Top 10 · By what matters
Top 10 cities for quality of life
Reykjavík, Oslo, Bergen lead on quality of life. The factor is national, so cities in the same country tie and the balanced score breaks the tie.
Sorted by the quality-of-life factor (Human Development Index and English proficiency), ties by overall score. 309 cities qualify; the ten best are shown. Dataset 2026.09.4. How the scores work.
- 1ReykjavíkIceland
- Quality of life
- 99
- HDI
- 0.972
- English
- very-high
- 2OsloNorway
- Quality of life
- 98
- HDI
- 0.97
- English
- very-high
- 3BergenNorway
- Quality of life
- 98
- HDI
- 0.97
- English
- very-high
Torn between the top two? Compare Reykjavík and Oslo side by side →
The full Top 10
| # | City | Quality of life | HDI | English | Score | Monthly cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reykjavík Iceland | 99 | 0.972 | very-high | 66 | $3,490 |
| 2 | Oslo Norway | 98 | 0.97 | very-high | 68 | $3,646 |
| 3 | Bergen Norway | 98 | 0.97 | very-high | 67 | $3,646 |
| 4 | Brisbane Australia | 98 | 0.958 | native | 66 | $2,806 |
| 5 | Perth Australia | 98 | 0.958 | native | 66 | $2,656 |
| 6 | Newcastle (NSW) Australia | 98 | 0.958 | native | 64 | $3,350* |
| 7 | Sydney Australia | 98 | 0.958 | native | 64 | $3,599 |
| 8 | Gold Coast Australia | 98 | 0.958 | native | 62 | $3,350* |
| 9 | Melbourne Australia | 98 | 0.958 | native | 61 | $2,869 |
| 10 | Byron Bay Australia | 98 | 0.958 | native | 61 | $3,350* |
* country-level cost estimate. Scores are 0–100 under balanced weights; open a city for every number and its source.
Frequently asked
- Which nomad city has the highest quality of life?
- Reykjavík, with a Human Development Index of 0.972 and very-high English proficiency.
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