Zurich offers expats the highest standard of living worldwide

For expats and their families, Zurich offers the highest quality of life worldwide. The city leads the way in this year’s Quality of Living city rankings compiled by Mercer. The rankings are based on expat surveys into quality of life in more than 450 major cities around the world carried out by the consulting firm.

Zurich performed well owing to its public infrastructure, low crime rate, lively cultural scene and commitment to sustainability, as Mercer explains in a press release covering the rankings. In combination with the plans to expand its airport connections and international flight destinations, this makes the city an “ideal location for international assignees”, Mercer writes. At the same time, the company points out that Zurich is among the most expensive cities in the world.

In the current rankings, Vienna follows Zurich in second place. Switzerland is the only country to be represented more than once in the top ten, with as many as four Swiss cities making it into this elite group. Geneva is ranked in third place, with Bern and Basel rounding off the top ten in ninth and tenth place respectively. “As cities face extreme weather, economic fluctuations and other challenges, the rankings provide valuable insights for HR leaders at multinational organizations to better navigate the complexities of global mobility management and enhance the overall experience for their international workforce”, comments Narcisa Chelaru, Career Business Leader at Mercer Switzerland, in the press release. ce/hs