Kyiv was ranked among the 10 worst cities to live in: the capital came in 166th place
7 July 08:22
Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, has been ranked among the world’s 10 least livable cities according to the annual Global Liveability Index 2026, compiled by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), reports "Komersant Ukrainian"
The Ukrainian capital ranked 166th out of 173 cities evaluated for livability.
Kyiv is among the ten worst cities
According to the EIU study, Kyiv remains one of the least livable cities in the world. The main reason for its low ranking is the full-scale war, which primarily negatively affects the stability index and also creates additional challenges for infrastructure and residents’ daily lives.
Along with Kyiv, the following cities made the list of the ten least livable cities:
- Tehran;
- Tripoli;
- Lagos;
- Damascus; and other cities suffering from war, political instability, or humanitarian crises.
What criteria were used to evaluate the cities?
The Global Liveability Index covers 173 cities worldwide. Experts evaluate each city based on five main categories:
- stability;
- healthcare;
- culture and environment;
- education;
- infrastructure.
It was the security and stability indicator that had the greatest impact on Kyiv’s ranking.
Global Leaders and Laggards
The world’s worst city: Damascus, Syria, has traditionally held the last place—173rd—in the index.
The world’s most livable city: For the second year in a row, Copenhagen (Denmark) remains at the top of the global list, edging out Vienna in the rankings thanks to its impeccable scores in stability, education, and infrastructure.
Joining them in the top five are Melbourne, Sydney, and Zurich.
Why Kyiv Remains at the Bottom of the Rankings
Despite the continued operation of the city’s infrastructure, transportation, hospitals, and educational institutions even amid the war, constant Russian missile and drone attacks significantly impact the assessment of Ukraine’s capital.
It is precisely the security factor that continues to be the main reason for Kyiv’s low ranking in the global livability index.
