We love to moan about the UK, but most people here have some sense of pride about where they’re from. Whether it’s haggis, cheesy chips or Brighton rock, everyone’s got something they love about Where They Call Home.
But sometimes you can’t help but fancy a little change. And you don’t have to go far away – even moving to a different city within the UK can make for a thrilling new start. But though most of us know the best spots for a day trip or weekend break, it can be hard to know the places that are properly liveable.
But never fear – we have the answers. A new ‘liveability’ study from the Economist Intelligence Unit has revealed the best cities to live in the whole world, and some of them (would you believe it!) are right here in the UK.
The cities were ranked according to things like political stability, infrastructure, healthcare and access to green space. And the UK winner? Hands together, please, for the city that took the crown: Manchester!
Coming 28th in the world rankings, Manchester ranked ever-so-slightly higher than London, which came 33rd. And it’s no surprise – for one thing, the city has the highest graduate retention rates in England, with more than 50 percent of students who study there opting to stay after they finish uni.
The three worldwide winners were Vienna in Austria, Copenhagen in Denmark and Zurich in Switzerland. A few possible reasons for the UK not making the final cut were cited in the study – authors noted the rising cost of living as well as the UK’s decision to leave the EU. Fair enough.
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