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Melbourne has long worn its liveability badge with pride, and according to new global research, it’s still very much earned. A January 2026 report by digital entertainment platform JB has ranked Melbourne among the top ten most liveable cities in the world, rubbing shoulders with European heavyweights like Zurich, Copenhagen and Vienna – and standing as the only Australian city to make the cut.
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The study examined 45 cities worldwide across six factors that shape everyday life: quality of life, safety, healthcare access, air pollution, unemployment and disposable income. While Zurich claimed the top spot overall (with residents saving nearly $4,000 a month and unemployment sitting under three per cent), Melbourne’s showing proves that life here still stacks up exceptionally well on the global stage.
On the quality of life front, Melbourne scored 198.3, placing it firmly in the upper echelon, ahead of cities like Edinburgh (197.5) and Boston (186.4), and not far behind Munich (194.2) and Seattle (194.6). That score reflects the lived experience locals know well: a city that balances culture, green space, food, sport and a general sense of ease (aside from when it comes to getting tickets to the AO final, but that’s by the by).
In the healthcare stakes, Melbourne clocked 73.3 out of 100, outperforming overall winner Zurich (70.1) and Seattle (68.7), and sitting comfortably alongside cities like Boston (72.2). It’s a reminder that Australia’s healthcare system continues to punch above its weight, particularly when compared with US cities that famously struggle with access and affordability.
Where Melbourne truly shines is on the economic stability front. With an unemployment rate of just 4.3 per cent, it fares better than Helsinki (9.7 per cent), Vienna (7.5 per cent) and Munich (6.3 per cent), signalling a relatively robust job market in uncertain global times. Locals are also left with an average of $1,746 in disposable income each month after rent and basic expenses – more than Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Helsinki, and only surpassed by Zurich and Seattle.
Safety is one area where Melbourne trails some European peers, scoring 55.8 compared to Munich’s standout 78.9 or Zurich’s 76.6. Still, it ranks safer than Seattle (44.9) and holds its own against other large global cities, reinforcing its reputation as a generally safe place to live and work.
These are the most liveable cities in the world for 2026:
- Zurich
- Copenhagen
- Amsterdam
- Vienna
- Munich
- Helsinki
- Melbourne
- Seattle
- Edinburgh
- Boston
European cities may dominate the very top of the rankings, taking seven of the top ten spots, but Melbourne’s presence among them is telling. You can check out the full report and methodology over here.
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