Rise of China in the Livable Cities Ranking, Decline in the Middle East

The results of the 2026 Global Liveability Index, published annually by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), have been announced. This comprehensive study evaluates the living conditions of cities across the globe through various critical metrics. These assessments include topics such as the quality and accessibility of healthcare services, educational standards, cultural environment, infrastructure quality, and environmental factors. This year's index scrutinizes a detailed analysis of 173 different cities globally. While cities are scored from 1 to 100 in each category, the sum of these scores determines that city's position in the overall ranking. The results reveal the profound impact of global balances and regional crises on urban quality of life.

The top of this year's list was Denmark's capital, Copenhagen, without a major surprise. Copenhagen managed to maintain its top position with the high-level infrastructure, excellent public services, and high standard of living it offers. In contrast, at the bottom of the list was Syria's capital, Damascus. Damascus, where the effects of a long-lasting civil war and destruction prevail, unfortunately earned the title of the world's most difficult city to live in. Looking at the list as a whole, it is seen that cities in European countries with stable political structures and strong economies maintain their weight at the top. However, since this traditional ranking can change every year, rising cities from Asia and the Far East are also drawing attention.

One of the most striking findings of the liveability report was the tremendous rise shown by Chinese cities. Metropolises in China climbed strikingly up the list thanks to the significant progress they recorded in areas such as political and economic stability, security, and healthcare services. This situation is interpreted as a concrete reflection of the massive projects the country has implemented in recent years regarding urban transformation, infrastructure investments, and improving living standards. The heavy investments made by Chinese officials in various public services, especially healthcare and security, to make cities more livable seem to have started to bear fruit. Therefore, Chinese cities are leading among the cities that have shown the most improvement worldwide.

On the other hand, the report witnesses a significant decline in cities in the Middle East and North Africa region. Geopolitical tensions in the region and the negative wave created by the war in Iran, in particular, have seriously shaken the stability in the Gulf region. This situation directly caused a decline in the quality of life and caused many cities in the region to lose steps in the index. Oman's capital, Muscat, became the city with the biggest drop this year, falling a full 14 places. It was followed by Kuwait's capital with 12 places and Jordan's capital, Amman, which dropped 11 places. Dubai and Abu Dabi, the popular metropolises of the region, also drew attention by falling four places each.

Undoubtedly, one of the cities most affected by the crisis in the region was Iran's capital, Tehran. As a result of the geopolitical and economic destruction it is in, Tehran fell into the ranks of the 10 worst-performing cities in the world, crossing red lines in the list. This picture bitterly proves how negatively not only military and political conflicts, but also the economic isolation and infrastructural collapse they create, affect the daily lives of ordinary citizens. It is already a subject of debate how long-lasting the destructive effects of security concerns and regional wars in the Middle East can be on urban quality of life. In the light of these data, it is once again understood that maintaining peace and stability globally is the most important step to be taken to improve the quality of life.