The Best Places In World Popular Destinations — World

• 1. Vienna

  Overall rating: 99.1
  Stability: 100
  Healthcare: 100
  Culture & Environment: 96.3
  Education: 100
  Infrastructure: 100

  Maintaining its position in the number one spot for the second year in a row, Vienna provides the perfect blend of adventure, affordability, ease of living, and safety. The Austrian capital draws crowds with its Baroque architecture and Danube cruises, but it's just as exciting as a center of what’s new in the culinary and art worlds of Europe. And due to a city government that puts a lot of resources behind infrastructure and housing, the cost of living here is far lower than comparable European cities.

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• 2. Melbourne, Australia

  Overall rating: 98.4
  Stability: 95
  Healthcare: 100
  Culture & Environment: 98.6
  Education: 100
  Infrastructure: 100

  Melbourne is the most liveable city in Australia, and the second-most liveable city in the entire world. (The city nabbed the number one spot for seven years in a row before dropping a place last year.) The city shines with all of Australia's best personality traits—sophisticated, stylish, free-spirited—and continues to attract travelers with its world-class art and famed coffee and cuisine.

3. Sydney

Overall rating: 98.1
Stability: 95
Healthcare: 100
Culture & Environment: 97.2
Education: 100
Infrastructure: 100

Sydney was the only city on the list to improve its score from last year to this year, bumping up its culture & environment score several points. The Economist credits the improvement to the “Sustainable Sydney 2030” strategy, a set of goals to help the city become as eco-friendly as possible by the year 2030. 

4. Osaka, Japan

Overall rating (out of 100): 97.7
Stability: 100.0
Healthcare: 100.0
Culture and environment: 93.5
Education: 100.0
Infrastructure: 96.4

Japan’s third-largest city (after Tokyo and Yokohama) is often overshadowed by the nation's capital, but there are plenty of reasons it’s become a destination in its own right. For starters, Osaka is one of the best food cities in all of Japan—must-eat regional specialities include takoyaki (battered, fried octopus balls) and okonomiyaki (grilled savory pancakes with a variety of additions). We also love the city for its baseball culture, neon-lit neighborhoods, and beautiful Osaka Castle.

5. Calgary, Canada

Overall rating (out of 100): 97.5
Stability: 100.0
Healthcare: 100.0
Culture and environment: 90.0
Education: 100.0
Infrastructure: 100.0

Toronto and Vancouver are tough competitors, but Calgary is officially the most liveable city in Canada. Sitting pretty alongside the Canadian Rockies, Calgary boasts perfect scores in 4 out of 5 of the index's scoring categories. The city has thriving restaurant and cultural scenes (don't forget about the Calgary Stampede, an annual rodeo), and its proximity to Lake Louise and Banff National Park makes it an excellent hub for nature-focused day trips.

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London, United Kingdom