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Top Ten Places to Live in the World
DirJournal Contributing Author. Editorial-team verified.
Key Takeaways: Best Places to Live (2026)
- 1Copenhagen scored 98/100 on the EIU Global Liveability Index — the world's most liveable city.
- 2Portugal replaces Brazil as the top retirement destination: #3 Global Peace Index, NHR tax regime, Digital Nomad Visa.
- 3In 2026, geopolitical stability is as important as quality of life when choosing where to live.
- 4Every entry includes a 2026 Security Note addressing real-world safety and conflict proximity.
We're living in an era of elevated geopolitical tension: the war in Ukraine continues to reshape Europe, conflicts in the Middle East have intensified, and global stability scores have declined for the third consecutive year according to the Economist Intelligence Unit. We've woven security context into each entry below — because the best place to live isn't just beautiful. It's safe.
If you could live anywhere in the world, where would that be? What do you find appealing about that location when compared with all of the other amazing places in this world? We've put together a list of the top ten places to live for people looking for certain things in their hometowns.
Before we get to our list of our picks for the top ten places to live, let's start by figuring out what makes a location a good choice in the first place.
What Makes for a Great Place to Call Home?
What would your ideal hometown look like? I'd bet it's very different from my idea of the best place to live. And that's okay. We all have different goals, preferences, and needs. So an area one of us finds exciting, another might find threatening. A place one of us thinks of as tranquil and family-friendly might seem incredibly boring to another.
The List
Amsterdam, the Netherlands Best for: Healthcare, Open Culture & Canals
In the Netherlands, the philosophy is refreshingly simple: people should make moral decisions with little interference from the government. That ethos permeates everything about Amsterdam — from its world-class healthcare system to its famous tolerance of lifestyles that other countries still debate.
The Euro Health Consumer Index continues to rank the Netherlands among Europe's top healthcare systems — scoring especially high for patient rights, minimal bureaucracy, waiting times, and patient empowerment. For 2025, it ranks in the top three in Europe, consistently.
As far as culture, Amsterdam is staggeringly rich: the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Anne Frank House draw millions of visitors each year, but locals barely notice them — they're too busy cycling to work along those famous canals. Amsterdam is said to have more canals than Venice, more cafes than Vienna, and more bridges than Paris.
"Amsterdam is said to have more canals than Venice, more cafes than Vienna, and more bridges than Paris." — Claudio.Ar
New York City, USA Best for: Career, Nightlife & Never Getting Bored
The city that never sleeps comes by its title easily. Whatever your interest, you're sure to find it in New York City — day or night. And in 2026, the city has reinvented itself yet again after pandemic-era upheavals, with a thriving cultural scene, booming tech industry in Midtown and Brooklyn, and a restaurant revival that's the envy of every other American city.
With over 26,000 restaurants, 3,800+ bars, and some 700 museums and cultural institutions, the options are simply staggering. The popular dating app Hinge lists New York as its single largest user base city globally, a testament to the city's enormous single-and-looking population.
From piano bars to jazz lounges, from world-famous comedy clubs to rooftop discos, New York's nightlife keeps the city hopping until morning hours. The tech boom that moved into Hudson Yards and Brooklyn has brought a new wave of young professionals — raising the cost of living, yes, but also raising the ceiling on what's possible here.
Malta Best for: Mediterranean Living on a Budget
The island nation just 60 miles south of Sicily is a repeated winner of Quality of Life Index awards for best climate — and in 2026, it has quietly become one of Europe's most in-demand relocation destinations. The reason? It ticks an astonishing number of boxes at once: English as an official language, EU membership, Mediterranean sunshine, low cost of living, and a politically stable government.
With a daily average of over five hours of sunshine, mild winters, and hot summers, Malta is considered ideal by many. And it's not just about the weather. Malta's economy has grown consistently above the EU average for the past decade, fueled by iGaming, financial services, and an expanding tech sector.
The Manoel Theatre in Valletta — the second-oldest working theater in Europe — offers opera, ballet, and drama year-round. Diving and sailing are exceptional given Malta's location in the middle of the Mediterranean. Golf and horseback riding are popular pastimes. The government is politically stable. Crime is minimal. Locals are famously hospitable.
Virginia, USA Best for: Families, Community & American History
The state of Virginia has beautiful shorelines and beaches along its Atlantic coast, rolling Blue Ridge Mountains to the west, and a deeply community-oriented culture throughout. Virginia is consistently ranked among the best US states for raising a family — and in 2026, that reputation has only grown as families have relocated here from more expensive coastal cities in search of space, safety, and excellent schools.
Virginia is very family and community-oriented, with plenty of fairs, festivals, and community events throughout the year. The people are diverse and friendly. Many of the schools are highly ranked nationally, with Northern Virginia's Fairfax County school district consistently placing in the top tier of US public education systems.
The proximity to Washington D.C. means unmatched federal employment opportunities, with a significant cybersecurity and defense technology corridor anchored in Northern Virginia. At the same time, rural Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley offer extraordinary natural beauty, low cost of living, and tight-knit communities for those who want to escape metro life.
Portugal Best for: Retirement, Remote Workers & Affordable European Living
Editor's Note: Our original entry highlighted Brazil for low cost of living and retirement — and while Brazil remains vibrant and culturally extraordinary, a significant number of our readers and commenters pointed out (correctly!) that Brazil's cost of living in São Paulo and Rio has risen substantially, public healthcare quality has remained a serious challenge, and safety concerns are persistent in major urban areas. For 2026, we're replacing Brazil with Portugal — the country that has taken over the top spot for expat retirees and remote workers globally.
Portugal is, quite simply, one of the most livable countries in the world right now. It offers warm Atlantic weather, a deeply hospitable culture, one of the lowest crime rates in Europe, and costs of living that remain well below those of France, Germany, or the UK — though the Lisbon and Porto markets have tightened in recent years as demand has exploded.
The Non-Habitual Resident (NHR) tax regime — though recently modified — continues to offer favorable tax treatment for qualifying foreign retirees and high-earners. The Digital Nomad Visa makes Portugal one of the easiest EU countries to relocate to for remote workers. English is widely spoken in cities. The food — fresh seafood, local wine, Pastel de Nata — is extraordinary. And the Portuguese people have a warmth and openness to foreigners that's genuinely rare.
"Portugal is the most welcoming country in the world for expats right now. The combination of safety, affordability relative to Western Europe, culture, and climate is unmatched." — Expat Insider Report, 2025
Frequently Asked Questions
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Belize Best for: Natural Beauty, Diving & Off-Grid Living
Belize, considered one of the most beautiful countries in Central America, simply has it all. Great beaches, a subtropical climate, diverse wildlife, the second-largest barrier reef in the world, and a refreshingly low cost of living. The official language is English — unusual in Central America — which makes settling in significantly easier for North American and British expats.
The scuba diving and snorkeling is nothing short of world-class, anchored by the Great Blue Hole — one of the world's top dive sites. The gorgeous waterfalls beneath the Maya Mountains are rivaled only by the hundreds of colorful bird species overhead, from scarlet macaws to keel-billed toucans (Belize's national bird).
Consider a snowbird lifestyle here. The wet season runs May to October — it rains often and hurricanes are possible. But November through April? This is paradise. The Qualified Retirement Program (QRP) starts at 45 and allows substantial tax-free living on qualifying pension income. For those seeking to escape the noise of modern geopolitics, Belize is beautifully far from it all.
Cape Town, South Africa Best for: Adventure, Natural Beauty & Urban Vibrancy
Cape Town features some of the most beautiful scenery and fascinating attractions in all of Africa. Table Mountain, a gigantic slab of flat sandstone rising dramatically above the city, offers breathtaking 360-degree views, world-class hiking trails, and paragliding for the adventurous. (Cable cars are available for the not-so-adventurous.) The False Bay coastline is warm, the Boulders Beach penguins are an absolute delight, and the winelands of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are a short drive away.
The second most-populated city in South Africa, Cape Town is known for being socially tolerant and culturally diverse. Its bistros and restaurants offer world-class cuisine, and the city has developed a legitimate global reputation as a creative and tech hub in Africa — with a booming startup scene anchored by Bandwidth Barn and the Woodstock creative district.
Copenhagen, Denmark Best for: Work-Life Balance, Safety & Simply Living Well
New for 2026: We're adding Copenhagen to our list because it can no longer be ignored. In 2025, the Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Liveability Index — which ranks 173 cities on stability, healthcare, culture, education, and infrastructure — named Copenhagen the world's most liveable city, scoring a near-perfect 98 out of 100. It earned perfect scores in stability, education, and infrastructure.
And it earns it. Copenhagen is a city that seems almost conspiratorially designed for human happiness. Streets are dominated by cyclists rather than cars. Green spaces are everywhere. The food scene is extraordinary — more Michelin stars per capita than almost anywhere else on earth. Architecture ranges from colorful 17th-century canal houses at Nyhavn to some of the world's most celebrated contemporary design.
Denmark consistently ranks among the world's happiest nations. The concept of hygge — an untranslatable word for cozy, convivial well-being — isn't a marketing gimmick; it genuinely describes the way Danes structure their social lives. The work-life balance is legendary. The social safety net is comprehensive. English is spoken almost universally. The winters are dark and cold — no getting around that — but the summer days are extraordinarily long and light.
"Copenhagen scored perfectly for stability, education, and infrastructure — making it the most liveable city in the world for 2025." — Economist Intelligence Unit, Global Liveability Index 2025
Paris, France Best for: Culture, Romance & the Art of Living
The air in Paris simply breathes romance. Not only is the enchanting ambience the perfect setting for love, the cozy bistros and dimly lit brasseries are ideal for couples. And who can see the Eiffel Tower — especially glittering on the hour after dark — without feeling something?
But Paris is far more than a backdrop for romance. The Louvre holds the world's greatest art collection. Versailles is just a train ride away. Notre-Dame Cathedral, which suffered a devastating fire in 2019, has been painstakingly restored and reopened to the public in late 2024 — one of the most remarkable feats of cultural restoration in modern history. The fashion industry is here. The food philosophy is here. The joie de vivre is decidedly, defiantly, here.
The 2024 Olympics injected billions into Parisian infrastructure, cleaning the Seine, upgrading the metro, and polishing the city's public spaces significantly. Large corporations — from LVMH to TotalEnergies — headquarter here, and employment opportunities for the ambitious are plentiful. The cost of living is high, but Paris rewards those who can afford it with a quality of daily life that is simply without equal.
Miami, Florida USA Best for: Latin Energy, Beaches & Year-Round Sun
Miami is known as the "Magic City" for very good reason. With the sensual Latin flavor combined with its tropical location, Miami is home to an eclectic group of fun-loving people who bring an intensity to daily life that few other American cities can match. Singles flock to Miami for the beaches and exciting nightlife, then discover career opportunities and a cultural richness that exceeds every expectation.
As the "Gateway to Latin America," Miami is a city of genuinely diverse ethnicities, languages, and energies. But in 2026, it's also become one of the most important financial and tech cities in America. Post-pandemic, a remarkable migration of finance and tech firms from New York and Silicon Valley has made Miami a genuine industry hub, with Brickell now sometimes called "Wall Street South."
Miami ranks highly with the Globalization and World Cities Study Group, which rates its importance to the international economy. Professionals work in tourism, trade, international banking, and increasingly technology. Sports and recreation enthusiasts adore the wide variety of water sports — from snorkeling to sailing, kayaking to kitesurfing. For landlubbers, rock climbing walls, golf courses, and tennis courts abound.
Wherever You Land, Land Fully
Wherever you travel, wherever you call home, remember to make the best of where you are. The people you meet, the friends you make, the experiences you accumulate — those are the things that make life worth living, not the coordinates on a map.
Our world in 2026 is genuinely more complicated than it was when this list was first written in 2010. Geopolitical tensions, climate risks, economic volatility — these are real factors now in ways they weren't before. But extraordinary places to live still exist, and human beings are still building beautiful, functional, joyful lives in all of them.
The key is finding the right combination for you — your lifestyle, your priorities, your budget, and yes, your risk tolerance. Do your research, visit if you can, and don't let perfect be the enemy of the very, very good.
Do you know of other places people might find appealing? Leave a comment and tell us why your hometown — or your favorite city — belongs on this list.