10 of the best cities offering quality life measured by traffic congestion, air quality, and personal safety

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Zurich, Switzerland
Mercer score: 108
GDP: $300.9 billion (2007 est.)
Population: 7,581,520 (total country); 347,517 (total city)
Life expectancy: 80.74 years

Vienna, Austria
Mercer score: 107.9
GDP: $319.7 billion (2007 est.)
Population: 8,205,533 (total country); 1,825,287 (total city)
Life expectancy: 79.36 years

Vancouver, Canada
Mercer score: 107.6
GDP: $1.274 trillion (2007 est.)
Population: 33,212,696 (total country); 560,000 (total city)
Life expectancy: 81.16 years

Auckland, New Zealand
Mercer score: 107.3
GDP: $112.6 billion (2007 est.)
Population: 4,173,460 (total country); 1.18 million (total city)
Life expectancy: 80.24 years

Munich, Germany
Mercer score: 107
GDP: $2.833 trillion (2007 est.)
Population: 82,369,548 (total country); 1,332,650 (total city)
Life expectancy: 79.1 years

Sydney, Australia
Mercer score: 106.3
GDP: $766.8 billion (2007 est.)
Population: 20,600,856 (total country); 4,297,100 (total city)
Life expectancy: 80.73 years

Copenhagen, Denmark
Mercer score: 106.2
GDP: $204.6 billion (2007 est.)
Population: 5,484,723 (total country); 1, 086,762 (total city)
Life expectancy: 78.13 years

Brussels, Belgium
Mercer score: 105.4
GDP: $378.9 billion (2007 est.)
Population: 10,403,951 (total country); 1,067,162 (total city)
Life expectancy: 79.07 years

Stockholm, Sweden
Mercer score: 104.5
GDP: $333.1 billion (2007 est.)
Population: 9,045,389 (total country); 794,700 (total city)
Life expectancy: 80.74 years

Honolulu, U.S.
Mercer score: 103.1
GDP: $13.86 trillion (2007 est.)
Population: 303,824,646 (total country); 380,000 (total city)
Life expectancy: 78.14 years

Research Methodology
Data was largely collected between September and November 2007 and is regularly updated to take account of changing circumstances. In particular, the assessments will be revised in the case of any new developments. The Mercer database contains more than 350 cities, however only 215 cities have been considered for the quality of living 2008 ranking in order to compare from one year to the next. The worldwide rankings are produced from the most recent Worldwide Quality of Living survey, conducted by Mercer. Individual reports are produced for each city surveyed.

Mercer’s study is based on detailed assessments and evaluations of 39 key quality-of-living determinants, grouped in the following categories:
• Political and social environment (political stability, crime, law enforcement, etc)
• Economic environment (currency exchange regulations, banking services, etc)
• Socio-cultural environment (censorship, limitations on personal freedom, etc)
• Health and sanitation (medical supplies and services, infectious diseases, sewage, waste disposal, air pollution, etc)
• Schools and education (standard and availability of international schools, etc)
• Public services and transportation (electricity, water, public transport, traffic congestion, etc)
• Recreation (restaurants, theatres, cinemas, sports and leisure, etc)
• Consumer goods (availability of food/daily consumption items, cars, etc)
• Housing (housing, household appliances, furniture, maintenance services, etc)
• Natural environment (climate, record of natural disasters)

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Photos courtesy of PhotoAtlas.com, austria-trips.com, Goway.com, travelblog.org, Christophe Licoppe, swedenvisitor.com, searchsahomes.net, and Getty Images

Original Source: BusinessWeek