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Copenhagen overtakes Vienna: The new number one in quality of life!
In 2025, Vienna will fall to second place in the Economist ranking of the most livable cities, behind Copenhagen, due to security concerns.
Copenhagen overtakes Vienna: The new number one in quality of life!
The ranking of the world's most livable cities has a new number one for 2025: Copenhagen. As the NZZ reported, Vienna, which had been in the top places for years, now had to give up this top spot to the Danish capital. The decisive factor for the decline to second place was a planned attack on a Taylor Swift concert, which weighed heavily on Vienna and was reflected in the ratings. Security plays a crucial role in global rankings and is increasingly a criterion that determines quality of life.
This year's ranking evaluates a total of 173 cities worldwide and divides them into five categories: health system, education, infrastructure, stability and culture and environment. Quality of life is understood as a mixture of efficient systems, such as functioning public transport and good medical care. However, the ranking often does not capture subjective factors such as enjoyment of life or social participation, which can be seen as a downer.
The impact of the security situation
Current security developments have a direct impact on ratings: the two foiled attacks that took place in Vienna caused the city to fall behind compared to Copenhagen, Zurich and Melbourne. These cities impress with stable infrastructure and a high standard of living. According to the Consumer Protection Forum Berlin Copenhagen enjoys an overall rating as the most livable city, while Vienna takes second place.
Another interesting aspect is that many of the top-rated cities have fewer than six million residents. Tokyo, London and New York rank far behind compared to their smaller counterparts. This finding shows that smaller cities often perform better in terms of quality of life.
A look at the factors of quality of life
In the Global Liveability Index, quality of life is assessed by 35 factors and divided into seven topic areas. These include economic and political stability, security, healthcare, climate conditions and the popularity of cities. Vienna has traditionally been valued in Austria, but the current setback could change the world's perception of the city.
An interesting aspect is the organized updates of the rankings, which are based on constantly changing data from the World Bank and other institutions. The ranks are adjusted regularly and care is taken to ensure that current values are given priority. This ensures that rankings such as the Global Liveability Index remain current and relevant.
In summary, Vienna's decline in the ranking shows that the security situation is an important aspect of quality of life. Copenhagen has managed to establish itself as a top city, while Vienna now has to reorient itself to maintain the high standards for which it is known. The ranking clearly shows that quality of life is complex and must always be re-evaluated.