The best place in the world to live

Do you know which is the best city to live in?

Well, yes, in a World where there are rankings and listings for everything, there is also to designate which is the city with the best quality of life, the most expensive in terms of the purchasing level necessary to live … All this, taking into account different factors such as political, social and economic climate, medical care, education, recreational and leisure opportunities, environmental conditions as a whole, including infrastructure. This is a study developed by the consulting firm Mercer, and for more than a decade, the city chosen as the best place to live is the same: Vienna. And, in 2019, the 18th annual Quality of Life survey was held.

The list reaches 250 cities

One of the objectives of the Mercer consultancy is to communicate to the large multinationals where, and how, to invest in their economic expansion plans. In that sense, “security is a key factor that multinationals must take into account when sending expatriate workers abroad, as it raises concerns about the personal safety of expatriates and because it has a significant impact on the cost of global programs. of compensation”. And, although in recent years there have been numerous attacks in Europe perpetrated by Islamist terrorists, the cities of old Europe continue to take first place in the lists of the best cities to live in.

the best city in the world to live in: Vienna

Vienna continues to occupy the first place because of the quality of life that is lived in its streets. Second place: Zurich, and then Auckland and Munich.

Vancouver is the city with the highest ranking in North America, and Singapore is the Asian with the highest ranking, ranking 26th.

The Mercer survey also identifies the ranking based on personal safety; It is based on internal stability, crime figures, the performance of local authorities and the relationship of the country of origin with other countries. Luxembourg tops the list as the safest city, followed by Bern, Helsinki and Zurich, all tied for second place. Baghdad (at number 230) and Damascus (at 229) are the least safe cities in the world according to the ranking.

Why is Vienna the best considered city?

In addition to economic issues, of ‘social peace’, purchasing power, cleanliness, order, transport … Vienna is a European capital with a long history. Let’s see some curious facts: Like Berlin, Vienna was divided into four parts after World War II, and was occupied by the United States, France, the United Kingdom and the former Soviet Union. The first district of Vienna, the center of the city, was administered by the four powers. The occupation and division of Vienna ended in 1955 with the Austrian State Treaty.

Historical curiosities of Vienna and Austria

Historically, Vienna has been referred to as the “City of Dreams”. Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, lived and worked in Vienna for much of his professional career. During this time, it had a significant impact on the city. The Sigmund Freud Museum is located in the apartment where he lived and worked for almost 50 years, until he was forced to flee Austria after the Anschluss.

Vienna is also called ‘The City of Music’, or World Capital of Music, since many of the most famous composers in History have resided here. Among others: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert, Johann Straus and Johannes Brahms.

If you visit Vienna, you can visit the residences of these great musicians, many of which have become museums. And don’t miss the house of music. Here you can “discover the fascinating world of Viennese sound and music in an interactive and playful way”.

Image: Michal Jarmoluk in Pixabay


We consider croissants or croissants as an invention of the French pastry shop, but in reality it has Viennese origins. They are based on the Austrian kipferl, which means half moon in German. The bakers of Vienna made kipferl to commemorate Austria’s victory over the Ottoman Turks in 1683, its form was based on the rising moons seen in the enemy’s uniform.

In 1770, when Marie Antoinette of Austria married King Louis XVI of France, she presented her favorite buns and cakes, the French made some changes, and called him a croissant.

And … What are the most expensive cities to live in?

The top 10 places, among the most expensive cities to live are the following. It is striking that Asian cities continue to dominate the list of the most expensive locations to work abroad, this is the 2019 ranking.

1. Hong Kong
2. Tokyo. Japan
3. Singapure
4. Seoul South Korea
5. Zürich. Switzerland
6. Shanghai. China
7. Ashgabat Turkmenistan
8. Beijing. China
9. New York. U.S
10. Shenzhen. China

Hong Kong the most expensive city where to live. Imagen de Free-Photos en Pixabay

Lilian M


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