Monocle, the urbane lifestyle magazine founded in 2007, has named Munich, Germany the most livable city in the world in 2018. In this twelfth edition of its Quality of Life Survey, Monocle scoured the globe for cities, big and small, that combine healthy work-life balances with happy residents and effective public services. Munich jumps up from third place in 2017, replacing Tokyo in the top spot in this year’s survey.
Munich strikes a strong balance between a city that’s fun to live in yet runs like a well-oiled machine. The city’s public transportation is comfortable and clean, the streets are safe and well-maintained, and its airport, which offers connections to over two hundred international destinations, was recently ranked number six in the world. As a result, Munich is highly international; with eighteen universities attracting international students and a higher percentage of foreign residents than Berlin, Munich has preserved its rich Bavarian roots while enabling other cultures to thrive, too. As Monocle’s Robert Bound explains, “Beer gardens remain the classic summer hangout. The city’s proximity to the Alps, as well as lakes and rivers, means that hiking, skiing, cycling and sailing have been favored pastimes for over a century. Plenty of public space means that everybody gets to enjoy their city.”
Economically, Munich shines just as strongly. The city’s unemployment rate is an enviable four percent, and even lower among youth. It plays home to an assortment of global titans in the automotive, biotech and engineering industries, balancing that scientific prowess with world-class museums and an easygoing demeanor. Of course, all of these benefits don’t come without a price. Munich’s property prices are the highest in Germany, though when you compare them to places like Hong Kong or New York, they’re still quite affordable.
Beyond Munich, the rest of Germany and Northern Europe as a whole are the real winners in this year’s Quality of Life Survey. With four German cities making the top twenty-five, including three in the top eight positions, there’s no doubting the efficacy of Germany's carefully progressive urban policies and measured approach to building sustainably comfortable cities. With capitals Copenhagen, Amsterdam, Oslo, Helsinki and Stockholm also on the list, Northern Europe is clearly on the right track. Japan and Australia claim three spots apiece in the top twenty-five as well, leaving just ten positions for the rest of the world to divvy up.
North America, on the other hand, did not pull its weight. Vancouver was the only Western hemisphere city to make the cut, and while Monocle praised it for having “better access to nature than any other city,” its exorbitant housing prices continue to mount pressure on local residents. Tokyo, which received the top honor each of the past three years, dropped below Munich to number two this year, with Monocle noting, “As ever more tourists prepare to visit for the 2020 Olympic Games, Tokyo’s community spirit and civility should be safeguarded.” Cities, just like corporations, are ever-changing entities.
Here are the top twenty-five cities from Monocle’s Quality of Life Survey 2018.
- Munich, Germany
- Tokyo, Japan
- Vienna, Austria
- Zurich, Switzerland
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Berlin, Germany
- Madrid, Spain
- Hamburg, Germany
- Melbourne, Australia
- Helsinki, Finland
- Stockholm, Sweden
- Lisbon, Portugal
- Sydney, Australia
- Hong Kong
- Vancouver, Canada
- Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Kyoto, Japan
- Dusseldorf, Germany
- Barcelona, Spain
- Paris, France
- Singapore
- Fukuoka, Japan
- Auckland, New Zealand
- Brisbane, Australia
- Oslo, Norway
