Brace yourselves, proud Americans.
The Economist Intelligence Unit’s (EIU) Global Liveability Index 2023 highlights the 10 best cities in the world.
None are in the United States.
Canada, Australia, Switzerland and Japan are ranked the best countries to live in, with several cities in each country appearing on the Ten Best list.
Austria and Denmark top the list — and are certainly favorites of several of my friends!
- Vienna, Austria
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Melbourne, Australia
- Sydney, Australia
- Vancouver, Canada
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Calgary, Canada TIE WITH Geneva, Switzerland
- Toronto, Canada
- Osaka, Japan TIE WITH Auckland, New Zealand
Most interesting on the list is Calgary. I was there in around 2006, and it was known as a sort of Western style cowboy town with an up-and-coming startup scene. This website is all about life in Calgary. Their phrase “adventure meetings opportunity” says it all and why this city is worth exploring…
What do the 10 best cities in the world have in common?
Here is a list of generalizations I am making simply from knowing about these cities over the years and from having visited many of them myself.
- Beauty: They are all grand, old, classic cities with beautiful, well-preserved architecture.
- Vibrant economies: They (for the most part) have embraced technology and have vibrant startup scenes as well as diverse economic opportunities.
- Water: Take a look at the city list. Most or all of the most livable cities are near an ocean, a lake or a river.
- Quality of life: Who doesn’t want to hang out at a cafe, bar, or take an evening stroll in any of the mentioned cities?
- Awesome food scenes: Trust me, whether it’s restaurants, outdoor food markets or pubs, these cities all have strong food cultures. Vancouver and Toronto are legendary for their international food scenes.
The article on Bloomberg reveals the 10 worst cities to live in (otherwise known as the bottom 10)
Luckily, none of the ten worst cities in the world are in the United States.
It’s easy to try living in the 10 best cities around the world.
First, learn the visa rules of the EU, Australia, Japan, etc. then bring your 10 Best Cities List and check them off.
- Australia visa rules for U.S. citizens
- Canada visa rules for U.S. citizens (and how you can move to Canada)
- Europe (EU) visa rules for U.S. citizens (If you are thinking of living in Portgual — despite the surprising lack of a Portuguese city on the list — talk to me! I’ve got connections to agents and a legal team that can help you choose the right visa.)
- Japan visa rules for U.S. citizens
Do home exchanges around the world.
HomeExchange.com let’s you have people stay at your place either at the same time. Or you can earn or buy “guest points” that are like money to spend on home exchanges all over the world.
For example, my friend has spent 2 weeks in Scotland while people came to stay at her house in Berkeley, California. They are headed to Sicily in a couple of months. She also stayed at a Napa Valley retreat for a few days as a home exchange. You get the idea!
It’s a perfect way to explore great places to live around the world.
Get enough free “guest points” to stay the night somewhere around the world when you join Home Exchange with this link.
Or Airbnb nomadically around the world (better yet try Couch Surfing which still exists!)
Especially if you’re renting, Airbnb and other vacation rental platforms make it so easy to explore the world.
(Follow me @agentsusie on Instagram and update me on your progress! I’ve run a popular bucket list website and would be honored to be connected with you. Plus I will give you a free gift to kick off your exploration.)
Get a quick overview of the 10 best cities by connecting with local real estate agents. I’ll vet them for you!