Melbourne Crowned Worlds Most Liveable City... Again

For the sixth year in a row, the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Liveability Index has rated Melbourne as the world’s most liveable city, which comes as no surprise to those living here. Melbourne is the cultural and fashion capital of Australia and the city’s sporting facilities are among the best in the world.
The prestigious survey examined 140 countries and scored them based on stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Having once again scored 97.5, Melbourne has cemented itself at the top of the list. “This is a result all Victorians can be so proud of. It’s just more proof there’s no city on earth quite like Melbourne,” Premier Daniel Andrews said.

Melbourne Skyline and Princes Bridge, December 2008

Melbourne scored perfectly in healthcare, education and infrastructure – although the latter may be hard to believe considering the city’s frustration with the transport system and road congestion.

Only 0.1% separated Melbourne from silver medalist Vienna; taking the bronze is Vancouver. Other cities to crack the top 10 were Toronto in fourth place, followed by Adelaide and Calgary (tied for fifth), Perth, Auckland, Helsinki and Hamburg.

Dropping four places from 2015 was Sydney, in 11th due to a “perceived threat of terrorism.” In fact, over the past 12 months, 25% of the cities surveyed have experienced a change in their scores, the majority affected negatively by “deteriorating stability” due to ‘heightened threats of terrorism or unrest’. France, Belgium, Turkey and the United States all received low stability scores due to terrorism, while social unrest and the Black Lives Matter movement also caused usually stable American scores to waver. Civil war in the Ukraine, Syria and Libya, and insurgent groups in Nigeria have had negative impacts, as has diplomatic tension. The five least liveable cities in 2016 are Tripoli, Lagos, Port Moresby, Dhaka and Damascus.

Flinders Street Station during White Night

Considering the turmoil foreign cities are currently experiencing, Melbourne’s occasional frustrations – for example Myki – and temperamental weather don’t seem that bad, but in case you’re still in doubt consider all the wonderful things Melbourne has to offer. From Australian Football League to coffee, street art to rooftop bars, and museums to music events, there’s much to love about the world’s most liveable city.