Dubai boosts reputation as one of the world’s most liveable cities
Emirate praised for its investments in key sectors including healthcare and education in latest EIU liveability report
Dubai has enhanced its status as one of the world’s most liveable cities, with the emirate ranking second in the region and 78th overall out of 173 major destinations surveyed for this year’s Global Liveability Index published by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU).
The landmark report, which assesses the merits of major cities worldwide based on five key categories – political stability and security, healthcare, culture and environment, education, and infrastructure – highlighted significant gains made by Dubai over the past 12 months.
Dubai rose two spots in this year’s rankings, achieving a liveability score of 80.8 out of 100. This improvement “underscores the emirate's resilience and strategic investments in key sectors including healthcare and education”, the EIU said.
Dubai has benefitted from the UAE’s national strategy to enhance public health, reduce outbound medical tourism, and increase public healthcare spending, the EIU noted. Additionally, partnerships with global educational institutions and the proliferation of international schools offering diverse curriculums have significantly enhanced the emirate’s reputation for delivering quality education.
Commenting on the results in an interview with The National, Barsali Bhattacharyya, the EIU’s deputy industry director, said: "This year, Dubai has joined Abu Dhabi in achieving the highest tier of liveability in our index. Both cities score highly on stability, infrastructure, and education and have seen steady improvements in overall ratings over the past few years."
European cities top global list
While Western Europe remains the most liveable region globally, according to the EIU, with Vienna, Copenhagen, and Zurich occupying the top three positions in this year’s ranking, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region presents a more varied picture. Abu Dhabi, the highest-ranked city in the MENA region, placed 76th globally, just ahead of Dubai.
The GCC region, including cities like Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al Khobar, has seen substantial improvements due to strong investments in domestic infrastructure, education, and health, the EIU noted.
Dubai one of the world’s top expat destinations
Dubai’s rise in the liveability rankings follows a concerted campaign by Dubai authorities to promote the city’s world-class living standards and lifestyle benefits to expats seeking fresh opportunities worldwide.
Thousands of expat professionals move to Dubai every month, expanding the city’s population and boosting its economy. According to official data, Dubai’s population grew by 100,000 to reach 3.65 million in 2023.
As part of its 2040 Urban Master Plan, Dubai has committed to raising its population to 5.8 million, while expanding the total space dedicated to hotels and leisure activities by 134% compared with today.
Dubai’s reputation as a top tourism and leisure destination has aided its status as one of the world’s most liveable cities. In 2024, it was declared the world’s leading destination in TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best Destinations Awards, making it the first city to receive the honour for three consecutive years.
The EIU report coincides with the publication of this year’s Global Expat Index, which named the emirate as the third best destination in Asia and ninth best worldwide for working expats, ahead of popular destinations including Vancouver, Sydney, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.
Dubai’s liveability push also aligns with its ambitious D33 Economic Agenda, which aims to double the size of its economy to AED32 trillion ($8.71 trillion) and establish the emirate among the world’s top three cities and international tourism destinations by 2033.