States's Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) anchored off the coast of Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby.

Port Moresby

Country: Papua New Guinea

Overall rating: 38.9

Stability: 30

Healthcare: 37.5

Culture and environment: 44.2

Education: 50

Infrastructure: 39.3

Overall rank: 137

Port Moresby, capital of Papua New Guinea, is named after Admiral Sir Fairfax Moresby whose son was the first European to discover it in 1873.

Click NEXT to read more...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
People carry masks during a rally to celebrate Pohela Boishakh, the first day of Bengali new year in Dhaka.

Dhaka

Country: Bangladesh

Overall rating: 38.7

Stability: 50

Healthcare: 29.2

Culture and environment: 43.3

Education: 41.7

Infrastructure: 26.8

Overall rank: 139

Dhaka, which is one of the two major industrial centres of the country, is one of the fastest growing cities in the world.

Click NEXT to read more...

Cities offering best and worst standard of living in the world

Last updated on: August 30, 2013 19:10 IST
A view of the Beit al-Mamlouka boutique hotel in Old Damascus, Syria.

Damascus

Country: Syria

Overall rating: 38.4

Stability: 20

Healthcare: 41.7

Culture and environment: 47.9

Education: 41.7

Infrastructure: 44.6

Overall rank: 140

Damascus, the capital of Syria, is one of world's oldest continuously inhabited cities.