When you think of Australia’s most exciting cities, Canberra probably isn’t the first place that springs to mind. For years, our nation’s capital has copped a bit of a ribbing—branded as the land of politicians, roundabouts, and more bus stops than you can poke a stick at. In fact, it even scored a 'notable mention' in a 2023 global ranking of the Most Boring Cities in the World. But here’s the twist: Canberra has just been crowned the world’s best city for quality of life, beating out over 1,000 of the globe’s largest cities. Not so boring now, eh?

This impressive accolade comes courtesy of the latest Global Cities Index by Oxford Economics, a respected international think tank. The index ranks cities across five key categories: quality of life, economics, human capital, environment, and governance. While Melbourne and Sydney both made the overall top ten (a big win for them!), Canberra truly shone in the quality of life category, outpacing every other Australian city—and even overtaking last year’s winner, Grenoble in France.

So, what’s Canberra’s secret sauce? According to the report, our capital city topped four out of six quality of life indicators: income equality, income per person, housing expenditure, and life expectancy. That’s right—Canberrans enjoy high incomes, a fairer distribution of wealth, relatively affordable housing, and longer lives. Not too shabby for a city that’s often the butt of jokes about roundabouts!

Canberra is a part of the Australian Capital Territory. Image Credit: Pexels/Daniel Morton-Jones

Oxford Economics’ senior economist Anthony Bernard-Sasges explained, 'The Australian capital ranks first in the world for quality of life this year, largely driven by the city’s high incomes combined with its low degree of income inequality, thanks to the higher availability of stable and high-paying government jobs than elsewhere.' In other words, all those public service positions aren’t just good for the economy—they’re good for the people, too.

But it’s not just about money. Canberra also boasts excellent healthcare facilities and a high life expectancy. And while it might not have the sheer number of cultural and recreational sites as Sydney or Melbourne, its smaller population means there’s more to go around per resident. In fact, Canberra ranked second in Australia for recreation and cultural sites, just behind Sydney.

Of course, no city is perfect. Canberra did fall short in one area: crime rate. It ranked the lowest of all Aussie cities in that category. But with so many other positives, it seems most Canberrans are happy to take the good with the not-so-good.

Here’s how the top 10 cities for quality of life stack up, according to the Global Cities Index:

1. Canberra, Australia
2. Bergen, Norway
3. Grenoble, France
4. Singapore
5. Luxembourg
6. Bern, Switzerland
7. Paris, France
8. Linz, Austria
9. Oslo, Norway
10. Basel, Switzerland

What Makes a City Great for Over-60s?

For our Seniors Discount Club members, these findings are especially interesting. Canberra’s high life expectancy, excellent healthcare, and strong sense of community are all big ticks for retirees and older Aussies. The city’s manageable size, abundance of green spaces, and cultural offerings (think: the National Gallery, Questacon, and the Australian War Memorial) make it a pleasant place to live, especially if you’re looking for a slower pace without sacrificing quality.

And let’s not forget the practicalities: Canberra’s public transport is reliable, the roads are easy to navigate, and there’s a real focus on accessibility. Plus, with so many government jobs, the city tends to weather economic storms better than most.

Is Canberra Really ‘Boring’?

The 'boring' label has always been a bit unfair. Sure, Canberra isn’t as bustling as Sydney or as artsy as Melbourne, but it has its own unique charm. The city is surrounded by beautiful bushland, has a thriving food and wine scene, and hosts some of the country’s best festivals and events. And for those who love a bit of peace and quiet, Canberra’s calm, clean streets and friendly neighbourhoods are a dream come true.

A City for All Ages

Whether you’re a retiree looking for a safe, comfortable place to settle down, or a grandparent wanting to be close to family and great healthcare, Canberra is proving itself to be a top contender. And with this new global recognition, maybe it’s time we all gave our capital a bit more credit.

Key Takeaways

• Canberra has been named the best city in the world for quality of life according to the 2025 Global Cities Index by Oxford Economics, beating more than 1,000 cities globally.
• The ranking is largely thanks to Canberra’s high incomes, low income inequality, affordable housing, and high life expectancy, with stable government jobs playing a significant role.
• While Canberra isn’t always seen as a cultural hotspot, it ranked second in Australia for recreation and cultural sites per resident, only behind Sydney, but scored poorly on crime rate compared to other Aussie cities.
• Melbourne and Sydney also made the top ten worldwide for overall city rankings, showcasing Australia’s strong showing in global livability indexes.

Have you lived in Canberra, or do you have family there? What’s your take on the city’s reputation—and do you think it deserves the title of 'world’s best for quality of life'? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments below! We’d love to hear from you.

 

[Joydie]

Of course it's a great place to live! As Australia's show piece for heads of state and other dignitaries, it has heaps of taxpayers' money spent on it to keep it looking pristine. The rest of us have to make do with whatever Canberra and the states feel they can spare.

 

[Colette 3799]

Too cold for me I’m afraid.

 

[7777]

I believe that Canberra has the cleanest streets, best roads, no pollution, no crime, no floods no cyclones, no road rage. You could almost call it paradise, observing a notable sense of calm and tranquility amongst the community. When we visited Canberra as a tourist years ago, one of the many interesting differences compared to other cities, was no matter on which road or street we drove on, the paths were smooth as, not a bump or pot hole to be found anywhere. Second, I did not see one piece of rubbish on the foot paths or shopping areas, clean as a whistle.
We also noticed that the residence there all seemed to have smiles on their faces 24/7, and were friendly as you could possibly imagine. I guess it's because they know they are lucky to live in such a pristine, ultra clean, safe and peaceful city.
I think our professional and eagar to work, roads work people, have all gone to Camberra to keep their roads safe and smooth. So next time you drive on a rough road or over a pot hole on the street or road, it's because the road workers are busy keeping Canberra's roads and street smooth and safe.
Also an explanation for the ultra clean air and cleanliness of Canberra, could be because it is the Capital city,and because Parliament sits there where all our politicians travel too daily. Ah...if only all of the cities in Australia could have the same first class roads, clean air, safety and tranquility within the community.

 

[Kman]

Like Adelaide, Canberra is a "planned city". Yes it has numerous roundabouts, big deal. I lived there for three years. It isn't an exciting place. And I would never buy a house there. The reason is because you don't own your land, you lease it from the Government.

 

[Gunpark]

Canberra produces nothing, but consumes vast amounts of the general taxpayers money. I don't say all, but a lot of people from Canberra have exalted opinions of themselves. To me, it is the greatest waste of good grazing land in this country, but unfortunately, we have been saddled with it.