ZURICH, switzerland
auckland, new zealand
Zurich, Switzerland’s largest city, keeps the number two spot from last year after
holding the title of the city with the best quality of life in the world previously. It is also
one of three Swiss cities to make the top 10 rankings – tying with Germany for the most
number of cities on the list. Known as a global financial center, one out of every nine jobs
in Switzerland is based in Zurich. Its low tax rates attract overseas companies and the assets of the 82 banks based there are equivalent to more than 85 percent of the total value
of assets held in Switzerland. The city is also the country’s biggest tourist destination,
famous for its lakeside location and chain of hills that run from north to south, providing
an extensive range of leisure activities.
The cost of living in Zurich is the sixth highest in the world, according to Mercer. Both Zurich and Geneva make Switzerland the most expensive country to live in in
Western Europe. The city also attracts people to buy luxury properties here, because of its
low taxes, safety record and good education system, according to real estate firm Knight
Frank.
New Zealand’s largest and most populous city, Auckland, offers the best quality of
life in the Asia-Pacific region, now for the second year in a row. It has been consistently
placed within the top five best places to live in for the past six years.
Auckland is uniquely set between two harbors, with 11 extinct volcanoes and numerous islands making it the city with the world’s largest boat ownership per person.
Auckland is New Zealand’s economic powerhouse - its 1.4 million people account for
more than 30 percent of the country’s population and contribute 35 percent to the country’s GDP. Auckland is also home to the most educated people in the country, with nearly
37 percent of its working population holding a bachelor’s degree or higher.
In March, the city launched a 30-year initiative called “The Auckland Plan” to
make it the world’s most livable city. The plan aims to tackle challenges in transport,
housing, job creation and environment protection. However, the city has been impacted
by the global economic slowdown. In the third quarter New Zealand’s unemployment
rate hit a 13-year high of 7.3 percent.