Amsterdam-dwellers, it’s time to brag to your friends back home. Amsterdam has ranked as the 19th best city to live in in 2024.
The report by the Economist Intelligence Unit measured cities’ urban quality of life based on stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure.
However, don’t get too cocky. While the Dutch capital snagged 19th place among 173 competing cities, this is actually quite a downgrade.
Back in 2022, Amsterdam ranked 9th place — a full 10 places higher than this year. So, what changed?
Instability and a housing crisis should do it
According to the survey, much of western Europe’s stability has fallen in the past two years due to strikes and protests.
Infrastructure has also suffered quite a lot but was offset by improvements in healthcare and education.
The report doesn’t discuss Amsterdam in detail, but with the current housing shortage, recent protests, and huge renovations to Amsterdam Centraal, the city’s downgrade starts to make sense.
That being said, let’s look on the bright side, we’re still sitting pretty in the top 20. 😌💅
The rankings
The top 20 cities are dominated by western Europe, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, with Tokyo being the only non-Western city to make the list.
And for the third year in a row, Vienna, Austria has taken the top spot!
Curious about the top 20 rankings? Take a look:
| Ranking | City |
| 1 | Vienna, Austria |
| 2 | Copenhagen, Denmark |
| 3 | Zurich, Switzerland |
| 4 | Melbourne, Australia |
| =5 | Calgary, Canada |
| =5 | Geneva, Switzerland |
| =7 | Sydney, Australia |
| =7 | Vancouver, Canada |
| =9 | Osaka, Japan |
| =9 | Auckland, New Zealand |
| 11 | Adelaide, Australia |
| 12 | Toronto, Canada |
| 13 | Helsinki, Finland |
| 14 | Tokyo, Japan |
| 15 | Perth, Australia |
| 16 | Brisbane, Australia |
| =17 | Frankfurt, Germany |
| =17 | Luxembourg, Luxembourg |
| 19 | Amsterdam, The Netherlands |
| 20 | Wellington, New Zealand |
Did your city make the top 20? Tell us in the comments below!
Tokyo…..my god! Have you ever been in a flat (box)in Tokyo! I have! Believe me, unless you were a millionaire you wouldn’t want to live there!
Amsterdam is not a good place to live for the Dutch. Often personel in shops and restaurants don’t speak Dutch. The place is invaded by day trippers that blow and drink too much. Expats drive up the rent so dutch can’t afford it anymore. Most real ” Amsterdammers” escaped to Zaandam, Purmerend, Almere, Lelystad and in Amsterdam live expats and yuppies. If you walk through the center you hear only foreign languages . I lived and worked in Amsterdam until 1983 then I saw this coming. And escaped.