Montreal ranked among the world's best cities for quality of life but there's a catch
How would you classify the quality of life in Montreal? Would you say it's among the best in Canada — the world, even? Or, do you spend all your spare time crafting an escape plan so you can GTFO? Before you make any moves, check out this new data that tells us just how our city stacks up.
According to American consulting firm Mercer, Montreal is one of the best cities in the world when it comes to quality of life in 2024. However, it's not all good news because the city actually ranked behind two other Canadian spots — and the results may just stir up some long-standing national rivalries.
To create its Quality of Living City Ranking 2024, Mercer says it evaluated 241 cities across five continents, looking atfactors such as political stability, healthcare, education, infrastructure and socio-cultural environment.
While the majority of the top 10 cities were in Europe, with Switzerland's Zurich leading the charge, Vancouver managed to make the cut, tying for seventh place with Frankfurt, Germany.
The only other non-European locale to crack the top 10? Auckland, New Zealand. Meanwhile, Switzerland made an impressive showing overall, snagging three more top spots in addition to Zurich: Geneva (#3), Bern (#9) and Basel (#10).
Although Vancouver represented the Great White North alone at the very top of the list, Toronto wasn't far off, moving up four spots from last year to 13th place.
That begs the burning question: How did Montreal fare? As the next Canadian city on the list, la belle ville took 20th place. However, there's another catch. We tied for this position with Ottawa — the exact same boat we found ourselves in last year.
If you're scratching your head wondering why Montrealers are apparently worse off than our compatriots in Vancouver and Toronto and about the same as those in Ottawa, perhaps a deeper dive into Mercer's methodology might help.
For starters, it's worth noting that Mercer focuses on the international workforce, and its data assesses "the practicalities of daily life" for employees sent to work abroad and their families.
Mercer points out that Zurich was recognized for its "outstanding public services, low crime rates and a lively cultural scene, all backed by efficient infrastructure and a dedication to sustainability," noting the city also enhanced its airport connections over the past year.
It also praises Vancouver for its "unique blend of outdoor recreation and cosmopolitan living". It calls Toronto a "global economic hub with a strong commitment to inclusivity and diversity."
Here's the complete top 20 of the cities with the best quality of life in 2024, according to Mercer's report:
1. Zurich, Switzerland
2. Vienna, Austria
3. Geneva, Switzerland
4. Copenhagen, Denmark
5. Auckland, New Zealand
6. Amsterdam, Netherlands
7.* Frankfurt, Germany
7.* Vancouver, Canada
9. Bern, Switzerland
10. Basel, Switzerland
11. Munich, Germany
12. Sydney, Australia
13. Toronto, Canada
14.* The Hague, Netherlands
14.* Wellington, New Zealand
16. Dusseldorf, Germany
17. Luxembourg, Luxembourg
18. Stockholm, Sweden
19. Berlin, Germany
20.* Ottawa, Canada
20.* Montreal, Canada
All in all, Canada came away with five cities in the top 50 as Calgary claimed the 25th spot. For the full report, check out Mercer's Quality of Living City Ranking webpage.
*Indicates a tie.
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