The 20 global cities with the best quality of life

A new report by Oxford Economics highlights a contrast between the strong economic performance of US cities and their weaker standing in quality of life rankings. The 2026 Global Cities Index evaluated 1,000 cities worldwide across five categories: economics, human capital, environment, governance, and quality of life. While American cities performed strongly overall, particularly in economic measures, quality of life emerged as a relative weakness.

global cities

The index assesses quality of life through indicators such as income equality, housing affordability, health, and access to services. Although eight US cities ranked among the world’s top 20 cities overall, led by New York at No. 1, only one US city featured among the highest-ranked cities specifically for quality of life.

Oxford Economics said the index is designed to track how cities progress across various metrics and to provide insight into their future development. According to the report, the rankings not only show where cities currently stand but also help illustrate how their positions may evolve under different economic and social conditions over time.

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