Living in: The world’s happiest places





Aarhus, Denmark


Oslo, Norway


On the east side of town across the Akerselva river, hip Grünerløkka is also very desirable. A former working class area, it is home to many students, creative types and young families. The square metre price of a property in Frogner ranges from 40,000 to 120,000 Norwegian krone, while in Grünerløkka the price ranges from 35,000 to 80,000 NOK. Rent for three-bedroom apartment in the city centre is around 15,000 to 20,000 NOK a month. Typically, the busiest times are in December/January and July/August when students are starting school and university.

Geneva, Switzerland
Geneva sits on the southwestern end of long Lake Geneva, backed by the Alps and the Jura Mountains, close to the French border. While the Swiss city’s official language and air of sophistication is French, Geneva is a global financial centre and one of the United Nation’s main headquarters,  home to dozens of UN offices including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the World Health Organization, as well as the International Red Cross and European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN). As a result, nearly half the city’s residents are foreign nationals.

The Rhone River divides the city into the Rive Gauche, home to the Old Town, the University of Geneva and the Cathédrale St-Pierre, and the Rive Droite with its many parks, international organisations and NGOs. In the summer, beaches such as Baby Plage and Bains des Paquis on the banks of the lake provide residents with opportunities for swimming and sunning. In winter, many flock to ski resorts in the nearby Mont Blanc massif, such as Chamonix and Courmayeur.

The Old Town is one of the most expensive places to live, but suburbs along the lake, such as affluent, pricey Cologny, are also in high demand. South of the city centre, Carouge is an arty district with a large outdoor market, a thriving cultural scene and great restaurants. Many expats commute from nearby French towns where housing is less expensive, such as Saint-Julien south of the city and Ferney-Voltaire to the north. Many apartments and most houses are rented unfurnished which adds to the expense, and non-Swiss citizens will usually need a government permit to buy property.

“Property in Geneva is very sought after, but in short supply in prime locations,” said Peter Frigo, managing partner of Engel & Völkers Switzerland. “Prices have fallen slightly, but are still some of the highest in the world, comparable to St Moritz [in Switzerland] and the Hamptons [in New York].” In the city centre, two-bedroom apartments start around 2.5 million Swiss francs, and a three-bedroom apartment rents for between 3,000 and 4,500 CHF a month. A two-bedroom property in Colony averages around 3.5 million CHF, and the average rental price is 2,000 CHF a month.

Utrecht, Netherlands


The average two-bedroom apartment costs around 200,000 to 250,000 euros in and around the city centre. Average rental prices for a two-bedroom in a good neighbourhood are between 1,250 and 1,400 euros per month.

Malmo, Sweden
Malmo is Sweden’s third-largest city, but after more than a decade of being linked to Copenhagen via the Oresund Bridge, it is also considered part of a bigger trans-national metropolitan area. It has experienced growing pains: the multicultural city currently has the largest Muslim population in Scandinavia and anti-Semitic attacks have been on the rise. The new mayor has pledged to fight them more seriously than her predecessor.  

Malmo is also Sweden’s first fair trade city, meaning workplaces serve fair trade tea and coffee and stores promote ethical consumption. While the Old Town and its squares are as charming as ever, new development, architecture, transport and sustainability projects have attracted tech companies, university students and immigrants from around the world. “It’s easy to get around, you can ride your bike all over town and you always are close to the sea and countryside,” said Daniel Saveman, an estate agent with Fastighetsbyrån. “It is also very close to Copenhagen and the rest of Europe.”

Residents of Gamla Väster on the west side of the Old Town between the central Stortorget square and green Slottsparken successfully fought demolition and urban renewal in the 1970s. Now the small houses and buildings are very valuable and popular. On the other side of the park, reasonably priced and quiet Slottsstaden is close to the Ribersborg beach. On the waterfront, the rejuvenated neighbourhood of Västra Hamnen is home to Santiago Calatrava’s landmark Turning Torso tower, the tallest in Sweden. Further west, Limhamm, next to the Oresund Bridge, is a good place to look for a house near the water. An average two-bedroom house in these desirable areas ranges from 1.4 to 1.8 million Swedish krona, while the average rent for a two-bedroom ranges from 5,000 to 8,000 SEK a month.