http://www.mercer.com/qualityofliving (http://www.mercer.com/qualityofliving)
| Rank 2009 | Rank 2008 | City | Country | Index 2009 | Index 2008 |
| 1 | 2 | VIENNA | AUSTRIA | 108.6 | 107.9 |
| 2 | 1 | ZURICH | SWITZERLAND | 108 | 108 |
| 3 | 2 | GENEVA | SWITZERLAND | 107.9 | 107.9 |
| 4 | 4 | VANCOUVER | CANADA | 107.4 | 107.6 |
| 4 | 5 | AUCKLAND | NEW ZEALAND | 107.4 | 107.3 |
| 6 | 6 | DUSSELDORF | GERMANY | 107.2 | 107.2 |
| 7 | 7 | MUNICH | GERMANY | 107 | 107 |
| 8 | 7 | FRANKFURT | GERMANY | 106.8 | 107 |
| 9 | 9 | BERN | SWITZERLAND | 106.5 | 106.5 |
| 10 | 10 | SYDNEY | AUSTRALIA | 106.3 | 106.3 |
| 11 | 11 | COPENHAGEN | DENMARK | 106.2 | 106.2 |
| 12 | 12 | WELLINGTON | NEW ZEALAND | 105.9 | 105.8 |
| 13 | 13 | AMSTERDAM | NETHERLANDS | 105.7 | 105.7 |
| 14 | 14 | BRUSSELS | BELGIUM | 105.4 | 105.4 |
| 15 | 15 | TORONTO | CANADA | 105.3 | 105.3 |
| 16 | 19 | OTTAWA | CANADA | 105 | 104.7 |
| 16 | 16 | BERLIN | GERMANY | 105 | 105 |
| 18 | 17 | MELBOURNE | AUSTRALIA | 104.8 | 104.8 |
| 19 | 17 | LUXEMBOURG | LUXEMBOURG | 104.6 | 104.8 |
| 20 | 20 | STOCKHOLM | SWEDEN | 104.5 | 104.5 |
| 21 | 21 | PERTH | AUSTRALIA | 104.3 | 104.3 |
| 22 | 22 | MONTREAL | CANADA | 104.2 | 104.2 |
| 23 | 23 | NURNBERG | GERMANY | 104.1 | 104.1 |
| 24 | 24 | OSLO | NORWAY | 103.7 | 103.7 |
| 25 | 25 | DUBLIN | IRELAND | 103.6 | 103.5 |
| 26 | 32 | SINGAPORE | SINGAPORE | 103.5 | 102.9 |
| 26 | 25 | CALGARY | CANADA | 103.5 | 103.5 |
| 28 | 27 | HAMBURG | GERMANY | 103.4 | 103.4 |
| 29 | 28 | HONOLULU, HI | UNITED STATES | 103.1 | 103.1 |
| 30 | 29 | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | UNITED STATES | 103 | 103 |
| 30 | 29 | HELSINKI | FINLAND | 103 | 103 |
| 30 | 29 | ADELAIDE | AUSTRALIA | 103 | 103 |
| 33 | 32 | PARIS | FRANCE | 102.9 | 102.9 |
| 34 | 34 | BRISBANE | AUSTRALIA | 102.4 | 102.4 |
| 35 | 35 | TOKYO | JAPAN | 102.2 | 102.2 |
| 35 | 37 | BOSTON, MA | UNITED STATES | 102.2 | 101.8 |
| 37 | 36 | LYON | FRANCE | 101.9 | 101.9 |
| 38 | 38 | YOKOHAMA | JAPAN | 101.6 | 101.6 |
| 38 | 38 | LONDON | UNITED KINGDOM | 101.6 | 101.6 |
| 40 | 40 | KOBE | JAPAN | 100.9 | 100.9 |
| 41 | 41 | MILAN | ITALY | 100.8 | 100.8 |
| 42 | 48 | PORTLAND, OR | UNITED STATES | 100.6 | 100.2 |
| 42 | 42 | BARCELONA | SPAIN | 100.6 | 100.6 |
| 44 | 44 | WASHINGTON, DC | UNITED STATES | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| 44 | 44 | OSAKA | JAPAN | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| 44 | 44 | LISBON | PORTUGAL | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| 44 | 44 | CHICAGO, IL | UNITED STATES | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| 48 | 43 | MADRID | SPAIN | 100.2 | 100.5 |
| 49 | 49 | NEW YORK CITY, NY | UNITED STATES | 100 | 100 |
| 50 | 50 | SEATTLE, WA | UNITED STATES | 99.8 | 99.8 |
QuoteVienna has passed Zurich to take the top spot as the world's city with the best quality of living, according to the Mercer 2009 Quality of Living Survey. Geneva retains its position in third place, while Vancouver and Auckland are now joint fourth in the rankings.
Overall, European cities continue to dominate the top locations in this year's survey. In the UK, London ranks at 38, while Birmingham and Glasgow are jointly at 56. In the US, the highest ranking entry is Honolulu at position 29. Singapore (26) is the top-scoring Asian city followed by Tokyo at 35. Baghdad, ranking 215, remains at the bottom of the table.
The rankings are based on a point-scoring index, which sees Vienna score 108.6, and Baghdad 14.4. Cities are ranked against New York as the base city with an index score of 100. Mercer's Quality of Living ranking covers 215 cities and is conducted to help governments and major companies place employees on international assignments. See top 50 quality of living rankings below.
Slagin Parakatil, senior researcher at Mercer, commented: "As a result of the current financial crisis, multinationals are looking to review their international assignment policies with a view to cutting costs."
"Many companies plan to reduce the number of medium to long-term international assignments and localise their expatriate compensation packages where possible though the hardship allowance, based on quality of living criteria, will remain an essential component of the package," he added.
This year's ranking also identifies the cities with the best infrastructure based on electricity supply, water availability, telephone and mail services, public transport provision, traffic congestion and the range of international flights from local airports.
Singapore is at the top of this index (score 109.1) followed by Munich in second place and Copenhagen in third. Japanese cities Tsukuba (4) and Yokohama (5) fill the next two slots, whilst Dusseldorf and Vancouver share sixth place. Baghdad ranks at the bottom of the table with a score of only 19.6.
Mr Parakatil commented: "Infrastructure has a significant effect on the quality of living experienced by expatriates. Whilst often taken for granted when functioning to a high standard, a city's infrastructure can generate severe hardship when it is lacking. Companies need to provide adequate allowances to compensate their international workers for these and other hardships."
Worthless. Laramie, Wyoming not even ranked in the top ten? :mad:
http://languish.org/forums/index.php?action=post;topic=649.0;num_replies=2
QuotePeople perceive many different things when they speak of quality of living. While everyone agrees that a high crime rate is undesirable and the air we breathe, the house, the environment we live in should be clean, there is great diversity in ideas about quality of living, thus reflecting the different use of the term and different understanding depending on age, gender social position, etc. of the person.
Given that basic individual needs are quite general, it is fairly unlikely that the quality of living components listed by two different individuals will differ to any great extent; what is more likely is that certain criteria of quality of living will have greater weighting than others at a given moment or in certain situations.
Although Quality of Life is a broadly used term, it should not be confused with what Mercer refers to as Quality of Living. Alongside the different personal and subjective assessments each of us may make, there are some aspects everyone would probably agree on as being important for having good quality of living standards such as personal safety and security, health issues, transport infrastructure, availability of consumer goods and adequate housing and schooling and recreation opportunities.
In fact, Quality of Life may involve a subjective assessment or opinion, whereas Mercer's criteria are objective, neutral and unbiased. Quality of Life is about a person's emotional state and personal life. One may live in the highest ranked city in terms of quality of living and still have a very bad quality of life because of unfortunate personal circumstances (illness, unemployment or loneliness, etc).
Indeed, definition of Quality of Life may differ according to levels of income, social status, health and/or weather conditions. For the purposes of this report, quality of living assesses the degree to which expatriates enjoy the potential standard of living in the host location. Quality of living also reflects the interaction of political, socio-economic and environmental factors in the host location.
Mercer has designed an objective way of measuring quality of living for expatriates based on factors that people consider representative of quality of living. Once a year, Mercer conducts a quality of living study in more than 380 cities worldwide based on detailed assessments and evaluations of 10 key categories and 39 criteria or factors, each having coherent weightings reflecting their relative importance. The categories and factors are shown in the table below:
Mercer's quality of living factors
Political & Social Environment
* Relationship with other Countries
* Internal Stability
* Crime
* Law Enforcement
* Ease of Entry and Exit
Economic Environment
* Currency Exchange Regulations
* Banking Services
Socio-Cultural Environment
* Limitation on Personal Freedom
* Media & Censorship
Medical & Health Considerations
* Hospital Services
* Medical Services
* Infectious Diseases
* Water Potability
* Sewage
* Air Pollution
* Troublesome & Destructive
Animals & Insects
Schools & Education
* Schools
Natural Environment
* Climate
* Record of Natural
Disasters
Public Services & Transport
* Electricity
* Water Availability
* Telephone
* Mail
* Public Transport
* Traffic Congestion
* Airport
Recreation
* Variety of Restaurants
* Theatrical & Musical
Performances
* Cinemas
* Sport & Leisure Activities
Consumer Goods
* Meat & Fish
* Fresh Fruits & Vegetables
* Daily Consumption Items
* Alcoholic Beverages
* Automobiles
Housing
* Housing
* Household Appliances
& Furniture
* Household Maintenance
& Repair
Detroit?
Just the fact that they have Vancouver at #4 shows how the list is suspect.
Their cost of living survey was only applicable to a very small percentage of people, very wealthy western expat workers.
It is a nice city. Too many tourists though.
Shocking that London is there (top 50) but not other, far more livable, UK cities. But Birmingham? WTF? Thats very unlivable. Edinburgh trumps it and is well known. Newcastle does too.
Meh, I bet this is largely based on subjective measures that reward particular choices, and/or very vague criteria the measurement of which is largely suspect.
Although, if you look at the spread from NYC to the top city, it is pretty damn small. If anything this survey says "Hey, live in the West! It doesn't suck!"
Quote from: Berkut on April 28, 2009, 02:31:41 PM
Meh, I bet this is largely based on subjective measures that reward particular choices, and/or very vague criteria the measurement of which is largely suspect.
Although, if you look at the spread from NYC to the top city, it is pretty damn small. If anything this survey says "Hey, live in the West! It doesn't suck!"
Well, the survey is measuring "quality of living" for well earning expats. I suspect it's pretty good in most cities of the civilized world.
Quote from: DisturbedPervert on April 28, 2009, 12:49:28 PM
Their cost of living survey was only applicable to a very small percentage of people, very wealthy western expat workers.
bingo. you have to consider the audience for this research. for what it is, I assume it's fairly useful information.
IT'S NOT a list of quality of living for say 1) recent uni graduates, 2) families of 4s, 3) the recently laid off and so on.
Quote from: The Brain on April 28, 2009, 12:34:02 PM
Detroit?
We have the highest quality of living for elected officials. :)
Quote from: DGuller on April 28, 2009, 12:38:58 PM
Quote from: The Brain on April 28, 2009, 12:34:02 PM
Detroit?
Is there still life in Detroit?
Apparently there are mutant behemoth who long to devour Caliga; though that may be just an internet rumor. :unsure:
Seattle Art Museum and it's weak-minded board/benefactors are the reason we are only #50. :angry:
They would not know taste if it slapped them in the face. "Let's spend our entire endowment on painted baby doll-barbed wire art!!!1!!1!
<_<
Quote from: Habsburg on April 28, 2009, 06:21:45 PM
Seattle Art Museum and it's weak-minded board/benefactors are the reason we are only #50. :angry:
They would not know taste if it slapped them in the face. "Let's spend our entire endowment on painted baby doll-barbed wire art!!!1!!1!
<_<
pics please!
Quote from: Habsburg on April 28, 2009, 06:21:45 PM
Seattle Art Museum and it's weak-minded board/benefactors are the reason we are only #50. :angry:
They would not know taste if it slapped them in the face. "Let's spend our entire endowment on painted baby doll-barbed wire art!!!1!!1!
<_<
Don't worry... when the revolution comes all the useless people like this will be shot. :hug:
Quote from: Savonarola on April 28, 2009, 03:24:48 PMApparently there are mutant behemoth who long to devour Caliga; though that may be just an internet rumor. :unsure:
Well yeah, I heard there's rumors on the Internets. Specifically, on the Google.