Having just come back from a conference in Vienna I got a little reminder of what the Austrian capital has to offer.
As a leading centre of European culture for hundreds of years, it is a city steeped in history and beauty. In spite of the bombing endured in World War II, Vienna remains an architectural delight – so much so that in 2001 the city centre was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are also world-class museums, fine parks, a rich musical tradition, and a multitude of wonderful cafes and restaurants.
Quality of Life Survey
I wasn’t surprised, therefore, to learn that Vienna claimed the top spot in the Mercer 2010 Quality of Life Survey, released last week[1].
The survey evaluates 420 cities worldwide, assessing the living conditions across 10 categories, which include the political and social environment, the economic environment, health and sanitation, schools and education, and recreation.
Having also come first in Mercer’s 2009 survey, it seems Vienna is cementing its status as the city offering the world’s best quality of life.
Meanwhile, Europe as a whole had 16 cities amongst the top 25 in the world. It underlines just how much the continent has to offer for prospective expats.
Happy Living
So what does all this mean for expatriates? Well, it is a useful guide into the ease of life you can expect to find when moving abroad to a new city.
For instance, while in Vienna a couple of weeks ago I got talking to two guys – one from Spain, the other from Colombia – who have both moved to Geneva. Their comments about the life they lead there certainly chime with its 3rd-place ranking in the Mercer survey.
But when looking at reports like Mercer’s there are a couple of provisos to bear in mind:
1) By their nature, such considerations as quality of life are subjective. Mercer goes to great pains to compile valid statistical comparisons across its 10 life assessment categories. But these won’t necessarily mirror your judgements or priorities. (Furthermore, you may not even want to move to a foreign city, but instead plan to be by the beach or in the rural hinterland, where the situation may be very different to the country’s urban centres.)
2) Quality of life ? happiness – it may be a contributor, and an important one, but happiness comes from a broader range of factors.
But that’s a topic for another time.
[1] Mercer 2010 Quality of Living Survey, released 26 May 2010 , http://www.mercer.com/qualityoflivingpr#City_Ranking_Tables
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