INTERNATIONAL REWARD
European cities dominate quality of living rankings
European cities continue to dominate the worldwide rankings of locations with the best quality of living, according to a survey by Mercer.
Zurich retains its title as the highest ranked city, followed jointly by Vienna and Geneva, with Vancouver and Auckland in their wake.
In the UK, London ranks 38, while Birmingham and Glasgow are jointly 56.
The rankings are based on a point scoring index, which sees Zurich scoring 108, while Baghdad scores 13.5. Cities are compared to New York as the base city, with an index score of 100.
The quality of living survey covers 215 cities and is conducted to help governments and major companies place employees on international assignments.
A final word
“Businesses face constant challenges in identifying new markets, expanding operations and acquiring and strategically deploying resources. Establishing suitable allowances linked to local costs and quality of living is essential in encouraging expatriate employees with transferable skills to accept international assignments.
Personal and family safety is of paramount importance when employees consider opportunities overseas. Cities that are, or are perceived as, unsafe may experience difficulties in attracting the best people and skills.” - Slagin Parakatil, senior researcher at Mercer.
Want to know more?
Title: Worldwide Quality of Living survey, Mercer.
Methodology: Data was largely collected between September and November 2007 and is regularly updated to take account of changing circumstances. 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.
Availability: Individual reports are produced for each city surveyed, but there is no overall summary report available. Further information and copies of the reports are available from Mercer Client Services, on tel: +41 22 869 3000. Or visit www.mercer.com/qol.
To read the press release online go to www.mercer.com/pressrelease/details.jhtml?idContent=1307990.
Mercer is a “leading global provider of consulting, outsourcing and investment services”. Mercer’s 18,000 employees are based in more than 40 countries. For more information, visit www.mercer.com.