At Time Out, we’re pretty big fans of all things Europe – it’s no secret that the continent boasts amazing beaches, restaurants and some of the world’s most stylish cities.
It’s not just a great place to travel – it’s also a super happy place to live. According to a new report from the European Commission, almost nine out of ten people in Europe are satisfied with life in their city. While the report shows that life satisfaction across Europe has declined slightly since 2019, that’s still a pretty decent result. But where are people happiest?
Zurich was named Europe’s most liveable city in the 2023 report. Switzerland’s largest city beat out the 82 other cities that were surveyed across the EU, the European Free Trade Association, the UK, the Western Balkans and Türkiye, based on answers from over 71,000 residents.
Residents in Zurich were mostly happy with their jobs, public transport, healthcare services, air quality and financial situations – and the list goes on. One area where the city didn’t fare so well was (perhaps, unsurprisingly) on house prices, as only 11 percent described finding an affordable place to live ‘easy’. However, Zurich scored a staggering 97 percent satisfaction rate overall.
At the other end of the scale is Palermo, the Sicilian cultural and economic capital. Despite its obvious beauty, sunshine and downright heavenly food, only 62 percent of the residents surveyed are satisfied with living there.
According to the report, Palermo is considered a particularly bad place to live for families and young children, while only 34 percent of residents are content with the city’s green space and only 37 percent are content with its healthcare services.
The ten most liveable cities in Europe
- Zürich
- Copenhagen
- Groningen
- Gdańsk
- Leipzig
- Stockholm
- Geneva
- Rostock
- Cluj-Napoca
- Braga
The ten least liveable cities in Europe
For everything you need to know about travelling to Europe, check out our Europe hub. There’s inspo on everything from the best city breaks in 2024 to the most underrated destinations.
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