Tokyo crowned most liveable city in Monocle survey sponsored by AkzoNobel

Tokyo is the number one city to call home according to Monocle’s 2015 Quality of Life Survey, which has been published in association with AkzoNobel.

Rising from second place in 2014, Tokyo claimed the coveted top spot due to its defining paradox of heart-stopping size and concurrent feeling of peace and quiet.

A refined marking system resulted in some key changes in this year’s ranking of the top 25 most liveable cities, with Vienna claiming second spot and Berlin rising an impressive 11 places to take bronze. Melbourne and Sydney complete the top five, in fourth and fifth respectively.

"We’ve added 22 new metrics, including several that look at housing and the cost of living, from the price of a three-bed house to the cost of a coffee, glass of wine and decent lunch,” explained Monocle editor-in-chief Tyler Brûlé. “We’ve also put more emphasis on access to the outdoors"

As a result, old favorites such as three-time winner Copenhagen have slipped down the list to number ten, alongside cities such as Helsinki, Munich and Zürich. Rising cities include Vancouver, Paris and Lisbon, with Geneva the only re-entry to the list at 22, after two years of not making the grade.

The 2015 Quality of Life Survey is, for the first time, exclusively sponsored by AkzoNobel and forms part of the company’s global Human Cities initiative.

"We’ve made a clear commitment to helping urban areas become more inspiring, energizing and vibrant for people across the world" said AkzoNobel CEO Ton Büchner. "So we’re delighted to support this survey of the world’s most liveable cities, which offers inspiration for urban communities everywhere to create more human environments"

While data-canvassing elements such as crime, healthcare, state-funded education and business climate remain the backbone of the Quality of Life Survey, it’s the "liveability assessment" that makes it truly unique. Supplied by Monocle’s correspondents on the ground, intangibles such as commitment to culture, closing time of bars, price of a good lunch and proximity to seas, lakes and mountains can make all the difference to a city and those who call it home.

The Monocle Quality of Life Survey in association with AkzoNobel appears in the July/August double issue, which will be available from June 18.

Here’s the top 25 in full: 

1. Tokyo
2. Vienna
3. Berlin
4. Melbourne
5. Sydney
6. Stockholm
7. Vancouver
8. Helsinki
9. Munich
10. Zurich
11. Copenhagen
12. Fukuoka
13. Singapore
14. Kyoto
15. Paris
16. Madrid
17. Auckland
18. Lisbon
19. Hong Kong
20. Amsterdam
21. Hamburg
22. Geneva
23. Oslo
24. Barcelona
25. Portland