Best cities to live in the world

The rankings of the world’s best cities are compiled based on the study of key quality of life indicators, such as stability, safety, income levels, healthcare, education, culture, infrastructure, ecology, and others.When choosing a city to relocate to abroad, you can base your decision on information from studies conducted by leading international publications, such as The Economist, or crowdsourcing platforms (Numbeo, Livingcost), however, you should still consider your own goals, plans, and family circumstances, as well as the opportunities to legal residency.

For example, one of the fastest ways to obtain a residence permit (and in some countries, citizenship) is to buy real estate or set up a business. These legal grounds allow you to become a permanent resident in the best cities in the world, such as Madrid, Barcelona, Lisbon, Porto, Paris, Lyon, Istanbul, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Belgrade.

How to obtain a residence permit in a European country quickly and with a relatively low capital investment – find out during a free consultation withiWorld specialists.

Why is Vienna the best city in the world to live in?

There are several international rankings of the best cities to live in.For example, The Economist named Vienna the most livable city in 2024 in its “Global Liveability Index” study. The Austrian capital scored 100 out of 100 points in criteria such as stability, education, healthcare, and infrastructure. However, due to the lack of major sporting events, Vienna scored 93.5 points in the “culture and environment” category, resulting in an overall index of 98.4 points.

The crowdsourcing platform Livingcost ranked Melbourne, Australia, as the top city for permanent residence in its October 2024 list of best cities. The Hague, in the Netherlands, ranked first in the world for quality of life, according to the Numbeo service ranking.

10 best cities for comfortable life – iWorld ranking

We present you iWorld’s selection of the most comfortable cities to live in. Once again, we would like to emphasize that the best way to choose a city to move to is to follow your own plans and preferences. For example, if you want to live in a sunny city with a good ecology, you should consider Barcelona. If you are looking for a quiet place for family life, consider the French city of Lyon. If your goal is to find a prestigious, well-paying job or develop a business, we recommend that you look at European capitals (Paris, Madrid, Belgrade) and major cities in the Middle East – Dubai, Abu Dhabi.

Just as important is to find out what immigration programs the country offers and how well they fit your circumstances and plans. For example, if you plan to buy real estate abroad, it is better to choose a country that grants residency status for real estate purchases. If you plan to start a business, find out what it takes to open a company and obtain residency.

iWorld specialists offer the most attractive relocation options for entrepreneurs. If you are looking for opportunities to generate income in a European country, such as Serbia, we will be happy to help you open a company and obtain a residence permit there.

Madrid, Spain

Madrid ranks highly in The Economist’s Global Liveability Index 2024, scoring over 90 points in five different categories of quality of life: stability, education, healthcare, culture and environment, and infrastructure.According to the crowdsourcing platform Livingcost, Madrid is in the top 2% of the best places to live in the world, and is number one in Spain in the same category.The city is considered one of the safest in Europe, while also offering a high quality of life.

Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona is one of the best cities in the world in terms of quality of life, according to rankings by The Economist and Livingcost.People move to Barcelona for employment and business opportunities.The average salary of a resident of the city is EUR 2005 per month.Entrepreneurs can count on the support of the Investments Office – advice, assistance with company registration, hiring staff, finding commercial space and other matters.

There are 8 universities in Barcelona, with more than 180,000 students enrolled.The education and innovation ecosystem also includes a wide network of research centers, making the capital of Catalonia suitable not only for obtaining a prestigious education, but also for the development of business start-ups. Barcelona is a comfortable place to live for all categories of the population, including families with children and elderly people.Many foreigners seek to acquire property here. In addition to the opportunity to purchase their own home, under certain conditions they can also obtain a residence permit immediately.

Barcelona is the only major city in Europe with beaches in the central part, and they are well maintained and safe, the water is calm and the temperature of the sea allows swimming from spring to autumn. The conditions for outdoor recreation are ideal here – mild climate, lots of parks and sports facilities available at any time of day.For convenient travel around Barcelona and its surroundings, there are various types of public transport available – metro, buses, trains, trams, taxis, and there is also a digital ticket sales service, T-mobilitat, with contactless technology.

Lisbon, Portugal

According to the Economist’s 2024 quality of life criteria, the Portuguese capital scored around 90 points. The Livingcost platform places it in the top 5% of the best places to live in the world. The Lisbon authorities pay special attention to supporting young people and the elderly, implementing programs to prevent social isolation, improve accessibility of public transport. The city attracts students, researchers and entrepreneurs. Its universities hold high positions in the international rankings of the Financial Times, Times Higher Education and others. There are also three science and technology parks in the city. Foreign students and researchers can get help in adapting to local life, with consultations provided by the organization Study in Lisbon Lounge.

The local government provides comprehensive support to businesses, including financial support, and there are networks of coworking spaces and incubators in the city. Lisbon annually hosts the largest international conference on entrepreneurship, innovation and technology Web Summit. Portugal’s capital offers plenty of job opportunities due to the high concentration of local and transnational companies, with a large number of vacancies in the tourism sector. The average salary is EUR 1,351 per month. One of the most popular ways to move a family to Barcelona is to buy a property, which allows you to immediately obtain a residence permit after investing a certain amount.

Porto, Portugal

According to Livingcost, Porto is in the top 6% of the best places to live in the world. Residents of the fourth largest city in Portugal describe it as a dynamic city that is constantly renewing itself. Porto has a good ecology, large green areas and good transport links. There is an international university in the city, students are offered a wide range of accommodation options, and a special service, Uniplaces, has been developed to facilitate the search for housing.

Porto’s job search sites offer more than 4,000 vacancies, with an average monthly salary of EUR 1,319. The Porto Innovation Hub, a project aimed at developing an innovative and entrepreneurial ecosystem, was created on the initiative of the local government. In addition, an investment of EUR 500,000 in a local company allows the applicant and their family members to obtain a residence permit immediately.

Paris, France

The French capital is among the most liveable cities, according to The Economist. The Livingcost platform included Paris in the top 0.2% of the best places to live in the world. Paris is the preferred city to move to if you want a prestigious education, are looking for a high-paying job, or plan to grow a business. There are 16 universities in the Paris region, as well as specialized educational institutions – college and others.

Many multinational companies have their headquarters in Paris, and 4/5 of the main offices of French companies are located in the capital and its suburbs (the Ile-de-France region), which in 2024 had a total of 5.4 million jobs. The average monthly salary is EUR 3,414. The French authorities are working on a few programs to support start-ups – French Tech 2030, French Tech Next 40/120, Je choisis la French Tech and others – with Paris being considered one of the country’s technology capitals.

Entrepreneurs also choose the French capital for its accessibility – the city is located in the center of Europe, where you can quickly get to any other European capital. Paris-Le Bourget International Airport is located 14 kilometers from Paris, and the transportation infrastructure of the Ile-de-France region is recognized as one of the most important in Europe.

Lyon, France

Lyon scored over 90 points in the Economist’s quality of life rating. The Livingcost service placed it in the top 2% of the best places to live in the world, in the top 5 in France and in first place in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The average salary in the city is EUR 3068, while the cost of living is significantly lower – EUR 1608 per adult with rent. Among the advantages of Lyon is its convenient location – 2 hours from major ski resorts, 3 hours from the Mediterranean Sea, a short distance from Paris, as well as from Italy and Switzerland.

The third largest city in France is recognized as the second economic structure of the country, large multinational companies have located their headquarters here – Babolat, Plastic Omnium, Interflora and others. It is also one of the technological capitals of France. Talented professionals and startup creators can move to the city under the French Tech Visa program, which provides not just a residence permit, but also support from local incubators. Entrepreneurs can participate in one of the French Tech government projects to receive government assistance with financing, hiring, market promotion and other areas of business development.

Another plus of the city is its comfortable living environment. Located on the banks of the Rhône and Saône rivers, Lyon has many places for walking in the fresh air. The most famous of these are the Tête d’Or park, with its zoo, lake, botanical garden and lawns for picnics, and the Miribel Jonage, popular with athletes. Lyon is also a good place for students, as there are several universities on its territory, including one of the best in France, l’université Lyon 1, as well as the National Institute of Applied Sciences, colleges.

Istanbul, Turkey

Istanbul scored around 60 points in terms of quality of life, according to the results of The Economist’s research. The city is in the top 9% of the best places to live in the world by Livingcost and is number 1 in Turkey for the same indicator. Turkey’s first largest city is home to 15.5 million people. It is a metropolis where different cultures merge, so foreigners usually adapt easily. The city offers a wide range of employment and business opportunities – the headquarters of most major Turkish companies are located here, as well as offices of transnational corporations and many technology centers.

Young people also come here to get an education – there are 61 universities in the city, 14 of which are public. Many foreigners move to Istanbul under the real estate purchase program. Depending on the amount of investment, you can get a residence permit or citizenship right away. In either case, there is no requirement to learn the Turkish language.

Istanbul is located on the European and Asian continents, separated by the Bosphorus Strait, which means that the public transportation system also includes sea vessels. There are several large green areas for walking and outdoor recreation: Yildiz Park, Emirgan Grove, Belgrade Forest and others.

Dubai, The United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The city ranked quite high in the Economist rating, scoring more than 75 points in terms of quality of life. According to Livingcost, Dubai is in the top 3% of the best places to live in the world, and the Numbeo platform placed it among the top five safest cities in the world in 2024. The state-of-the-art multicultural metropolis attracts various categories of foreign entrepreneurs, young people and families with children. Most expatriates choose to move to Dubai as part of the Business Startup Program, with more than 30,000 new businesses established in the first half of 2023 alone. Entrepreneurs cite low tax rates (0% income tax, 5% VAT), a strategic location at the crossroads of East and West, free economic zones, and the opportunity to obtain a 5 or 10-year residency permit as attractive factors.

Dubai attracts job seekers not only with a wide range of vacancies, but also with favorable working conditions, such as remote and hybrid working models. The average monthly salary in the city is EUR 3493. Dubai has several international universities, specialized colleges, high schools and more than 263 early learning centers for children aged 0-6. The city’s health care system is one of the best in the region, with a network of clinics and pharmacies in every district, easy access to top hospitals, and health insurance for every employee that also covers their family members. The city has a large number of health centers, healthy food restaurants, free fitness activities, and preventive medical check-ups.

Abu-Dhabi, The UAE

Abu Dhabi scored around 80 points in the Economist’s quality of life ranking. The second largest city in the United Arab Emirates is in the top 4% of the best places to live in the world according to Livingcost. Numbeo ranks Abu Dhabi as the number one safest city in the world. Affordable programs are available to move to the city with the right to obtain residency, including company registration, remote work, and real estate purchase.

Foreign nationals are attracted by the favorable tax environment – no personal income tax in the emirate, VAT is 5% and there is also excise duty on certain goods. The average salary in the city is EUR 3906 per month. The cost of rent and utilities per adult for the same period is about EUR 1802. At the same time, the government and many private companies have introduced a 4.5-day work week, and provide the right to choose different employment options – flexible hours, project work, and others.

The megalopolis, surrounded by the desert, has a large number of parks and green spaces. The authorities encourage an active lifestyle, with more than 380 free places for residents to exercise in public spaces. Abu Dhabi’s transportation system provides access to any point in the emirate with minimal travel time. Special DARBI technology, based on artificial intelligence, provides the most convenient routes for travel by any mode of transport. A wide range of housing options are available for rent in various parts of the city. Foreigners can buy real estate in certain investment zones. For the purchase of an object worth at least EUR 500,000, you can obtain a residence permit (golden visa) for a period of 5 years.

Belgrade, Serbia

Belgrade’s score on the Economist’s quality of life indicators is about 75 points. The cost of living places the capital of Serbia in the top 26% of the best places to live in the world, and in the first place in the country. The city combines relatively high quality and affordable cost of living. There are two public universities and several private universities in the city, about 290 primary and secondary schools, both general and specialized. There are also leading scientific centers for research in various fields. Medical care is provided by 59 public health care institutions, as well as many private pharmacies, offices and clinics.

The strategic location and growing economy attract transnational companies and entrepreneurs, which opens wide employment opportunities, even without local language skills. The average salary in the city is EUR 936 per month. However, Belgrade is especially interesting for entrepreneurs and investors. This is due to the favorable tax climate (temporary exemption from income tax, 0% VAT in free zones), highly qualified workforce and government financial support for investment projects. A Serbian residence permit is granted on the basis of opening a business.

Top 10 cities in the world by quality of life

This table shows the top 10 cities in terms of quality of life as of October 2024, as compiled by Numbeo, the world’s largest crowdsourcing platform. Cities around the world are ranked based on indicators such as purchasing power, safety, healthcare, climate index, cost of living, house price-to-income ratio, commuting time, and pollution levels. For each city, there is a quality of life index, as well as the average salary and cost of living.

How to move to the best city in the world?

To move permanently to the best city of your choice, you need to obtain the status of resident or citizen of the host country. In order to become a legal resident, you should consider the legal grounds for which the country’s immigration policy is most faithful. For example, opening a business or buying real estate in Serbia, Spain, Portugal, Turkey or Montenegro will allow you to obtain a long-term residence permit. France willingly accepts talented specialists, founders and investors of startups under the French Tech Visa program. In some countries, such as Turkey, you can obtain citizenship immediately upon purchasing real estate if the investment amount is not less than the amount specified by the regulations. Contact our specialists to choose the best country for your individual needs and to help you become a legal resident.