Now at No. 2: Dubai climbs notch higher among world's cities with most-improved liveability

Dubai: Dubai has topped cities in the Middle East and climbed a notch higher at No. 2 among the world’s cities with “most-improved liveability”.

In 2015, it was ranked No. 3 under the same category.

Dubai’s ranking as the second most-improved city in Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Liveability Ranking in 2016 saw its rise in the rankings over the last five years.

The report, published late on Thursday, came from an assessment of the best and worst living conditions across the world, an annual survey conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit called “Global Liveability Report”.

Dubai followed Tehran — and was ahead of Harare in Zimbabwe — as the city with the most-improved liveability.

Melbourne kept the top spot as the world’s “most liveable city”, followed by Vienna and Vancouver and Toronto.

Dubai invests high in living standards

Jon Copestake, the report’s editor, said: “Dubai and other Emirates have been seen as something of a safe haven for businesses and expatriates given the wider disruption in the Middle East, especially with oil prices affecting economies of other Gulf States like Saudi Arabia.” 

#Dubai tops Middle East cities in Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Liveability Ranking, comes #2 globally in term of improvement over 5y— Dubai Media Office (@DXBMediaOffice) August 18, 2016
 

Some 140 cities were rated based on comfort for over 30 qualitative and quantitative factors – each rated as acceptable, tolerable, uncomfortable, undesirable or intolerable.

Certain cities —  Zurich, Geneva, Frankfurt, Berlin, Oslo, Luxembourg, Brussels, Paris, Rome and Lisbon — saw declines in liveability, “mostly stemming from heightened fears of terrorism in the wake of attacks in Paris and Brussels,” the report said.

These are the Top 12 cities to live, in terms of quality of life:

(Source: Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Liveability Ranking)