Auckland has been ranked in the top ten in an annual worldwide quality of life survey.
Zurich is the top-rated city in the survey by Mercer Human Resource Consulting in the UK, and Baghdad is the worst. Second-best is Geneva, with Vancouver third.
In the 2006 survey Auckland moved to 5th place, while the capital, Wellington, also performed well going from 14th to 12th place "mainly due to strong internal stability relative to other cities".
Of the other Asia Pacific cities surveyed Sydney was ranked in ninth place.
Each city was judged on factors including personal safety, the environment and access to health, education, transport and other public services.
Baghdad ranked as the least attractive city for a third
consecutive year.
Other places to avoid are Brazzaville in the Congo, which ranks
only one above Baghdad, and Bangui in the Central African
Republic.
The overall quality of living ranking is based on an evaluation of 39 criteria and the survey aimed to find the best and worst places for British expatriates to live and work.
The 39 criteria are:
- 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)
