For fourth year in a row, Kyiv ranks among top 10 least livable cities in world

For the fourth consecutive year, Kyiv remains among the ten least livable cities in the world, according to the Global Liveability Index 2026. The Ukrainian capital ranked 166th out of 173 cities, scoring 45 out of 100 points. The city received its lowest score for the state of its infrastructure, with the main reasons for the poor result being the consequences of full-scale war and security risks.

The ranking is compiled annually by the research division of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) and published online.

What the city liveability ranking is based on?

Experts evaluate cities based on five criteria: stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure. A total of 173 cities were included in the study.

How Kyiv was rated?

According to the study, Kyiv’s infrastructure scored only 27 out of 100 points. This is one of the lowest scores in the ranking, matching that of Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh.

Kyiv’s other scores are as follows:

• stability — 40 points;
• healthcare — 42 points;
• culture and environment — 53 points;
• education — 75 points.

The low scores for safety and infrastructure are the very main reason Kyiv has remained among the cities with the lowest quality of life for the fourth consecutive year.

The bottom ten of the ranking also included cities that have suffered from wars or prolonged humanitarian crises. Damascus, Syria, had the worst score.

Which cities are the most livable?

Copenhagen once again took first place in the Global Liveability Index 2026. The top ten also included:

• Vienna;
• Melbourne;
• Sydney;
• Zurich;
• Geneva;
• Osaka;
• Adelaide;
• Vancouver;
• Tokyo.

The authors of the ranking note that Western European countries maintain the highest standards of living, although the region’s overall indicators have remained virtually unchanged compared to last year.

Analysts also highlighted the deteriorating situation in the Middle East. Due to regional instability, Muscat, Kuwait, Amman, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi have lost ground.

At the end of the study, the authors also mentioned a separate ranking by the insurance company William Russell, which evaluates the best countries for foreigners to live in. Iceland and Zurich topped the list, while Luxembourg, New Zealand, Australia, and Switzerland also made the top five.

As a reminder, starting July 15, a ride on Kyiv’s public transit system will cost UAH 30. The mayor of the capital, Vitali Klitschko, signed the corresponding order.