These Are the Healthiest Cities in the World

Posted by Denette Wilford on March 1, 2017

What's the definition of a healthy city? A place with fresher air and little or no polution? What about where people simply take better care of themselves and have the means to do so? Or perhaps it's a place where people can speak freely and be who they are without fearing oppression?

For us, simply put, it's a place where everybody would want to live. Thankfully Mercer, one of the world's largest HR consultancy firms, releases an annual "Quality of Living Index," which looks at cities that provide the best quality of life. They factor in political, social and economic environments, medical and health issues, schools and education, housing, recreation and the natural environment. In a nutshell, these are the places you want to be.

  •  Getty Images
    1 of 20

    Singapore, Republic of Singapore

    The island nation is one of the richest in the world, boasts high education and low crime rates. When can we go?

    It also landed a spot on this year's list of the top 20 countries with the most billionaires.
  •  Getty Images
    2 of 20

    Stockholm, Sweden

    The capital boasts a healthy work and life balance, as well as a focus on safety and environmental issues. It also has a booming arts and culture scene.
  •  Getty Images
    3 of 20

    Melbourne, Australia

    The coastal city is considered one of the best places for education, healthcare, research, and development, while its tourism and entertainment sectors keep the city wealthy.
  •  Getty Images
    4 of 20

    Helsinki, Finland

    Helsinki has a booming media industry, and healthy living is high and pollution is low, thanks to their love of walking and the lack of cars. Stats estimate that the ratio of car owners per 1,000 residents is 390.
  •  Getty Images
    5 of 20

    Bern, Switzerland

    It's the second safest city in the world, rich in agriculture, has a growing tech sector, the employment rate is low and the area is simply a gorgeous place to live.
  •  Getty Images
    6 of 20

    Wellington, New Zealand

    It's the country's political centre but in spite of its size and population (it's the second most populous area in New Zealand), it keeps its polution lower than most cities of its size thanks to a third of the people using public transportation or carpooling.
  •  Getty Images
    7 of 20

    Berlin, Germany

    Those who live in the country's capital have it made, from the excellent housing market, wealth of employment opportunities, good personal safety and an abundance of recreational activities to keep them healthy.
  •  Getty Images
    8 of 20

    Amsterdam, Netherlands

    One of the financial centres of Europe, it's also famous for its high standard of living. Combine the modernness of the city with the relaxed attitudes of its citizens and why wouldn't you want to spend your time there?
  •  Getty Images
    9 of 20

    Sydney, Australia

    The country's largest city boasts a good economy, but it's the environment, weather and growing culture scene that puts Sydney on the list.
  •  Getty Images
    10 of 20

    Copenhagen, Denmark

    Like Disneyland, it was dubbed one of the happiest places (to live) on earth. What was once a fishing village, Copenhagen has evolved into a city with strong urban flavour and culture and is famous for its work-life balance. Combine that with all the walking and biking done in the city, which makes for fewer gas emissions, and we all need to be here.
  •  Getty Images
    11 of 20

    Minneapolis-St. Paul, U.S.A.

    The city spends twice the usual amount for parks, for children and grown-ups, giving it the highest rate of physical activity in the entire country. Bikes are also extensively used by the population, making it one of the top cities with the least amount of pollution.
  •  Getty Images
    12 of 20

    Geneva, Switzerland

    It's the planet's centre for diplomacy, it's safe, and home to some of the wealthiest, highly educated people in the world.
  •  Getty Images
    13 of 20

    Dusseldorf, Germany

    The western city may be known for its fashion industry and art scene but it ticks off all the boxes when it comes to quality of life.
  •  Getty Images
    14 of 20

    Tokyo, Japan

    The city's gas emissions are low, thanks to it sporting one of the best transportation systems on the planet. It's clean, rich in culture, family values are strong in these parts and there are many open green spaces for citizens to get healthy and fit in.
  •  Getty Images
    15 of 20

    Calgary, Canada

    In a recent study by the Conference Board of Canada that factored life satisfaction, population health, lifestyle and access to health-care services, this west coast city ranked high on the list. It's also Canada's cleanest city, so that might be enough for many to flock to Alberta.
  •  Getty Images
    16 of 20

    Munich, Germany

    It's the country's powerhouse city (its modern areas are Germany's Silicon Valley), but while it has all the cultural benefits of a metropolis, everything is in easy reach. The infrastructure is fantastic, it's safe and you can't beat the location. Also, Oktoberfest!
  •  Getty Images
    17 of 20

    Auckland, New Zealand

    The environment is idyllic, the economy's well-balanced, the city is safe and residents have a great healthcare plan. And sailing. Boy, do they love sailing.
  •  Getty Images
    18 of 20

    Hong Kong, People's Republic of China

    It's one of the world's most significant financial centres, and makes good use of its well-developed public transportation system. As far as actual health goes, the city has one of the highest numbers of registered doctors, many of which focus on traditional Chinese medicine, which takes a holistic approach to tackling an ailment. It must work since the life expectancy in the city is amongst the highest in the world, at 82.5 years.
  •  Getty Images
    19 of 20

    Zurich, Switzerland

    It's known for its economic sector and vast culture but the Swiss government takes excellent care of its citizens' health, spending about 11 per cent of its GDP for universal healthcare coverage.
  •  Getty Images
    20 of 20

    Vienna, Austria

    It hasn't been ranked No. 1 for the last seven years straight for nothing. It's big without being too big and rich in culture.
  • start over
    Next Gallery

    20 Lesser-Known Hidden Gems in Mexico and Central America

    More Galleries