Melbourne has been named Australia’s most liveable city and number 10 in the world, while other state capitals have tumbled down the rankings.
According to the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) Liveability Index 2022, Melbourne dropped from eighth last year to number 10 this time around.
The Victorian capital previously ranked as the top city in the world from 2011 to 2017 before falling last year after recording the highest number of days in COVID-19 lockdown of any city in the world.
This time around, Melbourne rated highly for education and infrastructure but was significantly behind other top-ranked cities when it came to healthcare.
Other Australian capital cities on the index included Adelaide, which ranked third last year but dropped to 30th, Perth, which tumbled 26 spots to 32nd, and Brisbane, which dropped 17 spots to 27th.
Sydney placed 13th on the list.
According to the EIU, Australia’s capital cities plummeted down the list on the back of harsh Covid lockdowns.
“In Australia, some states were slower to lift restrictions than others,” the EIU report said.
“As a result, Perth and Adelaide have lost ground since last year, and Melbourne is once again Australia’s highest-ranked city.
“Adjusting policy dynamically will remain key to staying on top.”
The Austrian capital, Vienna ranked first on the index, ahead of Copenhagen and Zurich.
