Vienna, the Austrian capital, has come top for overall quality of living for the 8th year in a row, according to Mercer’s 19th Quality of Living survey.

The latest poll found the majority of other cities in the top ten are in Europe. 

Scroll down for the full (ridiculously long) list

The only non-European cities in the top ten are Auckland in third place and Vancouver, the bustling Canadian seaport in fifth place.

The annual survey assesses quality of living conditions to help multinational companies and other employers fairly compensate employees when placing them on international assignments.

“Economic instability, social unrest, and growing political upheaval all add to the complex challenge multinational companies face when analysing quality of living for their expatriate workforce,” said Ilya Bonic, senior partner and president of Mercer’s Career business.

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For multinationals and governments it is vital to have quality of living information that is accurate, detailed, and reliable.

It not only enables these employers to compensate employees appropriately, but it also provides a planning benchmark and insights into the often-sensitive operational environment that surrounds their workforce.”

Mercer’s survey also includes a city infrastructure ranking that assesses each city’s supply of electricity, drinking water, telephone and mail services, and public transportation as well as traffic congestion and the range of international flights available from local airports.

Singapore secured the top spot, with its extensive rail network and a transportation system which has long been considered to be the most efficient in the world.

Singapore Changi Airport is one of the largest and fastest-growing transportation hubs in Southeast Asia.

Aside from being well-connected, Singapore is also very clean. Since the 1960s, the country has also had strict anti-litter laws. Anyone convicted of dropping litter can be fined up to $587.

Baghdad, the Iraqi capital and Port au Prince, the Haitian capital, rank last for city infrastructure out of 231 cities on the list.

Earlier this month, Britain agreed to give £10bn ($12.2bn) in loans to finance infrastructure projects in Iraq over a 10 year period. Fourteen years after the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein, the country’s electricity and water supplies remain inadequate.

Haiti is prone to natural disasters, decimating homes, facilities, schools and roads. The 2010 earthquake which hit the country destroyed an estimated 70 percent of buildings.

A city’s infrastructure, or rather the lack thereof, can considerably affect the quality of living that expatriates and their families experience on a daily basis.

Access to a variety of transport options, being connected locally and internationally, and access to electricity and drinkable water are among the essential needs of expatriates arriving in a new location on assignment,” said Slagin Parakatil, principal at Mercer.

“A well-developed infrastructure can also be a key competitive advantage for cities and municipalities trying to attract multinational companies, talent, and foreign investments,” he added. 

With the triggering of article 50 expected shortly, Britain’s departure from the European Union (EU) could affect quality of life rankings in the years to come.

Mercer will continue to closely monitor any impact of the upcoming Brexit negotiations on the quality of living in UK and European cities overall, in order to support multinational companies as they assess the best locations to attract the skilled workforce they require,” said Kate Fitzpatrick, Mercer’s global mobility practice leader for the UK & Ireland.

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