Vienna is the most livable city in the world, an annual survey found. Zurich in Switzerland and Auckland in New Zealand ranked second and third place, respectively.
Mercer's Quality of Living survey ranks more than 230 cities around the world yearly in terms of overall quality of living. Businesses and governments use the global consulting firm's surveys to analyze how much they need to pay employees who have assignments overseas.
"Multinational companies need accurate data and objective methods to determine the cost implications of deteriorating living standards and personal safety issues when compensating expatriates," said Senior Partner and Mercer's Talent business President Ilya Bonic.
Austria retained its number one ranking consecutively from 2014 to 2016. It also ranked first in 2010 and 2012.
Zurich also kept its second highest ranking in the past three years, also both in 2010 and 2012.
Auckland remained on the third spot for three successive years. It was also third on the list in 2012 and placed fourth in 2010.
The countries are evaluated using 39 factors in 10 categories that account for overall quality of living, including transportation, public services, political and economic issues, personal safety, health and education among others.
The survey's personal safety ranking is based on crime figures, local law enforcement performance, internal stability and other factors. In 2016, Luxembourg topped the list while Bern and Zurich in Switzerland, and Helsinki in Finland were tied in second place.
This year, Vancouver, Canada ranked fifth in the overall ranking. The city also placed fifth in the last three years and in 2012. In 2010, Vancouver ranked fourth place.
"Once you get to the top 20 cities globally the differences between them are very, very minor. It's varying degrees of excellence," said Mercer's Lead of Talent business in Canada, Gordon Frost, who is reminded that they have it "pretty good in Canada" every time he looks at the rankings.
In the U.S., San Francisco bagged the 28th spot in the overall ranking while Singapore (26th overall), once again, snagged the top spot in the ranking among Asian countries.
Photo: Roderick Eime | Flickr
