Are these Australia's best cities?
A global liveability index has ranked our capitals. But do you agree with its verdict?
Three Australian state capitals have all been named among the world’s top 10 most liveable cities for 2026.
In a strong showing for Australia, Melbourne ranked third, Sydney fourth, and Adelaide eighth. The list, compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit, puts Copenhagen first, followed by Vienna, then Melbourne. Zurich, Geneva, Osaka, Vancouver, and Tokyo also make the top 10.
But what actually makes a city “liveable”? Is it good hospitals, safe streets, and reliable public transport? Is it parks, galleries, beaches, footpaths, and neighbourhood cafés? Or is it simply the feeling that life is pleasant and manageable as we grow older?
The Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index scores 173 cities across 30 indicators, grouped into five categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.
The aim is to measure how comfortable a city is to live in, rather than how attractive it may be to tourists.
BBC Travel’s Lindsey Galloway asked people who live in highly ranked cities what liveability means in daily life.
Copenhagen resident, Thomas Franklin, told the BBC that the Danish capital wins him over with “its calmness”, adding, “Streets are wide, bikes outnumber cars, and the city runs on common sense.”
He also praised the reliability of public transport and the ease of meeting friends by the water.
Australians interviewed by the BBC pointed to a different but familiar formula: outdoor living, culture, decent public services, and a healthier attitude to work.
Sydney resident, Andrea Seifert, said, “Australia has a deep respect for the outdoors. Lunch breaks can be swims, weeknights mean open-air cinemas and weekends are for farmers’ markets.”
Adelaide’s Cheryl Monkhouse said holidays are “not just expected but respected”, while also praising the security of Australia’s healthcare system.
Melbourne resident, Dani Feludu, highlighted one particular aspect of the city. “The people, the food, the lifestyle – Melbourne is so multicultural,” she told the BBC, noting that even suburban streets can offer cuisines from around the world.
Of course, many older Australians may ask whether these rankings capture the whole story. A city can have fine hospitals and museums yet still be hard to live in if housing is unaffordable, public transport is patchy, footpaths are unsafe, or family is far away.
So, what do you think? Is the list right? Are Melbourne, Sydney, and Adelaide truly among the world’s most liveable cities? Would you nominate Brisbane, Perth, Hobart, Darwin, Canberra, a regional centre, or somewhere overseas?
And what makes a city liveable for you: services, safety, climate, cost, community, or something harder to measure?
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