Melbourne Ranked Fourth As World's Most Liveable City 2024

The title of the ideal city has long been a topic of debate among architects and city planners. Many things are considered in determining it besides aesthetic identity and cultural heritage, the quality of life in each city will also be an important marker. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a sister company of The Economist, released the Global Liveability Index 2024 this year. It conducts a detailed search by highlighting many superior cities based on certain criteria. For the third year in a row, Vienna has been ranked as the most liveable city in the world, along with European cities such as Copenhagen, Zurich, and Geneva, which are also included in the top rankings. These cities have smaller populations, so this impacts crime rates and congestion, which tend to be lower when compared to cities with larger populations.

Flinders Street Station and Flinders Street in Melbourne (cr: Victorian Coalition Government)

Featuring 173 cities from around the world, each city is rated based on 30 qualitative and quantitative factors divided into five categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. The scores are based on external data points, internal analysis, and contributors within the city. Melbourne is ranked fourth in the Top Ten Most Liveable Cities in 2024. Vienna, Austria is ranked first, followed by Copenhagen, Denmark in second place, and Zurich in third place. Melbourne scored 97.00, slightly ahead of Vienna in first place with 98.4.

Melbourne City, Australia as World's Most Liveable City 2024 (cr: Michael Evans Photographer)

Compared to the previous year, Sydney and Melbourne fell in the rankings due to rising housing costs, resulting in lower infrastructure scores. However, healthcare and education services were highly ranked. Melbourne only dropped one spot to fourth. Despite housing challenges, it is helped by its overall good quality of life, cultural diversity and cuisine. Many families praise Melbourne as a child-friendly city with its facilities such as affordable childcare, safe streets, and some of the best playgrounds in the world. The city is regularly visited by many museums and exhibitions, such as the Heide Museum of Modern Art, the National Gallery of Victoria, the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, and many more. In terms of nature, it is also very supportive; for example, living near Port Phillip Bay is the best spot to enjoy the sunset in the afternoon after work by walking and playing with the children on the beach, followed by dinner with fish and chips. 

Heide Museum of Modern Art (cr: Heide Museum of Modern Art)

National Gallery of Victoria (cr: Visit Melbourne)

Melbourne is an international cultural hub and the cultural capital of Australia, often hosting major events and festivals. The city has a well-established drama, musical, comedy, music, art, architecture, literature, film and television industries. Its climate, seaside location and nightlife make Melbourne one of the most liveable cities in Australia. For seven consecutive years (2011 to 2017), the city topped The Economist Intelligence Unit's survey of the world's most livable cities, also categorized for its rich culture. Seeing people from different cultures and backgrounds working together and learning from each other makes newcomers feel accepted and welcomed. Some of Australia's most prestigious schools are located in Melbourne. Melbourne has six of the top twenty Australian high schools in the Better Education rankings. The number of international students studying in the city is also growing. In addition, Melbourne was named the fourth-best university city in the world in 2008 after London, Boston, and Tokyo. The city's excellent and accessible public transport network makes it possible to live independently and travel safely without fear. For these various reasons, Melbourne has become one of the cities on the list of Liveable Cities in the world.

Public Transport in Melbourne (cr: Visit Melbourne)