What’s it like to live in the world’s best city?
MailOnline finds out by speaking to residents of Vienna, crowned the world’s most liveable city in 2024 for the third year running in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Global Liveability Index.
The study ranks cities based on important factors such as healthcare, culture, stability, education and infrastructure.
Our locals reveal why they think the Austrian capital tops the ranking, touching on healthcare, public transport and the tap water – and explain why Viennese still find reasons to be grumpy.
Mike Lanner, owner of three sausage stands (@wienerwuerstelstand)
What do you think makes Vienna such a great place to live?
You have all the infrastructure of a city but with the speed of living in a village in the countryside.
What’s public transport like in Vienna?
I’ve personally never seen a better public transport system anywhere else on the planet.
Vienna was crowned the most liveable city in 2024 for the third year running. MailOnline Travel speaks to Viennese residents to find out why
Mike Lanner is the owner of three sausage stands in Vienna and says the Austrian capital has ‘the infrastructure of a city with the speed of living in a village’
Is it simple to find affordable housing in Vienna?
Housing in Vienna is becoming more expensive but gentrification is slower than in other capital cities such as London, Paris and Berlin. It feels like everything in Austria is slower compared to the rest of the world.
What’s the best neighbourhood to live in?
I live with my family in the Brunnenmarkt neighbourhood. I love it there, because we live next to one of Vienna’s biggest and most authentic markets. You also have a wild mix of people from a lot of different cultural backgrounds.
Are there any ways Vienna could be improved?
Yeah, by putting more money and resources into club culture.
Do you think most residents would agree that Vienna is a good place to live?
No! Vienna is not only the most liveable but also the most grumpy city in the world. The whole world thinks Vienna is liveable but the Viennese would say otherwise.
What’s the best thing about living in Vienna?
There is a public pool around every corner.
Is there anything other cities could learn from Vienna?
I guess that would be the Viennese social housing program.
What might surprise people about Vienna?
Vienna has a growing alternative music scene – it’s not just about Mozart.
Are there any social etiquette rules tourists should know about?
Even if people seem grumpy and not so welcoming, they don’t mean it. It’s just the Viennese way of saying hi.
Manuela Filippou is a restaurant manager who loves the city’s transport system
What do you think makes Vienna such a great place to live?
Vienna combines old and new and profits from both. As a very traditional city, infrastructure is absolutely great when it comes to housing, education, health, culture and arts, public transportation and of course – there’s great food. It’s also a very safe city to live in.
I love that Vienna has incredible water quality, with water coming straight from the Alps out the faucet. In the summertime, we have free water dispensers all over the city.
What’s the public transport like in Vienna?
I love our public transportation system as you can get anywhere by bus, tram, train or subway. A yearly ticket is just €365 (£303/$393), so just €1 (83p/$1.3) a day. Who can beat that?
Local Mike Lanner says Vienna’s public transport system is ‘the best on the planet’
What’s the healthcare like in Vienna?
Still great, surely better than in a lot of European countries. If you have extra insurance (on top of the regular one) it’s better. But Vienna is still a safe place to get sick.
Is it simple to find affordable housing in Vienna?
When I moved here 30 years ago it was, but real estate has changed since then. But you can still rent apartments in the old beautiful buildings at regulated prices.
Where’s the best neighbourhood to live in Vienna?
It depends on your wants and needs. Inside the ‘Gurtel’ (inner districts) there’s quite a boho scene while families tend to move towards greener areas on the outskirts of the city. Life around a market is definitely nice.
Are there any ways Vienna could be improved?
There are always ways to improve I guess – but right now I can’t think of anything!
Do you think most residents would agree that Vienna is a good place to live?
Definitely, but the real Viennese love to be grumpy. So they usually complain about a lot of things, but it’s the way to communicate here.
What’s the best thing about living in Vienna?
If you want art entertainment you have tons of options. If you want to be outside, there are so many green spots. If you want to eat well, you have the best options, from bakeries to gasthaus [an inn or tavern] to fine dining.
Is there anything other cities could learn from Vienna?
Music! Vienna is the world’s capital of music and so many great composers came out of or lived in this city. Our smart and very old canal system just saved us from getting totally flooded earlier this year. Not many cities have this.
What might surprise people about Vienna?
Vienna has vineyards within the city borders. We are also the only city in the world, as far as I know, with its own music. The ‘Wienerlied’ is a typical traditional kind of music. Also a few, funny things were invented here, such as the snow globe and waterproof mascara.
Are there any social etiquette rules tourists should know about?
We still greet each other with ‘Gruss Gott’ (God bless you) even when we have nothing to do with religion. We tip and we take a long time over kaffee (coffee), as having a coffee means taking time for a break or a chat. We also curse easily when pedestrians enter bike lanes.
Helena Steinhart works at Vienna Tourist Board and says the city ‘balances the efficiency of northern Europe with the leisurely lifestyle of southern Europe’
What makes Vienna a great place to live?
Vienna balances the efficiency of northern Europe with the leisurely lifestyle of southern Europe, offering excellent food, accessible culture and a well-functioning public transport system.
Is it simple to find affordable housing in Vienna?
Vienna’s housing model, featuring a social housing system that dates back to the 1920s, provides relatively affordable options. While demand can be high in popular districts, the city is committed to maintaining affordable living conditions.
Where’s the best neighbourhood to live in Vienna?
This depends on your preferences. Neubau and Wieden are known for their trendy, vibrant atmosphere, while Döbling offers a quieter, more family-friendly environment with vineyards. Many districts combine urban living with easy access to nature.
Are there ways Vienna could be improved?
A city is a constantly evolving organism and can always be improved. And that’s a good thing. In Vienna, we are focused on making the city cooler and achieving a balanced CO2 footprint before 2040. The city is visibly becoming greener. New ‘Grätzeloasen’ (small green oases) are being created throughout the city, where parking spaces once were. Residents can take responsibility for these islands, growing vegetables or planting flowers.
Do most residents agree Vienna is a good place to live?
Yes, surveys consistently show that Viennese people are proud of their city’s high livability. However, Vienna’s locals have a reputation for being hard to impress. I think it’s true that compared to other cultures the Viennese are a bit reserved in the beginning and need some time to open up. I guess this attitude is often mistaken for grumpiness.
What’s the best thing about living in Vienna?
One of the best things about living in Vienna is its extraordinary blend of green spaces, culture, and culinary experiences. After returning from a trip, locals often savour a glass of fresh tap water, which comes directly from the mountains (the Alps). Vienna also offers the unique opportunity to surf on the Danube, to sit in a vineyard within city limits, and to attend more different opera performances in a season than in any other city – and all that can be done in one day.
What could other cities learn from Vienna?
Vienna’s model of social housing, extensive green spaces, and efficient public transport serves as an inspiration for other cities. Its focus on cultural accessibility and sustainability also sets a high standard.
What might surprise people about Vienna?
It is one of the few cities with its own cuisine (named after the city), blending influences from different parts of Europe that once all belonged to the Hapsburg empire (like Bohemia, Hungary, and Italy). And Vienna is the only metropolis that grows enough wine within its city limits to make it worth mentioning.
Any social etiquette rules tourists should know?
When using escalators, always stand on the right and walk on the left. Jaywalking is discouraged, as pedestrians are expected to follow traffic signals. Shops are generally closed on Sundays, so plan your shopping accordingly. Lastly, when ordering coffee in a traditional coffeehouse, be specific about the type you want – never just ask for ‘a coffee’ unless you want to risk the waiter rolling their eyes at you.
The team at Vienna Business Agency say ‘you can start your day working in one of the city’s iconic coffeehouses (pictured above is Cafe Central), run to your start-up job, then bike or take a U-bahn to the Danube in 20 minutes for an after-work swim’
What do you think makes Vienna such a great place to live?
This is a great city for balancing business with pleasure. You can start your day working in one of the city’s iconic coffeehouses, run to your start-up job, then bike or take a U-bahn [subway train] to the Danube in 20 minutes for an after-work swim. The trains run on time, flood protection works, the streets and parks are clean and 50 per cent of the city is made up of green spaces.
What’s the healthcare like in Vienna?
Like the rest of Austria, everyone in Vienna benefits from universal healthcare – which is affordable to everyone, from students to those currently unemployed.
Is it simple to find affordable housing in Vienna?
Rent here is very fair. Almost 25 per cent of housing in Vienna is social housing available to lower and middle-income people, providing high quality, affordable dwellings. These building complexes are distributed throughout every district of the city, preventing individual neighbourhoods from becoming uniformly ‘rich’ or ‘poor’.
Where’s the best neighbourhood to live in Vienna?
This is a 15-minute city, meaning anyone can reach essentials such as supermarkets, parks, schools and doctors within 15 minutes on foot, no matter where they are.
What’s the best thing about living in Vienna?
One factor is Gemütlichkeit – a laid-back approach to life. There’s something to be said about a city where one has the time and space to unfold, to focus and create. Because the basics all work, people can focus on their own growth.
Is there anything other cities could learn from Vienna?
Vienna has always been a forward-thinking city, and it’s the mentality of ‘prevention is better than a cure’ that has stood it in such good stead. A very recent example of this is how well the city fared in the recent flooding. Back in the 1970s, the Danube Island and New Danube river channel were constructed as a flood defence system, which has paid off numerous times since.
What might surprise people about Vienna?
It’s a rapidly growing city, adding around 10,000 people a year.
