Despite this setback, the Hungarian capital maintains its position as the highest-ranked capital city in Central and Eastern Europe, continuing to lead its regional peers in overall quality of life.

European Cities Lead the Global Rankings

According to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index 2026, Copenhagen has retained its position as the world’s most liveable city for the second consecutive year.

The Danish capital achieved an overall score of 98 out of 100, receiving perfect marks for stability, education, and infrastructure.

The global top ten for 2026 features a strong showing from Europe, Australia, and Asia. Following Copenhagen, the highest-ranked cities are Vienna, Melbourne, Sydney, Zurich, Geneva, Osaka, Adelaide, Vancouver, and Tokyo.

Western Europe continues to perform exceptionally well in the index, with Copenhagen, Vienna, Zurich, and Geneva all securing positions within the global top six.

The EIU report notes that the highest-ranking locations successfully combine political stability, high-quality healthcare and education, efficient infrastructure, and attractive urban environments.

For instance, the report highlights Copenhagen’s extensive cycling infrastructure, clean harbor waters, and compact, pedestrian-friendly design, while Vienna consistently scores maximum points for its healthcare and education systems.

A Closer Look at the Budapest Decline

Budapest ranked 36th globally this year, dropping from 32nd place in the previous edition of the index. While the Hungarian capital remains comfortably ahead of every other capital city in the post-communist Central and Eastern European region, the four-place drop represents one of the largest declines recorded in the 2026 report.
 

According to the data, only six cities worldwide experienced a more significant fall in the rankings this year.

Five of those locations are cities in the Middle East heavily impacted by regional conflicts, including Doha, Muscat, and Kuwait City, which puts the scale of Budapest's downward shift into perspective.

Notable Shifting Positions Across the Globe

The index also tracked significant upward movement, with Fuzhou in China emerging as the biggest improver after climbing seven places.

Chinese cities dominated the list of fastest-rising locations this year, occupying six of the top seven spots for improvement. The sole non-Chinese city to mirror this upward trend was Lisbon, which climbed six places in the ranking.

At the opposite end of the scale, Damascus in Syria was once again designated as the world’s least liveable city, scoring just 32 points.

It was followed closely by Tripoli in Libya. Meanwhile, Kyiv, heavily impacted by more than four years of Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine, ranked 166th out of the 173 cities surveyed, making it the lowest-ranked capital city in Europe.

Understanding the Methodology

The EIU’s annual Global Liveability Index evaluates 173 cities worldwide across five broad categories: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.

Each city is assessed using dozens of individual indicators. Rather than measuring a city's appeal to tourists or its broader economic performance, the index is designed to evaluate how suitable a location is for everyday life, specifically accounting for the quality of public services, safety, transport infrastructure, and general living conditions.

Photo: Pixabay

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