We know, a few months ago we told you about the ranking of Global Finance 2022 in which a list with more than 20 cities around the world with a good quality of life was selected. In this case, this new report is made by The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), with more than 70 years of experience in quality of life analysis in the world. They offer in-depth insight and analysis of economic and political developments in the global environment. An opportunity to observe new trends and opportunities in today's world.
During the last two years, EIU global liveability ratings have been heavily influenced by the pandemic , the confinement and social distancing measures that have affected all areas of society. However, the EIU rate has normalized somewhat more this year, with data reminiscent of pre-pandemic rates.
In this sense, the EIU habitability index has increased considerably in the 2022 survey (conducted between February 14 and March 13). Culture and environment, health and education scores have improved from the previous two years. Still, due to the war in Ukraine, the parameters have also been altered. For that reason, kyiv has not been included in the list.
"Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24 has forced us to exclude Kyiv (Ukraine) from our survey. The conflict has influenced the rankings of Moscow Y St. Petersburg (Russia). Both cities are seeing a drop in scores due to increased instability, censorship, the imposition of Western sanctions, and companies withdrawing their operations from the country.
Yes, 33 new cities appear, a third of them are in China. This makes a total of 172.
Vienna, Austria
VIENNA TOPS THE LIST AGAIN
As the EIU study reveals, Vienna it is back in the top ten on the list, despite falling to 12th in early 2021 when its museums and restaurants were closed. With the relaxation of sanitary measures, it has returned to the same position it held in 2018 and 2019. Its stability and good infrastructure are its main charms; that's backed by good medical care and plenty of opportunities for culture and entertainment.
In fact, it is the cities of Western Europe and Canada that dominate the top of the ranking thanks to the normalization of restrictions that make these cities return to normal activity. Copenhagen (Denmark) has risen 13 points from its position 12 months ago, as has Zurich (Switzerland) which now shares third place with Calgary (Canada), which has risen from position 18.
On the other hand, the last ten cities in the ranking remain fairly stable, with none of the new cities falling below this level. “As in previous surveys, living conditions continue to be worse in Damascus, the Syrian capital. Living conditions are also very complicated in Tripoli, Libya, Lagos in Nigeria and Algiers In Argelia. Wars, conflicts and terrorism are the main factors that have more weight”.
Encouragingly, however, all of the bottom ten except Tripoli have seen their scores improve in the last year with the relaxation of health restrictions, both in Dhaka (Bangladesh) as in Port Moresby (Papua New Guinea).
Bridge in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
A VERY HIGH COST OF LIVING
Another issue highlighted by the report is the cost of living. “Global prices for many goods, particularly food and fuel, rose sharply in 2021 and have since soared as a result of the war in Ukraine. Russia is a major exporter of oil and gas, but together with Ukraine they account for 30% of world trade in wheat, 17% in corn and more than 50% in sunflower oil”, they explain.
The forecast for 2022 is not very optimistic. According to the EIU, inflation will be at 8.5%, the highest figure in the last 26 years. "Inflation rates will subsequently decline, but we expect prices to remain high for the duration of the conflict."
This rise in inflation could put the habitability of many cities on the ropes, especially if there are interruptions in the supply of food and fuel. The more expensive the prices, the less purchasing power citizens have to spend on culture or services.
"The increase in interest rates in most countries can contribute to these also falling into debt. Some companies, including hotels and restaurants, already weakened by the
pandemic, they may not survive, reducing the habitability of these countries".
From 10 to 1, this is the ranking of the most livable cities of 2022:
- Vienna (Austria)
- Copenhagen (Denmark)
- Zürich (Switzerland)
- Calgary (Canada)
- Vancouver (Canada)
- Geneva, Switzerland)
- Frankfurt (Germany)
- Toronto Canada)
- Amsterdam (Netherlands)
- Osaka (Japan)
- Melbourne (Australia)