Melbourne world's most liveable city, Mumbai among worst: Survey

A new survey of 140 cities has rated Vancouver as the best city to live, and Mumbai as one of the worst with a ranking of 116.

Sixth ranked Sydney and Perth and Adelaide with joint eighth position were among the top 10 cities.

"Australia, with a low population density and relatively low crime rates, continues to supply some of the world's most liveable cities," the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Economist Intelligence Unit survey editor Jon Copestake, as saying.

The survey showed the poor ranking debt-ridden eurozone countries. Greece's capital Athens ranking dropped from 62nd to 67th.

The survey showed sliding liveability across the Middle East countries in the wake of civil unrest. The Libyan capital Tripoli ranked 135th in the survey.

Hong Kong was ranked 31st, San Francisco and Singapore stood 51st, London at 53rd and New York at 56th position.

Beijing and Shanghai stood at 72nd and 79th position respectively, and Jakarta at 119th.

According to the survey, the worst places to live were Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, Bangladesh's Dhaka and Zimbabwe's Harare.

The EIU said the survey's objective was to supply guidelines to human resources departments worldwide as to when they should grant hardship allowances as part of expatriate relocation packages to the cities.

“It has since evolved as a broad benchmarking tool used by city councils, organizations or corporate entities looking to test locations against one another,” the survey statement said.

Cities were gauged on political and social stability, crime rates and access to quality health care, diversity and standard of cultural events and the natural environment; education (school and university) and the standard of infrastructure, including public transport