Adelaide is Australia’s most liveable city

Adelaide is also the world’s third most liveable city and the top city in Australia, followed by Perth (#6), Melbourne (#9) and Brisbane (#10)

The Economist Global Liveability Index 2021 examines 140 cities worldwide, based on challenges presented to an individual’s lifestyle.

Data for this survey was collected from February 22nd to March 21st 2021. Key findings include:

• The overall global average liveability score has fallen by seven points, as compared with the average pre-pandemic score. The extent to which cities were sheltered by strong border closures, their ability to handle the health crisis and the pace at which they rolled out vaccination campaigns drove significant changes in the rankings.

• Auckland, in New Zealand, is at the top of The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Liveability rankings, owing to the city’s ability to contain the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic faster and thus lift restrictions earlier, unlike others around the world.

• Six of the top ten cities in the March 2021 survey are in New Zealand or Australia, where tight border controls have allowed residents to live relatively normal lives.

• Many European and Canadian cities have fallen down the rankings, having battled a second Covid-19 wave by restricting cultural and sporting events, and closing schools and restaurants.

• The lower end of the rankings has seen less change, with the Syrian capital, Damascus, still the least liveable city in the world.

• Healthcare scores fell after the onset of the pandemic in most cities across the world, with the least affected cities concentrated in western Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.

Lockdowns affect the most liveable cities

The pandemic has caused huge volatility in our bi-annual Liveability index, which ranks 140 cities across five areas: stability, healthcare, education, culture and environment, and infrastructure. Data for this survey were gathered between February 22nd and March 21^st 2021, when cities were at different stages of their battle with the pandemic.

The new leader is Auckland. Owing to border closures and a consequently low Covid-19 case count, New Zealand has been able to keep its theatres, restaurants and other cultural attractions open. Students have been able to continue going to school, giving Auckland a 100% score for education. This has allowed the city to move up from sixth place in our autumn 2020 survey to first position in our March 2021 rankings. The New Zealand capital, Wellington, has also gained from this relative freedom, moving from 15th to joint fourth place in our current rankings.

Japanese cities of Osaka and Tokyo ranked second and fourth, respectively, owing to continued high stability scores. In third place is Adelaide in Australia, which also imposed a ban on international travel. Three more Australian cities – Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane – appear in the top ten, with Sydney in 11th place. The Swiss cities of Zurich and Geneva also maintained their places in the top ten, despite some social restrictions still being in place.

From:  A report by The Economist Intelligence Unit    Read the report