Munich has 5th best quality of life worldwide

[Editor Bob 3,310]

 

Every year the international consulting firm Mercer HR publishes a survey of the quality of life across 215 cities worldwide.

 

This year Munich comes in 5th, up from 10th last year.

 

The top 10 results are:

 

1= Geneva, Zurich

3= Vancouver, Vienna

5= Frankfurt, Munich, Düsseldorf

8= Auckland, Bern, Copenhagen, Sydney

 

The analysis was based on an evaluation of 39 quality of life criteria for each city, including political, social, economic, and environmental factors, personal safety and health, education, transport, and other public services.

 

Baghdad is the world's least attractive city. Other poor-scoring cities include Bangui in the Central African Republic, Brazzaville in Congo, and Khartoum in Sudan.

 

Press release: Mercer HR: World-wide quality of life survey

 

Top 50 list: Quality of Life Survey (pdf)

[oli2000 22]

Beats me how they can put Frankfurt together with Munich!

[Johnny English 3,058]

Yeah thats a joke - no skiing in Frankfurt. Must lose 10 places on that basis.

 

Munich moved from #10 to #5 last year, so we should be #1 by 2006. Except, that is, when the footie hooligans come and start the riots so Munich will be back down at #100.

[Guest]

If I remeber corrctly Frankfurt was rated either 5th or 6th last year whilst Munich was in 10th.

 

I really can't understand it - personally I find Frankfurt one of the depressing cities I have ever seen - although I have only been there about 10 times and always on business so maybe I'm missing something?

[kathie 1,005]

When you look at the things they're rated on, it's not really so surprising that Frankfurt is up there too... here's the list from the website

 

* Political and social environment (political stability, crime, law enforcement, etc)

    * Economic environment (currency exchange regulations, banking services, etc)

    * Socio-cultural environment (censorship, limitations on personal freedom, etc)

    * Medical and health considerations (medical supplies and services, infectious diseases, sewage, waste disposal, air pollution, etc)

    * Schools and education (standard and availability of schools, etc)

    * Public services and transportation (electricity, water, public transport, traffic congestion, etc)

    * Recreation (restaurants, theatres, cinemas, sports and leisure, etc)

    * Consumer goods (availability of food/daily consumption items, cars, etc)

    * Housing (housing, household appliances, furniture, maintenance services, etc)

    * Natural environment (climate, record of natural disasters)

Taken from the webite listed by Bob in the first entry. Economic environment - Frankfurt has the European Central Bank. Socio-cultural environment - pretty much the same as Munich if we're talking about censorship etc. Basically if you're a developed western democracy with relatively high standards of living you're going to be up top. Bear in mind they're comparing cities world wide...

[Katrina 4,515]

I've lived in Frankfurt twice, once as a placement student and again working for the airline with the stork.

And it was fine.

You have fantastic airport and other transport access, I lived in a safe area (Sachsenhausen - Morfelder Landstr.), the shopping is good and it is easy to get around.

Am not saying that the place doesn't have disadvantages (it just isn't pretty apart from Am Römer, there's a huge drug and prostitution market), there are some real advantages. English is very widely spoken due to the amount of expats, there are several English theatre companies and cinemas, the opera is good, you can get probably the best sushi in Germany (fish comes straight off the plane and the places are always jammed full of Japanese), the gay scene is pretty big, the folk generally friendly and there are some great clubs.

Local drink is cider though - that *is* bad.

And they have KFC and we don't so that's a big plus.

[potbelly 17]

Well as KFC is coming to Munich ( Post hangover KFC Yum! ) so we should be up to 4th next year :)

[acockreland2balls 5]

i lived in Frankfurt for a while years ago and I am in agreement that it's a fine enough place. For me the big advantage is that it's compact and easy to get around ..the negative thing being it's not very nice to look at compared with somewhere like Munich ... it's a also a commuter city so 'quite chilled' at the weekend ..and i prefer the Frankfurt cider to Strongbow, Diamond White et al :-)

[Wee Mun 25]

Apfelwein is not Cider!!

 

Also lived in Frankfurt for a few years. It is only the centre of town which is a bit soulless with all the high rises, and the bahnhof viertel is horrible.

[Guest]

 

Basically if you're a developed western democracy with relatively high standards of living you're going to be up top.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

And so how many British cities are in the top 50?

[kathie 1,005]

Just the one - London. Has the same ranking as Madrid - risk of terrorism pulls you down it appears...

Don't know if any other British cities were even taken into account...

[Schotte 1,402]

i reckon the west end of glasgow is the best place to live in the UK.

 

so there. :P

[Eric the Hamster 41]

See another article here:

 

http://www.citymayors.com/features/quality_survey.html

 

 

The analysis was based on an evaluation of 39 quality of life criteria for each city, including political, social, economic, and environmental factors, personal safety and health, education, transport, and other public services

Note: San Francisco is 25th

[eurovol 118]

 

Baghdad remains the world’s least attractive city for expatriates.

I wonder why? :D

[RPW 82]

That explains why I can't find Toytown Baghdad. Hmmm.

[JoolyBooly 0]

London is 39, eek!

[Tim 14]

Looking at the list is like reading figure skating scores

 

9.5 9.8 9.9 10 9.5 9.5

 

When the difference between first city and 20th city is less than a couple of percentage points, or when Munich and Frankfurt (which are clearly two very different places) receive identical marks, one has to ask "what's the point"?

[perdido 6,082]

I just cant believe East St. Louis did not make the list...

[Timmeh 828]

I'm a touch saddened not to see Newark, NJ up there. I believe that list may just be bologne.

[yaqoubjax 0]

Doesn't Frankfurt have the highest crime rate in Germany? Admittedly, a 'high' crime rate in Germany is nothing to be compared to one in the U.S. (take Detroit, for example), but still. I used to live in the Frankfurt area and find it hard to grasp that that city tied with München for 5th place. Obviously, they did not take city attractiveness and the 'friendliness' of the inhabitants into consideration. If they had, FFM would have most certainly tied with Bridgeport, Connecticut.