Global cities ranked by Mercer on factors such as healthcare, education, housing
Five Canadian cities top Mercer’s quality of living ranking for 2023. The Canadian cities among the top global rankings are Vancouver (8th), Toronto (17th), Ottawa (tied for 18th), Montreal (tied for 20th) and Calgary (23rd).
These are the only North American cities to rank in the top 25, with a city from the United States not present until the ranking of San Francisco at 37th, making Vancouver the highest ranked city in North America.
In Mercer’s June 2023 cost of living survey, Toronto was ranked the most expensive city in Canada, followed by Vancouver. According to Mercer, there is a correlation between the cost and quality of living across selected cities around the world.
“We’re proud to see Canadian cities so well represented among the top places globally offering high quality of living to expatriates,” said Elizabeth English, principal in Mercer Canada’s career products business.
“Each Canadian city is unique in culture and lifestyle. From Vancouver’s proximity to the Pacific Ocean and coastal mountains, Toronto’s vibrant city life, Ottawa’s access to the country’s parliament, Montreal being a hub for gaming and AI and Calgary’s emergence as a cleantech hub. It’s no surprise that Canada continues to be an attractive destination for expatriates, and they are thriving in a country with access to a range of unique benefits.”
Top international cities
Vienna, Austria tops the quality of living ranking for 2023, followed by Zurich, Switzerland and Auckland, New Zealand in second and third place, respectively. Locations with lower quality of living include several African cities including N’Djamena (Chad), Bangui (Central African Republic) and Khartoum (Sudan), rank 236th, 239th and 241st, respectively. Locations from Middle East also ranked low including Sana’a (Republic of Yemen) at 238 and Baghdad (Iraq) at 240.
The rankings outline which cities provide the highest quality of life for expatriates and assesses the practicalities of daily life for expatriates and their families working outside of their home location. The survey also shows that countries with a high quality of living provide their citizens and expatriates with access to excellent healthcare, education, infrastructure, and social services as well as affordable housing.
In addition to the quality of living a location can provide, the cost to live there influences how attractive it is to employees and corporations. The most successful locations are currently those combining flexible governance for mobile talent, a high quality of life and a reasonable cost of living, according to the report.
“The current global landscape is affected by geopolitical turmoil, natural disasters, and other economic challenges, all of which have significant implications for cities and their ability to attract and retain talent. Many employees are reconsidering their priorities and assessing the quality of life provided to them and their families in the places they live and work,” said Yvonne Traber, partner and global mobility leader at Mercer.
The full ranking can be found here, with the top 25 cities as follows:
- Vienna, Austria
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Geneva, Switzerland
- Frankfurt, Germany
- Munich, Germany
- Vancouver, Canada
- Sydney, Australia
- Dusseldorf, Germany
- The Hague, Netherlands
- Wellington, New Zealand
- Bern, Switzerland
14* Basel, Switzerland
14* Amsterdam, Netherlands
16. Luxembourg, Luxembourg
17. Toronto, Canada
18* Berlin, Germany
18* Ottawa, Canada
20* Montreal, Canada
20* Melbourne, Australia
22. Perth, Australia
23. Calgary, Canada
24. Oslo, Norway
25. Hamburg, Germany