The peninsula city of Adelaide is home to 75 percent of the South Australian state's population. The city is known for its flourishing arts scene and is recognized as a "City of Music" by UNESCO. Since the early 2000s, the government has significantly increased spending on infrastructure and redevelopment, as well as renewable energy projects.

Copenhagen was one of just two European cities included in the top 10. The Danish captial was among the European cities with the biggest ranking improvements, moving from 21st up to 9th place. Bicycle- and pedestrian-focussed city planning and a growing street life makes it very people-friendly city. The perceived threat of terrorism has hampered European cities' results in recent years.

With nearly three million people, Canada's largest city has a lot to live up to, and does so with ease. Residents often cite low crime rates, diverse neighborhoods and a booming local economy for the success of the city. Dubbed Canada's "cultural nexus," Toronto offers everything from a thriving nightlife to a hip theater scene.

Japan's metro area is home to more than 38 million people, making it the largest by sheer population. Even if things can feel a bit cramped sometimes, Tokyo gives its residents safety, stability and an abundance of tradition and modern cultural activities. But analysts have warned that "low availability of high-quality housing" has stopped it from making it higher on the list.

From mountains to the ocean, Vancouver has it all. Granville Island and Stanley Park are often cited as spectacular attractions. But even more than sheer natural beauty, Vancouver is home to a bustling food scene propelled by young chefs and entrepreneurs," "which have injected new energy" into the city. But infrastructure held it back from reaching a higher rank on the list.

With a population of more than 5 million, Sydney is the biggest city in Australia. Home to the Sydney Opera House and a vibrant underground music scene, the city offers the best of both worlds for culture. But that's not all. The city is home to stunning beaches, an efficient public transportation system and a robust local economy.

From excellent infrastructure to worry-free healthcare, the Alberta city is the best place to reside in North America. While it fell a bit short on "culture and environment," the city made up for this with perfect scores in every other category. Canada and Australia are the only two countries to have three cities on the list, an impressive feat for both English-speaking countries.

Straddling the line between tradition and modernity in Japan, Osaka is Asia's most livable city. Like Calgary, its "culture and environment" rating held it back from reaching higher spot on the list. But it makes up for this with perfect scores in stability, education and infrastructure. Osaka, historically a merchant city, has been described as the "nation's kitchen."

After seven years in the top spot, the Victorian state capital Melbourne was bumped down to second place in 2018. The city is one of Australia's cultural hubs, and its street art, music and theater brings thousands to the city each year. It has the world's largest urban tram network in the world.

Vienna has pushed Melbourne out of first place in 2018. The two cities had been neck-and-neck for some time, but an improved stability ranking saw Vienna finally pull through, The EIU cited improving security scores, propelled by a return to relative stability across much of Europe as the main reason for Vienna’s rise to the top for the first time in the survey’s decades-long history.