Download Page as PDF Printer Friendly Page
About Sydney and NSW > Quality of Life and Cost of Living

Quality of Life

Sydney is a truly global city that boasts an enviable quality of life. Sydney was ranked equal ninth out of 215 cities by the 2007 Mercer Worldwide Quality of Living Survey. Cities in this survey are graded against 39 key quality of living criteria ranging from political to social and environmental factors. Sydney ranks above almost all other Asia Pacific cities and ahead of all the other Australian capital cities.

Australia was ranked first in the Asia Pacific and fifth in the world for quality of life by the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook 2007. Sydney was also named in fDi Magazine's Top 20 Expat Cities list in 2006, and is described as "one of the world's most attractive and vibrant cities".

Sydney and regional New South Wales are great locations for businesses and expatriate staff, offering political stability, access to key amenities, as well as high levels of safety and health care.

Quality of Life, 2007 (1)

Country (a)        World Ranking Index (2)      City
(b)		 World ranking Index (3)
Australia  5 9.24 Sydney =9 106.5
New Zealand 7 9.10 Auckland 5 107.3
Singapore 10 8.96 Singapore 34 102.5
Germany 13 8.54 Frankfurt 7 107.1
United States 17 7.90 New York 48 100.0
France 19 7.73 Paris 33 102.7
Malaysia 22 7.06 Kuala Lumpur 75 88.9
United Kingdom 25 6.95 London 39 101.2
Japan 28 6.55 Tokyo 35 102.3
Hong Kong SAR 30 5.88 Hong Kong 70 94.3
Taiwan 33 5.65 Taipei 83 86.5
Korea 38 5.22 Seoul 87 85.2
Thailand 41 5.04 Bangkok 109 76.8
India 43 4.92 Mumbai 151 61.7
China 45 4.63 Beijing 116 74.3
Philippines 47 4.55 Manila 123 72.3
Indonesia 48 4.17 Jakarta 142 63.7

Footnotes:
1: The Quality of Life Index is derived from 39 key quality of life determinants, weighted and grouped in the categories of consumer goods, economic environment, housing, medical and health considerations, natural environment, political and social environment, public services and transportation, recreation, schools and education, and socio-cultural environment.
2: Countries are ranked 0-10 where 0=very poor quality of life and 10=excellent quality of life. 
3: Cities are ranked against New York as the base city, which has an index score of 100.
(a) Source: IMD WCY Executive Opinion Survey 2007
(b) Source: Mercer HR Consulting, March 2007, www.imercer.com.