Announcement

Melbourne Named World's Third Most Liveable City in 2026

Australia continues to dominate the Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Liveability Index, with three Australian cities ranked among the world's top 10 most liveable cities.

The EIU's 2026 report ranks Melbourne as Australia's highest-performing city and third in the world, followed by Sydney in fourth and Adelaide in eighth. Perth also performed strongly, placing 15th, while Brisbane ranked 16th. Copenhagen retained the number one position for a second consecutive year, ahead of Vienna in second place.

Economist's Global Liveability Index

The annual index assesses 173 cities across five key categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. Melbourne achieved perfect scores for both healthcare and education, reinforcing its reputation as one of the world's most liveable cities.

Adelaide continues its remarkable rise in the rankings. After sitting outside the top 25 just a few years ago, it has now secured eighth place globally, joining Melbourne and Sydney in the world's top 10.

2026 The Economist's Global Liveability Index top 10 rankings

1 Copenhagen Denmark
2 Vienna Austria
3 Melbourne Australia
4 Sydney Australia
5 Zurich Switzerland
6 Geneva Switzerland
7 Osaka Japan
8 Adelaide Australia
9 Vancouver Canada
10 Tokyo Japan

Economist's Global Liveability Index Report

Download Full Report (PDF)