Trying to calculate what makes a city a great place to live is a massive task. For ’s annual best cities ranking, we go straight to the locals, asking them about everything from nightlife and culture to green spaces and walkability.
But when the data crunchers at Oxford Economics sat down to rank 1,000 of the world’s biggest urban hubs for their 2026 Global Cities Index, they focused on five criteria: income equality, salaries, housing costs, life expectancy, and, our personal favorite, recreation and culture.
While the global gold medal went to Canberra (bravo to the Aussies for the top-tier healthcare), the second-place city that took the crown for Europe is a stunner.
Say hallo to Bergen. This Norway city is tucked away inside the Byfjorden fjord and surrounded by dramatic peaks; it’s a place where you can finish a shift at a high-paying job and be hiking up a mountain by dusk. The city scored incredibly well because it nails the work-life balance. Wages are high, the wealth gap is small and the world-class Haukeland University Hospital keeps the population thriving, which is why their life expectancy numbers are through the roof.
Taking the silver medal for Europe is Grenoble. The French ‘capital of the Alps’ actually won the ranking back in 2024, and it’s still thriving by pairing a huge scientific research scene with world-class ski slopes right on its doorstep. It wins big for outdoor recreation, so it’s a dream for anyone who wants a serious tech career but also likes to spend their weekends tearing down a black run.
Third in Europe is Bern, Switzerland’s cool, compact capital that pairs Swiss efficiency with a laid-back pace of life. Bern scored highly because its public services work well, local purchasing power is massive, and the clean, low-stress city design means everyone gets a premium standard of living without the frantic rush of a mega-city.
The top 10 European cities for quality of life in 2026
- Bergen, Norway (Ranked 2nd globally)
- Grenoble, France (Ranked 4th globally)
- Bern, Switzerland (Ranked 5th globally)
- Oslo, Norway (Ranked 6th globally)
- Luxembourg City, Luxembourg (Ranked 7th globally)
- Dresden, Germany (Ranked 8th globally)
- Ghent, Belgium (Ranked 9th globally)
- Paris, France (Ranked 10th globally)
- Basel, Switzerland (Ranked 11th globally)
- Linz, Austria (Ranked 12th globally)
Did you see that Europe’s coolest neighbourhoods in 2026 have been revealed by ?
Plus: The World’s 50 Best Hotels have been crowned – and this Hong Kong beauty is number one again.
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