Which cities have the best quality of living?

Montreal Wanderer · Post by **Montreal Wanderer** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:08 pm

Mercer Human Resources do a number of studies about cities in the world. One of these lists the top 50 cities for quality of living which can be viewed here. The top five North American cities are all Canadian, indeed these represent five of the top 25 in the world. The top two are Swiss and Germany does very well with six in the top 25. The US doesn't get a look in until Honolulu at 27 tied with Dublin. London comes 39th. The only thing I cannot comprehend is how Toronto and Perth WA finished ahead of Montreal.

Further down Canada has four of the top ten in health and sanitation (Glasgow came 48th and London didn't make the top 50).

malcd1 · Post by **malcd1** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:25 pm

Montreal Wanderer wrote:Mercer Human Resources do a number of studies about cities in the world. One of these lists the top 50 cities for quality of living which can be viewed here. The top five North American cities are all Canadian, indeed these represent five of the top 25 in the world. The top two are Swiss and Germany does very well with six in the top 25. The US doesn't get a look in until Honolulu at 27 tied with Dublin. London comes 39th. The only thing I cannot comprehend is how Toronto and Perth WA finished ahead of Montreal.

I always struggle to comprehend some of these studies as I wouldn't visit London for all the tea in China. The place is the pits of the earth as far as I am concerned. Of all the cities in the UK, London is by far the worst and I think I have visited just about everyone (Even St. Davids at the arse end of Wales with a population of 1600).

Of the ones listed I think I have only visited Amsterdam, Berlin and Hamburg with the exception of London.

Dave Sutton's barnet · Post by **Dave Sutton's barnet** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:39 pm

malcd1 wrote:
Montreal Wanderer wrote:Mercer Human Resources do a number of studies about cities in the world. One of these lists the top 50 cities for quality of living which can be viewed here. The top five North American cities are all Canadian, indeed these represent five of the top 25 in the world. The top two are Swiss and Germany does very well with six in the top 25. The US doesn't get a look in until Honolulu at 27 tied with Dublin. London comes 39th. The only thing I cannot comprehend is how Toronto and Perth WA finished ahead of Montreal.
I always struggle to comprehend some of these studies as I wouldn't visit London for all the tea in China. The place is the pits of the earth as far as I am concerned. Of all the cities in the UK, London is by far the worst and I think I have visited just about everyone (Even St. Davids at the arse end of Wales with a population of 1600).

Of the ones listed I think I have only visited Amsterdam, Berlin and Hamburg with the exception of London.

And did you notice any difference between those three?

Abdoulaye's Twin · Post by **Abdoulaye's Twin** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:50 pm

nowt wrong with London, you've just got to know where to go and avoid where the tourists go.

mind you, the beer is shite and the chippies aren't great...so it can't be that good here

Dave Sutton's barnet · Post by **Dave Sutton's barnet** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:54 pm

Abdoulaye's Twin wrote:nowt wrong with London, you've just got to know where to go and avoid where the tourists go.

mind you, the beer is shite and the chippies aren't great...so it can't be that good here

"'ave yer nowt moist?!"

TANGODANCER · Post by **TANGODANCER** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:57 pm

Abdoulaye's Twin wrote:nowt wrong with London, you've just got to know where to go and avoid where the tourists go.

Could easily be said for any city in the world. Seville and Granada are fantastic, as are a lot of Spanish cities. Then again, you have to live there I suppose to really evaluate them. Tourism, whilst making big money for the inhabitants, has ruined a lot of places that once were idylic.

Montreal Wanderer · Post by **Montreal Wanderer** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 3:59 pm

malcd1 wrote:
Montreal Wanderer wrote:Mercer Human Resources do a number of studies about cities in the world. One of these lists the top 50 cities for quality of living which can be viewed here. The top five North American cities are all Canadian, indeed these represent five of the top 25 in the world. The top two are Swiss and Germany does very well with six in the top 25. The US doesn't get a look in until Honolulu at 27 tied with Dublin. London comes 39th. The only thing I cannot comprehend is how Toronto and Perth WA finished ahead of Montreal.
I always struggle to comprehend some of these studies as I wouldn't visit London for all the tea in China. The place is the pits of the earth as far as I am concerned. Of all the cities in the UK, London is by far the worst and I think I have visited just about everyone (Even St. Davids at the arse end of Wales with a population of 1600).

Of the ones listed I think I have only visited Amsterdam, Berlin and Hamburg with the exception of London.

I suspect they only consider cities over a certain population (although Ottawa is not that big) so St. David's would not be considered. As noted, London did not make the sanitation list, while Glasgow did, so it may not be all that clean. I do not know what criteria they use although I suppose it is on that website somewhere.

CrazyHorse · Post by **CrazyHorse** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 4:16 pm

Abdoulaye's Twin wrote:mind you, the beer is shite and the chippies aren't great...so it can't be that good here

Two of the finest reasons to never set foot in the place if you ask me. On the plus side, it's the home of West Ham United....

Montreal Wanderer · Post by **Montreal Wanderer** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 4:41 pm

CrazyHorse wrote:
Abdoulaye's Twin wrote:mind you, the beer is shite and the chippies aren't great...so it can't be that good here
Two of the finest reasons to never set foot in the place if you ask me. On the plus side, it's the home of West Ham United....

I tried to find Little Lever (small tyre iron to you, mon ami) but failed for reasons unknown.

TANGODANCER · Post by **TANGODANCER** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 4:43 pm

Montreal Wanderer wrote:
CrazyHorse wrote:
Abdoulaye's Twin wrote:mind you, the beer is shite and the chippies aren't great...so it can't be that good here
Two of the finest reasons to never set foot in the place if you ask me. On the plus side, it's the home of West Ham United....
I tried to find Little Lever (small tyre iron to you, mon ami) but failed for reasons unknown.

Look under "World famous Chippy's"

Abdoulaye's Twin · Post by **Abdoulaye's Twin** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:32 pm

CrazyHorse wrote:
Abdoulaye's Twin wrote:mind you, the beer is shite and the chippies aren't great...so it can't be that good here
Two of the finest reasons to never set foot in the place if you ask me. On the plus side, it's the home of West Ham United....

Makes you appreciate the beer oop north all the more when you get it though

Verbal · Post by **Verbal** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:49 pm

CrazyHorse wrote:
Abdoulaye's Twin wrote:mind you, the beer is shite and the chippies aren't great...so it can't be that good here
Two of the finest reasons to never set foot in the place if you ask me. On the plus side, it's the home of West Ham United....

I don't mind London. Though when i got off the tube near Upton Park it did feel like I'd stepped back in time.

I love Camden though. The market is awesome.

Dave Sutton's barnet · Post by **Dave Sutton's barnet** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:53 pm

Verbal wrote:
CrazyHorse wrote:
Abdoulaye's Twin wrote:mind you, the beer is shite and the chippies aren't great...so it can't be that good here
Two of the finest reasons to never set foot in the place if you ask me. On the plus side, it's the home of West Ham United....
I don't mind London. Though when i got off the tube near Upton Park it did feel like I'd stepped back in time.

I love Camden though. The market is awesome.

'sfunny, I find Camden perhaps the most overbearing part of London, all tourists, noise and drug dealers. Some good shops, but it'd be better if they were empty

Verbal · Post by **Verbal** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 5:55 pm

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:
Verbal wrote:
CrazyHorse wrote:
Abdoulaye's Twin wrote:mind you, the beer is shite and the chippies aren't great...so it can't be that good here
Two of the finest reasons to never set foot in the place if you ask me. On the plus side, it's the home of West Ham United....
I don't mind London. Though when i got off the tube near Upton Park it did feel like I'd stepped back in time.

I love Camden though. The market is awesome.
'sfunny, I find Camden perhaps the most overbearing part of London, all tourists, noise and drug dealers. Some good shops, but it'd be better if they were empty

Lol - good city, shame about all the people!

Dave Sutton's barnet · Post by **Dave Sutton's barnet** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:03 pm

Verbal wrote:
Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:
Verbal wrote:I love Camden though. The market is awesome.
'sfunny, I find Camden perhaps the most overbearing part of London, all tourists, noise and drug dealers. Some good shops, but it'd be better if they were empty
Lol - good city, shame about all the people!

I say similar things about Yorkshire and France.

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:57 pm

I've been to 14 of the cities on the list, and from that I'd guess that they're pretty much in order, that is, with the exception of Zurich, which I'm amazed to see came in at number one. I know that the survey is about actually living there, but when you're staying at the Arabella Sheraton you don't expect to be woken by cattle bells in an adjoining field. I just found the place to be (imo) over-rated.
Give me Dusseldorf over Zurich anyday, or indeed Koln (which didn't even make the list).

As for London, give me Chiswick High Road and you can keep the rest.

Dave Sutton's barnet · Post by **Dave Sutton's barnet** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 6:58 pm

Bruce Rioja wrote:As for London, give me Chiswick High Road and you can keep the rest.

Deal!

Anybody wanna buy the East End for a fiver?

Abdoulaye's Twin · Post by **Abdoulaye's Twin** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 7:01 pm

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:
Verbal wrote:
CrazyHorse wrote:
Abdoulaye's Twin wrote:mind you, the beer is shite and the chippies aren't great...so it can't be that good here
Two of the finest reasons to never set foot in the place if you ask me. On the plus side, it's the home of West Ham United....
I don't mind London. Though when i got off the tube near Upton Park it did feel like I'd stepped back in time.

I love Camden though. The market is awesome.
'sfunny, I find Camden perhaps the most overbearing part of London, all tourists, noise and drug dealers. Some good shops, but it'd be better if they were empty

my sentiments exactly. The only time I'm in Camden is passing through to Primrose Hill to chill out with views across the city

Abdoulaye's Twin · Post by **Abdoulaye's Twin** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 7:03 pm

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:
Bruce Rioja wrote:As for London, give me Chiswick High Road and you can keep the rest.
Deal!

Anybody wanna buy the East End for a fiver?

We'll chuck Tottenham in for free

Bruce Rioja · Post by **Bruce Rioja** » Tue Jun 19, 2007 7:05 pm

Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:
Verbal wrote:Lol - good city, shame about all the people!
I say similar things about Yorkshire and France.

You know, the London 2012 people could unite the entire country and get everyone behind their Simpson-esque logo, simply by saying that the French think that it's shit.