The 20 global cities with the best quality of life - Jingletree

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Colorful Bryggen waterfront buildings and moored boats line a harbor beneath forested mountains in Bergen, Norway.

Cities in the US rank high globally in terms of economics, but they have some ground to cover in quality of life, according to a new report.

For its 2026 Global Cities Index, economic advisory firm Oxford Economics ranked 1,000 cities across the globe based on five categories: economics, human capital, environment, and quality of life.

Every category is viewed from an economic lens, even quality of life, where indicators include income equality and housing expenditure, among others.

"The Global Cities Index records the progress cities are making across a comprehensive range of metrics," Mark Britton, managing director of city services at Oxford Economics, said in the report. "Sitting alongside our forecasts and scenario models, its ability to highlight how paths change under different conditions and its capacity for comparability shows you not just where cities stand today, but also where they are heading."

The overall list features several US cities in the top 20 — eight, to be exact, with New York taking the No. 1 spot. However, when highlighting quality of life specifically, only one US city made the cut.

Quality of life, which accounts for 25% of a city's overall score, wasn't a bright spot for the US, but plenty of other cities excelled in that category. See which cities ranked highest in quality of life, according to Oxford Economics.

20. Venice, Italy

Gondolas travel along Venice's Grand Canal between colorful historic buildings under a bright blue sky.

Overall score: 51.2

Quality of life score: 86.3

19. Stuttgart, Germany

Sunset city skyline with modern high-rise buildings, wooded hills, and a landscaped park in the foreground.

Overall score: 70.7

Quality of life score: 86.5

18. Prague

Charles Bridge spans the Vltava River with Prague’s historic Old Town skyline under a clear blue sky.

Overall score: 78.1

Quality of life score: 86.9

17. Sydney

Sydney Harbour at sunset with the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and illuminated downtown skyline.

Overall score: 88.3

Quality of life score: 87.2

16. Munich

Aerial view of Munich’s old town with the Altes Rathaus tower and red-tiled rooftops under a cloudy sky.

Overall score: 85

Quality of life score: 87.3

15. Berlin

Berlin Cathedral and the Berlin TV Tower rise behind a bridge over the River Spree at dusk.

Overall score: 84.6

Quality of life score: 87.7

14. Zurich

Aerial view of Zürich old town with the Limmat River, bridges, church towers, and boat docks.

Overall score: 89.1

Quality of life score: 87.7

13. San Jose, United States

Downtown San Jose city skyline.

Overall score: 89.6

Quality of life score: 87.9

12. Linz, Austria

Aerial sunset view of Linz city center with the New Cathedral rising above surrounding streets and buildings.

Overall score: 70.6

Quality of life score: 88

11. Basel, Switzerland

Aerial view of Basel Minster beside the Rhine River at sunset, with city rooftops and towers in the background.

Overall score: 79.6

Quality of life score: 88

10. Paris

Eiffel Tower rises between Paris apartment buildings under a colorful sunset sky.

Overall score: 93.4

Quality of life score: 88.1

9. Ghent, Belgium

Historic riverside buildings line a canal with boats under a bright blue sky in Ghent, Belgium.

Overall score: 74.9

Quality of life score: 88.4

8. Dresden, Germany

River cruise boats sit on the Elbe beside Dresden’s historic waterfront and domed skyline at sunset.

Overall score: 59.4

Quality of life score: 88.5

7. Luxembourg

Luxembourg City old town overlooks a church, canal, stone ramparts, and autumn trees under a clear blue sky.

Overall score: 82.5

Quality of life score: 89

6. Oslo, Norway

Modern waterfront skyline glows at sunset, with city lights reflecting across calm harbor water.

Overall score: 89.1

Quality of life score: 89.3

5. Bern, Switzerland

Bern old town rooftops, church spires, stone bridge, and hillside are lit by warm evening sunlight.

Overall score: 78.2

Quality of life score: 89.8

4. Grenoble, France

Riverside buildings and an arched stone bridge reflect in calm water beneath a snow-capped mountain.

Overall score: 67.7

Quality of life score: 90.8

3. Singapore

Aerial view of Singapore’s downtown skyline with skyscrapers, roads, and waterfront buildings around a bay at dusk.

Overall score: 82.1

Quality of life score: 91.6

2. Bergen, Norway

Twilight aerial view of Bergen harbor with illuminated waterfront buildings, boats, roads, and mountains surrounding the bay.

Overall score: 80

Quality of life score: 94.3

1. Canberra, Australia

Autumn-colored trees line a lakeside promenade with Black Mountain Tower visible across the water.

Overall score: 79.4

Quality of life score: 100

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Jordan Pandy reports on real estate for Business Insider. He writes about domestic and international relocation trends, real estate as a business, and the luxury sector.He also has stories focusing on property technology and, in 2022, moderated a panel on fractional investing at the real estate technology conference Blueprint. Before Business Insider, he covered luxury real estate in South Florida for The Real Deal.He holds a Master's degree in Magazine Writing from New York University and a Bachelor's degree in English from Florida State University. He is based in Washington, DC.

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