Australia has proclaimed itself the Lucky Country – but how well off are we really? According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the answer is pretty bloody well off. Three Aussie cities managed to place in the top ten, with a perfect score for healthcare, infrastructure and education. Here are the results.
This year, the EIU’s Global Liveability Index ranked 140 major cities from around the globe to determine the best places to live. Each city was judged across the following five categories:
- Stability, including the prevalence of petty and violent crime, the threat of terror, and the threat of military conflict
- Healthcare, including the availability and quality of healthcare, both public and private
- Culture and environment, including climate, level of corruption, level of censorship, and sporting availability
- Education, including the availability and quality of private education
- Infrastructure, including the quality of road networks and public transport, the availability of good quality housing, the quality of telecommunications, and the quality of water and energy provisions
While many of us love to complain about our country’s numerous foibles – especially public transport and internet speeds – it seems we’re not doing to badly overall. No fewer than three Australian cities made the top ten, with Sydney and Melbourne ranked #3 and $2, respectively. (Vienna in Austria pipped us to the top spot with an overall score of 99.1.)
In stark contrast, not a single location from America, the UK or New Zealand placed in the top ten. Here are the results for 2019.
10. Adelaide, Australia
Overall rating (out of 100): 96.6
Stability: 95.0
Healthcare: 100.0
Culture and environment: 94.2
Education: 100.0
Infrastructure: 96.4
9. Copenhagen, Denmark
Overall rating (out of 100): 96.8
Stability: 95.0
Healthcare: 95.8
Culture and environment: 95.4
Education: 100.0
Infrastructure: 100.0
8. Tokyo, Japan
Overall rating (out of 100): 97.2
Stability: 100.0
Healthcare: 100.0
Culture and environment: 94.4
Education: 100.0
Infrastructure: 92.9
8. Toronto, Canada
Overall rating (out of 100): 97.2
Stability: 100.0
Healthcare: 100.0
Culture and environment: 97.2
Education: 100.0
Infrastructure: 89.3
6. Vancouver, Canada
Overall rating (out of 100): 97.3
Stability: 95.0
Healthcare: 100.0
Culture and environment: 100.0
Education: 100.0
Infrastructure: 92.9
5. Calgary, Canada
Overall rating (out of 100): 97.5
Stability: 100.0
Healthcare: 100.0
Culture and environment: 90.0
Education: 100.0
Infrastructure: 100.0
4. Osaka, Japan
Overall rating (out of 100): 97.7
Stability: 100.0
Healthcare: 100.0
Culture and environment: 93.5
Education: 100.0
Infrastructure: 96.4
3. Sydney, Australia
Overall rating (out of 100): 98.1
Stability: 95.0
Healthcare: 100.0
Culture and environment: 97.2
Education: 100.0
Infrastructure: 100.0
2. Melbourne, Australia
Overall rating (out of 100): 98.4
Stability: 95.0
Healthcare: 100.0
Culture and environment: 98.6
Education: 100.0
Infrastructure: 100.0
1. Vienna, Austria
Overall rating (out of 100): 99.1
Stability: 100.0
Healthcare: 100.0
Culture and environment: 96.3
Education: 100.0
Infrastructure: 100.0
Incidentally, before Melbournians get too smug about “beating” Sydney, the NSW capital managed to leapfrog two cities compared to its placing in 2018, jumping from #5 to #3. Melbourne, meanwhile, has actually gone backwards. (It was ranked #1 in 2017.) So there.
You can check out the full report here.
[Via Business Insider]
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