Switzerland’s biggest city, Zurich, offers the second-best quality of life in the world, according to the annual survey from consulting firm Mercer. Geneva was ranked eighth and Basel came in tenth place.
Austria’s capital Vienna defended its position at the top of the ranking for the ninth time in a row. Munich and Auckland came in joint third place, whilst Iraq’s capital Baghdad remained the worst city in the survey.
Mercer’s surveyExternal link includes 231 cities world-wide and takes into account factors such as political stability, health care, education, crime and transport.
Europe continued to dominate the ranking with eight of the ten most pleasant cities in the world.
The survey is designed to help companies and organisations to determine compensation and hardship allowances for its international staff.
More
More
Expats rate Uganda more attractive than Switzerland
This content was published on
The alpine nation continues to tumble down the rankings in the 67-country Expat Insider surveyExternal link, “The World Through Expat Eyes”, published on Monday. Overall, Switzerland has fallen from fourth place in 2014 to 14th in 2015 to 31st this year. This drop of 17 places made it one of the online survey’s “biggest losers”,…
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
Swiss parliament wants to expand support for asbestos victims
This content was published on
The expansion of financial support for asbestos victims by the Swiss National Accident Insurance Fund has cleared its first parliamentary hurdle.
Extra month of Swiss pension can be paid out from end of 2026
This content was published on
The 13th monthly pension payment can be paid out from December 2026. However, it has not yet been decided how it will be financed.
Addictions cause billions in damage in Switzerland
This content was published on
The alcohol, tobacco and gambling industries generate billions in revenue. At the same time, they cost the economy billions, according to Addiction Switzerland.
Swiss parliament moves closer to partial ban of tobacco ads
This content was published on
Tobacco advertising should be partially banned in the print media. On Monday the House of Representatives gave the go-ahead for restrictions on advertising, with some relaxations.
Online platforms and UBS in sights of Swiss price watchdog
This content was published on
With over 800 cases processed, including just under 400 recommendations, 2024 once again ended with a record number of cases for the Swiss price watchdog.
Swiss federal office sees no reason to end deportations of asylum-seekers to Croatia
This content was published on
Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) continues to deport asylum-seekers to Croatia. It thus rejects a demand from the Swiss Refugee Council in mid-February, which called for a halt to the returns.
ChatGPT responds to negative emotions and therapy, research shows
This content was published on
Stressful information can also cause anxiety in artificial intelligence (AI). As scientists in Zurich have shown, it's even possible to calm the GPT-4 AI model with mindfulness exercises.
Mortgage benchmark fall paves way for potential rent cuts in Switzerland
This content was published on
Switzerland’s national benchmark for mortgage costs dropped to the level it had before the global inflation surge, paving the way for potential rent reductions.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Expats in Switzerland like the safety but not the locals
This content was published on
In expat heaven, safety levels are Swiss, leisure options are South African, teachers are Finnish and neighbours are Mexican. And expat hell?
This content was published on
Due to high prices and a strong franc, some Swiss abroad say they can no longer afford to come home to visit on holidays.
This content was published on
The lakeside communities of Rüschlikon, Meggen and Zug have been named the most attractive places to live in Switzerland in an annual survey.
Swiss cities among world’s best for quality of life
This content was published on
Zurich, Geneva and Basel are among the top ten cities in the world with the best quality of life, according to an international survey.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.