This top honour was bestowed upon Vienna by the renowned international business magazine *The Economist*. Living and working in Vienna – the Austrian capital has thus been named the ‘world’s most liveable city’, beating numerous other major cities such as Melbourne, Osaka, Calgary, Sydney, Vancouver and Toronto. The only other European city to make it into the top ten in this ranking is Copenhagen, in ninth place. A total of 140 cities were assessed.
This means that it is not only *The Economist* that has crowned Vienna the “most liveable city in the world” – the result is also confirmed by a ranking from the US consultancy firm Mercer: there too, Vienna took first place as the “most liveable city in the world”, ahead of Zurich, Munich and Auckland in New Zealand. Mercer surveyed as many as 231 cities. Living and working in Vienna is therefore considered particularly desirable.
Vienna comes out on top in almost all criteria
People in the Danube metropolis are, of course, very proud of this result. Criteria such as social security, infrastructure, education, healthcare, political stability and cultural opportunities were assessed – institutions such as the Burgtheater and the Vienna State Opera enjoy a world-class reputation. Following the announcement of the results, the Austrian daily newspaper *Der Standard* asked Viennese citizens of various ethnicities and backgrounds whether, in their opinion, the title of ‘world’s most liveable city’ had been rightly awarded – the responses were unequivocal: Everyone agreed and particularly highlighted the city’s safety, cleanliness and the efficiency of its public transport system. Living and working in Vienna also means that the city’s cultural diversity and international character were highly rated, as were its openness to the world and tolerance. However, the residents did not hesitate to issue a reminder to the city’s leaders: for Vienna to remain the “world’s most liveable city”, it is essential to preserve its cultural heritage and ensure that the city’s further expansion takes place in a measured way, not least to protect green spaces and the environment. After all, the Viennese also value their parks and the leisure activities they offer.
Vienna’s economy is booming
Vienna’s economic importance has become increasingly firmly established in recent years – and this, too, plays a central role in life and work in Vienna: Vienna is the third UN city after New York and Geneva and is home to numerous international organisations, as well as globally operating companies and international associations such as OPEC (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) and the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe). Vienna is increasingly enjoying a reputation as one of the most important centres for science and research. As a congress and conference centre, Vienna is also regularly ranked number one in the world by the international umbrella organisation ICCA (International Congress and Convention Association).
It is therefore almost a matter of course that COLLECTION operates a business centre in a prime location in the Golden Quarter. Dr André Helf, CEO of the COLLECTION Business Centre Group, emphasises the significance of Vienna as ‘the world’s most liveable city’: “Vienna deserves this title. Anyone who knows Vienna and has the privilege of spending time there frequently or living there knows that the conditions are ideal for a first-class quality of life. That is why we also intend to open another location in Vienna in the near future – the demand is certainly there. The mix of industries in Vienna is exceptionally diverse, and this ensures opportunities for growth and, of course, well-paid jobs. The city has always served as a kind of springboard to Eastern Europe, where many companies continue to see huge market opportunities.”
There is yet another advantage that the ‘world’s most liveable city’ offers its residents: property prices in Vienna are still comparatively low – a factor that certainly makes living and working there very attractive.
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