Auckland among 5 best cities globally for work-life balance

Auckland has placed fifth in Forbes' worldwide index on the best cities for work-life balance.

The index, which looked at 128 major cities across the globe, determined the places that would "fare best when it comes to workers' wellbeing."

Auckland ranked fifth with a work-life balance score of 62.7 out of 100.

"The city has a relaxed and friendly atmosphere, making it a comfortable and enjoyable place to live and work. It is home to a growing and diverse economy, providing ample employment opportunities across a range of sectors," Forbes said in an article.

Forbes also noted that an average employee in Auckland works 26.3 hours weekly, while enjoying four weeks of paid leave and 11 public holidays per year.

"Additionally, unemployment is significantly lower than other cities within the index, at 3.2%," said Forbes, which collected data between January and February 2023.

Auckland is the first city outside of Europe to be listed in the index. The top 10 cities include:

1. Copenhagen, Denmark (70.5)
2. Helsinki, Finland (65.1)
3. Stockholm, Sweden (64.8)
4. Oslo, Norway (63.2)
5. Auckland, New Zealand (62.7)
6. Gothenburg, Sweden (60.7)
7. Reykjavik, Iceland (58.7)
8. Vienna, Austria (58.5)
9. Edinburgh, Scotland (57.1)
10. Belfast, Northern Ireland (57)

The index measured the work-life balance score by assessing the following factors:

• World Happiness Index ranking
• Gender Inequality Index ranking
• Average working hours
• Minimum legal annual leave
• Property price to income ratio
• Proportion of remote and hybrid working vacancies
• Maternity leave policy
• Parks and nature reserves per capita
• Unemployment rate
• Sunlight hours