Best places to live in 2026
How to choose where to live — and the cities that score highest on cost, climate and safety.
The top all-round city in our data is Swords. The best place to live depends on your priorities: budget, climate and tolerance for natural-disaster risk — CityLivably scores all three.
Top all-round cities
- Swords, Ireland — livability 77/100
- Dundalk, Ireland — livability 77/100
- Herceg Novi, Montenegro — livability 77/100
- Porto, Portugal — livability 76/100
- Santander, Spain — livability 76/100
- Donostia / San Sebastián, Spain — livability 76/100
- Hobart, Australia — livability 76/100
- Bendigo, Australia — livability 76/100
- Geelong, Australia — livability 76/100
- City of Port Phillip, Australia — livability 76/100
FAQ
What is the best place to live?
It depends on priorities, but small, affordable cities with mild climates and low disaster risk score highest.
How do you measure 'best place to live'?
A 0-100 livability score from cost (World Bank), climate (WorldClim) and natural-disaster safety.